Inspired by systemic and structural linguistics, the book places heavy emphasis on clause elements (Subject, Verb, Object, Complement, Adverbial) as the engine of English syntax. This is a significant departure from traditional word-class-based grammars.

No text is without flaws, and A University Grammar of English shows its age in a few areas.

For students of the English language, linguists, and passionate grammarians, certain texts stand as monuments in the field. Among these, occupies a place of highest honor. Often referred to simply as "Quirk and Greenbaum," this book is not merely a textbook; it is a distilled masterpiece of linguistic scholarship that defined how English grammar was taught and understood for decades.