Best English Textbooks for Learning English (That Don't Actually Suck)

You're probably looking for the best book to learn English. Maybe you're teaching adults and need a solid textbook series, or you're a beginner trying to figure out which English books are worth your money. Either way, you've probably seen a million lists recommending the same stuff.

Here's the thing—some English textbooks are genuinely useful. But most? They're boring as hell and won't get you fluent.

I spent way too much time researching this (checking what Cambridge University Press, Oxford University Press, and other real publishers recommend for ESL and adult learners), so let me break down the best textbooks that actually work and what's just marketing BS.

The Problem With Most English Textbooks for Learning English

Before we get into which English books are good, let's be honest about why most textbooks for learners suck.

They're outdated almost instantly. By the time an English textbook gets published, it's already behind on how people actually speak. You end up learning phrases nobody's used since 2010.

They focus on the wrong stuff. You don't need 50 ways to say "I would like to purchase a ticket." You need to understand real conversational English—what your coworker meant when they said "Let's circle back on that."

They're not how adult learners actually acquire language skills. Research is clear: you improve your English by using it in real contexts, not by filling in grammar exercises about hypothetical conversations.

But here's where the best textbooks can help: explaining grammar points clearly, giving you structured practice exercises when you're a beginner, and serving as a self-study reference when you're confused about a verb tense or pronoun.

What Makes the Best Book to Learn English (If You're Going to Use One)

The best English textbooks should:

Most importantly: it should be current. If the English textbook cover has people with 1990s hairstyles standing next to a payphone, put it back on the shelf.

The One Grammar Book Every English Teacher Recommends (And Why They're Right)

English Grammar in Use by Raymond Murphy (Cambridge University Press)

Look, I know everyone talks about this one. But there's a reason it's been the best-selling practice book for learners of English for 40 years—it actually works for intermediate learners and advanced students.

What makes this English textbook good:

It comes in three levels in the textbook series: Essential Grammar in Use (beginner), English Grammar in Use (intermediate), and Advanced Grammar in Use (advanced level). The intermediate one is the most useful for most ESL students.

This coursebook is designed for self-study, but English teachers use it in the classroom too. It works for both.

What it's NOT: a complete learning system for fluency. It's a reference and practice book. You're not going to develop conversational skills or improve your English speaking just by working through grammar exercises. But if you need to understand English grammar rules—why we say "I've been learning English for two years" instead of "I learn English for two years"—this book includes clear explanations.

The Other Grammar Reference English Teachers Actually Use

Practical English Usage by Michael Swan (Oxford University Press)

This one's for advanced learners and English teachers who need to look up specific grammar points. It's sold over 2 million copies because it answers the questions that confuse learners of English most.

The 4th edition is organized in two parts: a comprehensive grammar section and a guide to vocabulary problems. It covers stuff like:

This isn't an English textbook you read through. It's what you check when you're writing something important and want to make sure you got the grammar right.

Best Textbooks for Structured English Learning (Beginner to Advanced)

If you're teaching adults or want a complete English language coursebook for self-study, here are the best English books that don't completely suck:

English File (Oxford University Press) - 4th Edition

This is probably the most popular textbook series for learning English right now, and for good reason. It goes from complete beginner to advanced level (C1—where you can handle university courses in English).

What's good about this English textbook:

The English File series is designed for classroom use, but you could work through it for self-study if you're disciplined.

Headway (Oxford University)

Another solid textbook series from Oxford University Press. Headway has been around for decades and covers beginner through advanced students. It's more traditional than English File but includes practical examples and clear explanations.

Good for adult learners who want a structured grammar syllabus with individual lessons building on each other.

Interchange (Cambridge University Press)

This textbook series is huge in American English teaching. Interchange focuses on conversational English and includes lots of speaking practice. It's especially popular for teaching adults in ESL programs.

The books available in this series go from beginner to advanced level, with a workbook for extra practice exercises.

Outcomes (National Geographic Learning) - 3rd Edition

This one's newer and focuses on real-world English language use. Some language schools prefer it over English File because it emphasizes practical English over grammar drilling.

Good for intermediate learners and advanced learners who already have grammar basics but struggle with using English in real situations.

English for Everyone

DK's "English for Everyone" textbook series is designed specifically for self-study. It uses tons of visual aids (great if you're a visual learner), covers beginner to advanced level, and includes audio for pronunciation practice.

