Although there are many ways to learn English, the best place to begin is with a few high-quality textbooks.
In my own experience as an autodidactautodidact: a person who teaches himself / herself, rather than being taught by a teacher, no other method offers so much information for so little money. Not apps, not podcasts, not YouTube.
Even free learning materials cost something: your time. The more time you spend on a poorly designed learning program, the less time you have for other goals and interests.
I also find that my students who are the fastest English learners are partial autodidacts: they do extra self-study at home, and they spend their study time learning from books – not movies or games.
With that in mind, here are 8 books that I typically recommend to students who want to do extra self-study. I’ve organized the list into three categories:
- Best Vocabulary Books
- Best Grammar Books
- Best Books for Speaking & Pronunciation
If you’re planning to take the IELTS, I’ve also include 3 useful books specifically for IELTS preparation.
Some of these books are a bit priceypricey: (informal) expensive – but when you consider that you will study them and refer back to them for many weeks, months, or years, they may be the cheapest investment you make in your education.
Best Books for Improving English Vocabulary
A very common way to learn a new word is to first think of the word in your native language and then search for its English translation (using Google or a dictionary app).
I can identify which students practice this bad habit, because they struggle to speak fluently – even after many years of English study.
When you hear about people learning English in 6 months, one reason is that they use good books to learn new words in English methodicallymethodical: done in logical way, using a plan or system.
English Vocabulary Builder (DK English for Everyone)
What makes DK’s books different from other picture books is that each section of the book includes listening and review exercises, and you can practice pronunciation on their website or using their free app.
English Collocations in Use (Cambridge)
Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary (OALD)
Oxford University is famous for creating one of the biggest English dictionaries (with 600,000 entries).
More importantly, their experts have also created the Oxford 3000. This is a list of the most useful, and most-frequently used, words in English-speaking countries. According to these experts, once you learn these 3,000 words, you can understand 80-90% of English conversations, websites, newspapers, etc.
These 3,000 words also allow you to understand every word in Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary, a special dictionary for students who wish to attend an English-speaking university. The newest edition includes 60,000 words and 109,000 examples.
The OALD includes a lot of special features that you can’t find in other dictionaries — like synonyms and collocations. You can also download an app version on your smartphone that allows you to speak the word you want to look up (in case you don’t know how to spell it — which is a common problem with English words).
Best Books for Learning English Grammar
It’s true that English grammar is not simple. But a lot of books make the topic more difficult and confusing than necessary.
The three books below are great because they make English grammar as simple as possible — and sometimes even fun. The best thing about these books, of course, is that they can help you learn English at home, and fast.
(Note: If your goal is to review English grammar before taking the IELTS test, it’s better to get a specialized text.)
English Grammar in Use (Cambridge)
In fact, the best way to study this book is to start with the topics that you find most interesting or confusing. Do note, however, that the Intermediate book is written for B1/B2 learners, so if your English level is lower or higher, you should consider getting the Beginner or Advanced books instead.
Practical English Usage (Oxford)
For intermediate and advanced students, it is a great resource to have. Do note, however, that there are no exercises. It only offers explanations and examples.
English Grammar: Understanding the Basics (Cambridge)
