Library: Academic writing: Spelling, Punctuation and Grammar

Spelling, punctuation and grammar

The Library and Academic Skills Team do not teach English language skills, but this guide offers hints and tips as well as useful resources to help you develop your skills and feel more confident about spelling, punctuation and grammar.

Explore the Spelling, Punctuation and Grammar pages using the menu on the left.

External resources for Spelling, Punctuation and Grammar

SAGE Skills: Common Punctuation errors
Spelling 1 - BBC Bitesize
Spelling tips demonstrated in a clear way. Great to remind yourself of the basics.
Spelling 2 - BBC Bitesize
Spelling tips demonstrated in a clear way. Great to remind yourself of the basics.
Punctuation 1 - BBC Bitesize
Punctuation tips demonstrated in a clear way. Great to remind yourself of the basics.
Punctuation 2 - BBC Bitesize
Punctuation tips demonstrated in a clear way. Great to remind yourself of the basics.
Grammar 1 - BBC Bitesize
Grammar tips demonstrated in a clear way. Great to remind yourself of the basics.
Grammar 2 - BBC Bitesize
Grammar tips demonstrated in a clear way. Great to remind yourself of the basics.
BBC Skillswise - resources for adult learners
British Council Grammar resource
While the British Council's resources are aimed at learners of English as a Second Language, their explanations of grammar rules are very clear and may help you regardless of your native language!

Additional resources:

Plain English Campaign (no date) Basic grammar. Available at: www.plainenglish.co.uk/basic-grammar-parts-of-speech.html (Accessed: 6 February, 2025).

Trask, L. (1997) Guide to punctuation. Available at: www.sussex.ac.uk/informatics/punctuation (Accessed: 6 February, 2025).

Useful books in the library

The Student's Guide to Writing by Peck, J. and Coyle, M.
ISBN: 9780230373884
Publication Date: 2012
Aimed at students wishing to improve their writing skills, this guide deals with the key basics of grammar, punctuation and spelling while also showing students how to construct a sentence, how to build a paragraph and how to structure an essay.
Adult learners’ guide to spelling by Betteridge, A.
ISBN: 9780550102249
Publication Date: 2011
Punctuation at Work by Lauchman, R.
ISBN: 9781282492646
Publication Date: 2010
Proper punctuation isn't just for school teachers-it's for anyone in the workplace who wants to communicate professionally...and clearly!
Grammar and style by Peters, M.
ISBN: 9781336113879
Publication Date: 2014
The Idiot's Guide®: Grammar and Style makes learning and using proper grammar clear and easy.
The Oxford Dictionary of English Grammar by Aarts, B.,Chalker, S. and Weiner, E.
ISBN: 9780199658237
Publication Date: 2014
The Oxford Dictionary of English Grammar is a straightforward and accessible A-Z guide to the diverse and often complex terminology of English grammar.

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