AbstractWe consider tensor grammars, which are an example of ‘commutative’ grammars, based on the classical (rather than intuitionistic) linear logic. They can be seen as a surface representation of abstract categorial grammars (ACG) in the sense that derivations of ACG translate to derivations of tensor grammars and this translation is isomorphic on the level of string languages. The basic ingredients are tensor terms, which can be seen as encoding and generalizing proof nets. Using tensor terms makes the syntax extremely simple and a direct geometric meaning becomes transparent. Then we address the problem of encoding noncommutative operations in our setting. This turns out possible after enriching the system with new unary operators. The resulting system allows representing both ACG and Lambek grammars as conservative fragments, while the formalism remains, as it seems to us, rather simple and intuitive.