A guide to 1600 key terms required in studying English language and literature. Its features includes: coverage of traditional and modern grammatical terminology from "abbreviation" to "zeugma"; descriptions of literary movements and historical contexts such as "chansons de geste" and "Beat generation"; explanations of literary and language terms together with examples from literary works likely to be met in course material or available from libraries; entries on other art forms - film, TV, light entertainment, popular song - which influence English studies; pronunciation guide; and an outline of the British literary heritage, placing principal writers and major movements in periods with reference to corresponding landmarks in international literature. It is aimed at students at school and college, especially those taking a module in literature as part of wider studies; foreign students taking English at advanced level; teachers appreciative of the inspiring range of quotations given in the text and general readers with an interest in language, rhetoric and criticism.