Longman Dictionary of American English

Unlike many popular dictionaries, this one uses a phonetic alphabet to display the pronunciation of each word. Thesaurus boxes accompany thousands of words. This dictionary includes 55,000 words and phrases and 36,000 example sentences. A CD-ROM is also included.

Publisher: Pearson Longman

Longman Handy Learner’s Dictionary of American English

If you’d like a dictionary small enough to carry with you, this simple dictionary, which also uses the phonetic alphabet, has a pronunciation table inside the front cover. Includes 28,000 words.

Publisher: Pearson Longman

Merriam-Webster's Visual Dictionary

The dictionary's 6,000 images accompany definitions of over 20,000 terms in 17 categories. Visual dictionaries are appealing learning tools and this is one of our favorites.

Publisher: Merriam Webster

Roget’s International Thesaurus

Next to your dictionary should sit a thesaurus. It comes in handy when you’re having trouble thinking of a word with the precise meaning you need. An index of words and their multiple meanings leads you to appropriate entries from which to choose.

Publisher: Collins

Handbook of Commonly Used American Idioms
Fourth Edition
Adam Makkai, Maxine T. Boatner, John E. Gates

Idioms are among the hardest aspects of a language to learn because they have a different meaning than the literal meaning. This handy reference includes brief definitions of over 2,500 idioms.

Publisher: Barron's Educational Series

Speak American: A Survival Guide to the Language
and Culture of the USA
Dileri Borunda Johnston

Even if you’re comfortable with English and have a large vocabulary, this book can help you decipher many American terms, from eating (2% milk, American cheese) to holidays and vacations (motor home, personal day).

Publisher: Random House Reference