Top Books for Learning Contract Drafting Language

Which books will genuinely help you acquire contract-drafting language? This lesson compares resources for different levels and learning aims, including TOLES preparation, vocabulary building and practical skills.

Watch the lesson: Top Books for Learning Contract Drafting Language

Books compared

Book	Author(s)	Best for	Buy the book
The Lawyer’s English Language Coursebook A2–B1	Catherine Mason	Foundation-level vocabulary; contract formation and understanding contracts; reading, matching and gap-fill tasks; vocabulary recaps and exam practice.	TOLES Exam Store
The Lawyer’s English Language Coursebook B1–B2	Catherine Mason	Higher-level vocabulary (e.g. risk and title); collocation and preposition banks; review activities and exam practice.	TOLES Exam Store
Advanced Legal English	Catherine Mason	Advanced learners and TOLES Advanced preparation; short focused units including time is of the essence and termination for cause language.	TOLES Exam Store
The Vocabulary of Commercial Contracts	Catherine Mason	Dictionary-style A–Y reference with definitions and demanding gap-fill practice; best after some prior contract-language study.	TOLES Exam Store
Practical English Language Skills for Lawyers	Natasha Costello & Louise Kulbicki	Practical application through discussion, reading, listening, vocabulary notes and work with an example contract.	Amazon
Guida alla trattazione e redazione di contratti internazionali	Domenico Fargnoli	Bilingual Italian/English reference for Italian lawyers and translators working with international commercial contracts.	Amazon

1. TOLES coursebooks

The A2–B1 and B1–B2 coursebooks cover several areas of law, but each contains substantial contract material. The lower-level book includes vocabulary recaps where learners can add their own definitions. The B1–B2 book adds collocation and preposition banks—for example, carry a risk, take out insurance and pay for goods.

Both include official exam-style practice. Audio remains available by QR code, even though the current TOLES exams no longer include a listening paper, because listening practice remains useful for learners.

2. Advanced Legal English

This book contains 60 compact two-page units. Contract-related units cover sophisticated concepts and expressions such as time is of the essence and terminate for cause. It is most suitable for advanced learners who already have a solid foundation or for those preparing for the TOLES Advanced exam.

3. The Vocabulary of Commercial Contracts

This works like a specialist vocabulary reference, moving alphabetically through contract terms. Each group of definitions is followed by practice sentences. Because the language and exercises can be demanding, it is better as a second-stage resource than as a first introduction to contract English.

4. Practical English Language Skills for Lawyers

Louise Kulbicki (me!) and Natasha Costello’s book focuses on using language through professional skills. Chapter 4 covers contract drafting, while other chapters develop writing, presentations, negotiation and communication. The contract chapter includes discussion, vocabulary notes, reading, listening and an example contract used across several exercises.

5. A bilingual reference for Italian lawyers

Domenico Fargnoli’s Guida alla trattazione e redazione di contratti internazionali is written in Italian and English. It examines the pre-contractual and contractual phases, boilerplate clauses and translation choices. It is a reference rather than an exercise book.

How to choose

Your aim	Suggested starting point
Build a foundation	A2–B1 TOLES coursebook.
Develop collocations and prepositions	B1–B2 TOLES coursebook.
Prepare for advanced work or TOLES Advanced	Advanced Legal English.
Look up specialised contract terminology	The Vocabulary of Commercial Contracts.
Apply language through professional tasks	Practical English Language Skills for Lawyers.
Work between Italian and English	Fargnoli’s bilingual guide.

Lesson links

🥇 Ways to learn Legal English

Note: Legal information changes and develops, so please note that information may have become out of date. For content which is updated regularly check out my courses.