The book includes clear explanations with practical examples for grammar and vocabulary. Solid choice for adult learners studying on their own.

Best English Textbooks for Teaching Adults (ESL/EFL)

If you're an English teacher working with adult learners in ESL or adult education programs, here are the best textbooks for building lesson plans:

For General English:

For American English specifically:

For British English:

The key with teaching adults: they need practical English they can use immediately. Skip the boring grammar drills. Focus on conversational skills and real-world language skills they'll actually need.

What About Business English Books?

Business English textbooks are their own category. Most are dry as hell—explaining how to write formal emails like it's 1995.

The ones that don't completely suck include Market Leader and In Company. But honestly? If you need Business English, you're probably better off reading actual business publications in English and using spaced repetition to learn new vocabulary you encounter.

Business English isn't really a separate language—it's just general English used in professional contexts.

For Beginner English Learners: Where to Start

If you're a complete beginner, start here:

As a beginner, you need clear explanations, not complicated grammatical terminology. These English books give you that.

Don't try to start with Practical English Usage or Advanced Grammar in Use. Those are for intermediate to advanced learners who already have a solid foundation.

Should You Even Use an English Textbook?

Here's where I'm going to be honest: textbooks have their place for learning English, but they're not how you actually develop fluency and conversational skills.

Think about how you learned your first language. You didn't study grammar rules and fill in practice exercises. You listened to native English speakers, tried to say stuff yourself, made mistakes, and gradually improved your English skills. That's how language learning actually works.

English textbooks can help you understand English grammar and build vocabulary systematically. They're great for clearing up confusion: "Oh, that's why we use that verb tense." But you don't get fluent by studying textbook examples and doing workbook exercises.

You improve your English by engaging with real English—reading stuff you actually care about, watching shows you enjoy, listening to podcasts about topics that interest you.

The problem with relying on textbooks is that you end up knowing a lot about English grammar without being able to actually use it naturally. You can explain the present perfect tense but can't have a conversational exchange without thinking for five seconds before each sentence.

Here's a Better Approach for Learning English

Use the best textbooks for what they're good at:

But do most of your actual English learning through real content:

This combination works way better for improving your English than either approach alone. Best book + real content beats textbook by itself, and it definitely beats just watching Netflix hoping you'll somehow absorb English language skills through osmosis.

The Real Secret to Learning English (That ESL Textbooks Miss)

You know what actually made the biggest difference in my language learning? It wasn't drilling grammar exercises from the best English textbooks. It was finding content I genuinely wanted to consume and learning from that.

The problem is, when you're trying to read a real English article or watch a real English show, you hit English words you don't know every few seconds. Stopping to look everything up kills the flow and makes it frustrating as hell for learners.

That's where something like Migaku actually helps adult learners and ESL students. The browser extension lets you look up English words and idioms instantly while you're reading articles or watching videos—no interruption, no losing your place. You can add new vocabulary directly to spaced repetition cards with the practical examples where you found them, which is way more effective for language learning than memorizing word lists from an English textbook.

For example, if you encounter a verb like "hypothetical" while reading an article about AI, you add it with that sentence. When you review it later, you remember: "Oh yeah, this is from that article I read." Your brain connects it to actual usage in written English and conversational contexts, not a made-up textbook sentence about someone's vacation.

It works with Netflix, YouTube, articles, whatever. You're learning English from content you'd actually want to consume anyway, instead of forcing yourself through textbook dialogues about booking hotel rooms.

Plus, all your reviews sync between your phone and computer, so you can practice anywhere. It's just more practical than carrying around English books and hoping you'll find time to do workbook exercises.

Look, I'm not saying English textbooks are useless for learning English. Keep that copy of English Grammar in Use for when you need to understand how conditionals work. Reference Practical English Usage when you're writing something important. Use an English textbook series if you want structured lesson plans.

But your actual improvement in speaking skills and fluency comes from engaging with real English in context. Migaku just makes that process way less painful and more efficient for learners of all levels—whether you're a beginner just starting out or an advanced student working on the last bits of fluency.

There's a 10-day free trial if you want to try it. Way cheaper than buying a bunch of English textbooks and workbooks that'll sit on your shelf after the first week.