Book Description
A few years ago, a magazine sponsored a contest for the comment most likely to end a conversation. The winning entry? "I teach English grammar." Just throw that line out at a party; everyone around you will clam up or start saying "whom."
Why does grammar make everyone so nervous? Probably because English teachers, for decades – no, for centuries – have been making a big deal out of grammar in classrooms, diagramming sentences and drilling the parts of speech, clauses, and verbals into students until they beg for mercy. Happily, you don't have to learn all those technical terms of English grammar – and you certainly don't have to diagram sentences – in order to speak and write correct English.
So rest assured – English Grammar For Dummies will probably never make your English teacher's top-ten list of must-read books, because you won't have to diagram a single sentence. What you will discover are fun and easy strategies that can help you when you're faced with such grammatical dilemmas as the choice between "I" and "me," "had gone" and "went," and "who" and "whom." With English Grammar For Dummies, you won't have to memorize a long list of meaningless rules (well, maybe a couple in the punctuation chapter!), because when you understand the reason for a particular word choice, you'll pick the correct word automatically.
English Grammar For Dummies covers many other topics as well, such as the following: Verbs, adjectives, and adverbs – oh my! Preposition propositions and pronoun pronouncements Punctuation: The lowdown on periods, commas, colons, and all those other squiggly marks Possession: It's nine-tenths of grammatical law Avoiding those double negative vibes How to spice up really boring sentences (like this one) Top Ten lists on improving your proofreading skills and ways to learn better grammar
Just think how improving your speaking and writing skills will help you in everyday situations, such as writing a paper for school, giving a presentation to your company's big wigs, or communicating effectively with your family. You will not only gain the confidence in knowing you're speaking or writing well, but you'll also make a good impression on those around you!
Book Info
A friendly guide to proper English grammar. Features coverage of pronouns, participles, parallel structure of verbs, adjectives, and tenses, and proper punctuation. Also covers effective proofreading, using slang, avoiding common grammatical errors, and conveying the appropriate meaning. Softcover.
From the Back Cover
English grammar — made fun and easy!
Speak with ease, write with confidence, and release your fears!
Avoid speech blunders and grammar foul-ups with this friendly, practical guide!
Sick of people correcting your grammar all the time? Relax! Let expert Geraldine Woods show you the way. From pronouns, participles, and parallel structure to adjectives, verbs, and tenses, this friendly guide will put the joy back into "proper" speaking and writing — without bogging you down in a boring list of rules.
Discover how to: Avoid common grammatical errors Use proper punctuation Conjugate verbs and get tenses right Say exactly what you mean Decide when to use slang Become an effective proofreader The Dummies WayTM Explanations in plain English "get in, get out" information Icons and other navigational aids Tear-out cheat sheet Top ten lists A dash of humor and fun
Get Smart! www.dummies.com Sign up for daily eTips at www.dummiesdaily.com Choose from among 33 different subject categories Get news you can use on everything from money to health to computers Geraldine Woods has taught grammar for 17 years at a New York City private school and has written more than 40 books, including biographies, reference books, and grammar workbooks.
About the Author
Geraldine Woods has taught grammar at a well-regarded private school for over 16 years. Early in her teaching career she worked in a high school with a mostly remedial population, a situation that prompted her to decide what was truly essential for a basic level of correct English. She has authored over 40 books including, The Horace Mann Grammar Workbook and Teachers' Manual for English Literature and Equal Justice: A Biography of Sandra Day O'Connor. She has also published books in children's literature, biographies and various other topics.
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