Using English Effectively is based on Good English for Canadian Studies, published by the University of Edinburgh Centre of Canadian Studies in 1997.

During my academic career I became increasingly depressed by the numbers of students, many of them undoubtedly able, whose poor command of English hampered their written work.

Perhaps the saddest aspect of this decline in concern for accuracy was the fact that the same blunders recurred time and again, most of them easily remediable through simple explanation or by the use of tricks of memory.

Using English Effectively is the result. International readers should note that it has been compiled mainly with reference to usage in Britain and Ireland. Perhaps it will also be helpful elsewhere.

Using English Effectively is arranged into an Introduction and five parts. These are Problem Words A to M, Problem Words N to Z, Pairs (including some Trios), The Apostrophe: Simple Rules and Pronunciation for Presentation.