If you are going to become a teacher of English – or if you are already a teacher – you know that it is not enough to be able to speak and write English well. You also need to know how English works, and to be able to give explanations and to answer learners’ questions.

Then a new three-volume publication will certainly guide you along the way. This article is submitted by Alan Marsh, a greatly experienced Director of Studies and a Director of Teacher Training in various educational institutions. 

Have you ever wondered why we say I went to the cinema yesterday and not I have been to the cinema yesterday?  Or why we’re more likely to say it’s going to rain tomorrowrather than it will rain tomorrow? 

If an adverb gives us more information about a verb (e.g. they worked tirelessly), why do we say I’m tired and not I’m tiredly? 

Why do foreigners tear their hair out about prepositions in English? Why do we say keen on but fond ofand mad about? And if that’s not enough, why do you think they go loopy trying to figure out take up yoga, take on a challenge, take to drink, take after my dad, take in the rules of English?! 

Do you know that some of the commonest words in English are determiners? What are they and when do we use them? 

You may be a proficient user of English and are intrigued by - and would like to know more about - the explicit language systems underlying what people say and write spontaneously. 

Or perhaps you want to teach English to foreigners - or you are already a teacher – and you know that it is not enough to be able to speak and write English well; you also need to know how English works, and to be able to give explanations and to answer learners' questions. 

By means of a wide-ranging series of guided discovery tasks, a new three-volume publication entitled  Exploring English: A Journey Of Guided Discovery Through The Rules Of English engages you and involves you as you explore and develop your awareness of how the English language works. 

This ground-breaking three-volume publication also contains an extensive glossary of terms to describe language and a full key to all the tasks and commentaries. It can therefore be used as a course book on teacher training courses and is also ideal for self-study. 

About the Author 

Alan Marsh has been living and working in Malta since 1993. He is a full-time English Language teacher, teacher educator and materials writer and has 30 years’ experience in teaching General English to adults and teenagers, and Business English to adults, mainly in Italy (where he worked with International House, Rome) and Malta. He is widely experienced as a Director of Studies and as a Director of Teacher Training in various educational institutions. 

How to order Exploring English 

If you would like to order this three-volume publication then you can do so online. It is published by a German company – Lehrer Selbst Verlag – which publishes material written by teachers for teachers. The website www.lehrerselbstverlag.de/shop has over 800,000 registered users. However, as it is in German we’re making things easier for you by including instructions in English.

1.   Go to www.lehrerselbstverlag.de/shop or Google:  Exploring English Alan Marsh

2.   Click on the image for Exploring English (the same image as at the top of this article

3.   For each of the three volumes, click on In den Warenkorb (shopping basket)

4.   Fill in personal details (asterisks = these must be filled in) 

Vorname = first name 

Nachname – surname 

Strasse number = number and street 

Postleitzahl = Postcode 

Ort – town 

Scroll down list of countries and click on yours (the country where your billing address is)

5.   If necessary, click on Deutsche Post (for mode of delivery)

6.   Tick the Ich akzeptiere box (I accept Terms and Conditions) 

Weiter = Next 

Entfernen = Delete (tick box and also tick Aktualisieren= update) 

Kauf abschliessen = Complete the purchase 

Rechnungsadresse = Billing address 

Lieferzeit = Delivery time:  approximately 1 week (max 2 weeks)

A note on payment 

The website will not ask you for your credit card details. Once you have confirmed your order they will send you a confirmation email. The book will arrive with an invoice, which you then pay, e.g. by bank transfer.