This book, which is chiefly intended as a textbook for Swedish university students, deals with the complicated and fascinating history of English. This development (from Proto-Indo-European, via Proto-Germanic, Pre-English, Old English and Middle English, up to Modern English) is described in some detail. There are texts with glossaries and other comments illustrating usage in Old English, Middle English and Early Modern English. Exercises (for which a Key is provided) make it possible to check one’s knowledge of the subject, and there are numerous references to other books describing the development outlined above.