The "Steps in English Grammar and Idiom" have a long history behind them. Since 1961, when they were first published, they have not looked back. It is not for me to dwel on their merits or sing their praises as they are now about "to come of age". This has been done profusely by teachers and learners as well as by distinguished linguists in the course of those twenty long years. As for me, I just want to put it on record that when I set out to make these books I had never thought that they were going to be such a huge success both in terms of circulation and as a valuable contribution to the teaching and learning business in Greece. For it is not an idle or complacent assertion that a whofe generation of Greek teachers and learners of English have found in the "Steps" a reliable and inspiring companion. So it is only fitting that I should seize this opportunity to express to all of them, teachers and learners alike, my deepest gratitude for their long and unshakeable support and affection. The success of the "Steps" is as much their own achievement as it is mine.

To mark this occasion, I have taken time off other writing commitments to prepare the present revised, edition. Although the explanations of grammatical usage have hardly been altered at all -they are generally admitted to be so clear, short and to the point as to leave little room for improvement- the Greek text has been touched upon so as to conform to the official version of our "demotiki".

The only really new feature of this edition is an additional page of homework exercises for each lesson. Except for the familiar translation exercise which has been brought over from the back pages, all the other exercises on this page are in English. They vary in form according to each particular lesson: completion exercises alternate with conversion exercises and these with multiple-choice tests. [...] (From the publisher)