A Writer S Grammar

A Writer's Grammar is a lively, engaging, and writing-intensive introduction to grammar from a rhetorical and stylistic perspective. A Writer's Grammar makes clear and interesting the relationship between good writing and grammatical knowledge. Presenting grammatical concepts in a hierarchical manner, it builds logically from basic elements to more advanced concepts, showing how grammar affects a writer's style. Writing instruction within each section gives students guided practice to help them apply their knowledge and integrate a new and deeper understanding of language.

The bestselling workbook and grammar guide, revised and updated! Hailed as one of the best books around for teaching grammar, The Blue Book of Grammar and Punctuation includes easy-to-understand rules, abundant examples, dozens of reproducible quizzes, and pre- and post-tests to help teach grammar to middle and high schoolers, college students, ESL students, homeschoolers, and more. This concise, entertaining workbook makes learning English grammar and usage simple and fun. This updated 12th edition reflects the latest updates to English usage and grammar, and includes answers to all reproducible quizzes to facilitate self-assessment and learning. Clear and concise, with easy-to-follow explanations, offering "just the facts" on English grammar, punctuation, and usage Fully updated to reflect the latest rules, along with even more quizzes and pre- and post-tests to help teach grammar Ideal for students from seventh grade through adulthood in the US and abroad For anyone who wants to understand the major rules and subtle guidelines of English grammar and usage, The Blue Book of Grammar and Punctuation offers comprehensive, straightforward instruction.

This lively textbook on grammar helps writers of all abilities understand how the English language functions in contemporary life. It begins with a close examination of sentence patterns, word classes, and syntactical transformations, laying a structural base for understanding usage. Examples from a variety of published writers further your understanding of writing well from a rhetorical and stylistic perspective. Whether you’re a beginning student, an advanced grammarian, or someone who wants to know more about how language works and how to use it, this textbook gives you what you need. Learn how to • manipulate, join, and transform patterns that undergird sentences; • write sentence patterns, transformations, and figures to establish habits of strong and varied sentence building; • compare kinds of grammatical and rhetorical structures and their effects on readers; and • analyze sentences and chunks of text for grammatical underpinnings and rhetorical effect. Become a better writer by understanding grammar, usage, and punctuation with the explanations, examples, and exercises in Grammar for Writers.

This innovative grammar text is an ideal resource for writers, language students, and classroom teachers who need an accessible refresher in a step-by-step guide to essential grammar. Rather than becoming mired in overly detailed linguistic definitions, Nancy Sullivan helps writers and students understand and apply grammatical concepts and develop the skills they need to enhance their writing. Along with engaging discussions of both contemporary and traditional terminology, Sullivan's text provides clear explanations of the basics of English grammar and a practical, hands-on approach to mastering the use of language. Complementing the focus on constructing excellent sentences, every example and exercise set is contextually grounded in language themes. This updated edition includes new sections in each chapter on Writing Matters (addressing key tools and concerns for writers) and Language Varieties (addressing issues of social and regional dialect variation). This is an ideal textbook for any writing course across disciplines where grammatical precision is important. Online resources including additional exercises, links, and an answer key are available at Routledge.com/9780367148683. Instructor materials accompanying the text provide teachers with activities designed for face-to-face, hybrid, and online instruction to enliven these basic grammar lessons as well as writing activities to integrate these concepts into students' own writing.

First published in 1918, William Strunk Jr.'s The Elements of Style is a guide to writing in American English. The boolk outlines eight "elementary rules of usage", ten "elementary principles of composition", "a few matters of form", a list of 49 "words and expressions commonly misused", and a list of 57 "words often misspelled". A later edition, enhanced by E B White, was named by Time magazine in 2011 as one of the 100 best and most influential books written in English since 1923.

Not your same old boring grammar guide! This book is fun, fast, and focused on writing amazing fiction. The world of grammar is huge, but fiction writers don't need to know all the nuances to write well. In fact, some of the rules you were taught in English class will actually hurt your fiction writing, not help it. "Grammar for Fiction Writers" won't teach you things you don't need to know. It's all about the grammar that's relevant to you as you write your novels and short stories. Here's what you'll find inside: Punctuation Basics including the special uses of dashes and ellipses in fiction, common comma problems, how to format your dialogue, and untangling possessives and contractions. Knowing What Your Words Mean and What They Don't including commonly confused words, imaginary words and phrases, how to catch and strengthen weak words, and using connotation and denotation to add powerful subtext to your writing. Grammar Rules Every Writer Needs to Know and Follow such as maintaining an active voice and making the best use of all the tenses for fast-paced writing that feels immediate and draws the reader in. Special Challenges for Fiction Writers like reversing cause and effect, characters who are unintentionally doing the impossible, and orphaned dialogue and pronouns. Grammar "Rules" You Can Safely Ignore When Writing Fiction Each book in the "Busy Writer's Guides" series is intended to give you enough theory so that you can understand why things work and why they don't, but also enough examples to see how that theory looks in practice. In addition, they provide tips and exercises to help you take it to the pages of your own story with an editor's-eye view. Most importantly, they cut the fluff so you have more time to write and to live your life."

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • A sharp, funny grammar guide they’ll actually want to read, from Random House’s longtime copy chief and one of Twitter’s leading language gurus NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY O: The Oprah Magazine • Paste • Shelf Awareness “Essential (and delightful!)”—People We all write, all the time: books, blogs, emails. Lots and lots of emails. And we all want to write better. Benjamin Dreyer is here to help. As Random House’s copy chief, Dreyer has upheld the standards of the legendary publisher for more than two decades. He is beloved by authors and editors alike—not to mention his followers on social media—for deconstructing the English language with playful erudition. Now he distills everything he has learned from the myriad books he has copyedited and overseen into a useful guide not just for writers but for everyone who wants to put their best prose foot forward. As authoritative as it is amusing, Dreyer’s English offers lessons on punctuation, from the underloved semicolon to the enigmatic en dash; the rules and nonrules of grammar, including why it’s OK to begin a sentence with “And” or “But” and to confidently split an infinitive; and why it’s best to avoid the doldrums of the Wan Intensifiers and Throat Clearers, including “very,” “rather,” “of course,” and the dreaded “actually.” Dreyer will let you know whether “alright” is all right (sometimes) and even help you brush up on your spelling—though, as he notes, “The problem with mnemonic devices is that I can never remember them.” And yes: “Only godless savages eschew the series comma.” Chockful of advice, insider wisdom, and fun facts, this book will prove to be invaluable to everyone who wants to shore up their writing skills, mandatory for people who spend their time editing and shaping other people’s prose, and—perhaps best of all—an utter treat for anyone who simply revels in language. Praise for Dreyer’s English “Playful, smart, self-conscious, and personal . . . One encounters wisdom and good sense on nearly every page of Dreyer’s English.”—The Wall Street Journal “Destined to become a classic.”—The Millions “Dreyer can help you . . . with tips on punctuation and spelling. . . . Even better: He’ll entertain you while he’s at it.”—Newsday

This three-in-one guide is the perfect addition to any professional or amateur writer's bookshelf. Aimed at those who use language in their day-to-day lives, it is divided into three parts. The Grammar Guide provides clear, comprehensive guidance on sentence structure, parts of speech and punctuation; the Vocabulary Builder helps you choose the right word by listing commonly confused, misused and cliched words; the dictionary of Literary Terms provides concise definitions of linguistic forms. The budding writer can use this guide to quickly enhance their style and improve their word power. The rules and advice provided are accompanied by usage examples throughout.