Product Description
The Blue Book of Grammar and Punctuation is filled with easy-to-understand rules,real-world examples, dozens of reproducible exercises, and pre- and post-tests.

This handy workbook is ideal for teachers, students in middle school through college, ESL students, homeschoolers, and professionals. Valuable for anyone who takes tests or writes reports, letters, Web pages, e-mails, or blogs, The Blue Book offers instant answers to everyday English usage questions. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (43)

No what I expected
It seemed like this book was going to be amazing, so I was excited when I got it.I teach a class in basic skills so this book would be perfect.I immediately opened it up and started reading.

The first thing I noticed?It's available FREE online.So why did I bother buying the book?

Secondly, the organization of the book is lacking.It is structured by chapters, but within each chapter all it is is a list of rules and examples.The quizzes are at the back of the book only.I think it would be better to put a quiz after each section of rules.

Thirdly, the quizzes are all one after another so when you make copies you have to cut them apart or you will get parts of quizzes on the page as the one you want the students to take.It is not organized well for use in a class at all.

That said, the content itself is really good.The rules are clear and the examples are the best I've seen.I just wish it was better organized!

A useful primer
The book is well written and organized.Older adults can use it as a refresher and younger people should use it to learn what has not been taught in school recently.

good for the money
This is a great book for at a glance info.It's by no means exhaustive, but it does the trick.

The Blue Book of Grammar and Punctuation
This is an excellent source of information -- whether English is your first or second language.I highly recommend this book to any supervisor who is responsible for editing documents.

Pretty handy
I got this to fix up my grammar and punctuation in my novel. Having graduated over 20 years ago, I was rusty. Good book, easy to understand and good examples. I was pleased with it. ... Read more

Product Description
Provide your students with the grammar and punctuation practice they need to perform successfully on classroom assignments, in the real world, and on state tests!

25 grammar and punctuation rules are supported by downloadable interactive charts and reproducible practice pages to help students develop important language skills.

Interactive and reproducible activities motivate students as they practice grammar and punctuation skills such as:

sentences and sentence punctuation
capitalizing proper nouns
nouns
verbs
adjectives
compound words
contractions
using I, me, we, us, they, and them correctly
plurals and irregular plurals
commas in lists, dates, and addresses
possessive nouns
past tense
spelling changes when adding endings
comparative and superlative adjectives ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

NO CD!!!
Apparently there is a "new edition" for this book and it no longer comes with a CD.After reading the review on Amazon, I was willing to pay the $20 price because the book came with a CD to make extra copies of practice pages.I was disappointed to receive the book with no CD.Now, it's just another overpriced workbook.

Loved this book
I bought this to go with our 7 year old's home school curriculum. She loved it as much as I did.It was in depth enough to teach her more, but not so hard she could not grasp it.

The CD that comes with the book makes it so easy to print off lessons.

I am looking for another book by Evan-Moor to continue on with her studies in this area.

Great for review
My homeschooled daughter really likes this book (she's in 2nd grade). When we received it, she did 20 pages in one sitting.I had to ask her to save some pages for later :)It states a rule, then has a few pages of different activities for each rule.For homeschooled kid, you can do more per day.For kid that attends a public school, the activities on each page are short enough to be enjoyable.This book came with CD that has a pdf file of this whole book, so you can redo some lessons by printing them later again.

Grammar Made Easy!
I love this book.It has a section that explains the grammar/punctuation rule, then a number of pages to reinforce the lesson.The examples are quite clear and the rules broken down into the basics.Great for us homeschoolers and terrific for traditional students who just want reinforcement or review. ... Read more

Product Description
Random House's completely revised best-selling guide to good English.Random House Webster's Pocket Grammar, Usage, and Punctuation is perfect for students, business, and anyone who cares about the correct use of English.






Includes:

• Clear and concise explanations of English grammar with plenty of examples
• Common grammatical and stylistic errors and how to avoid them
• Quick reference to commonly misspelled words
• User-friendly guide to punctuation and capitalization
• Easily confused words and how to tell them apart
• Convenient pocket size that fits into backpack, purse, or briefcase ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

An excellent review on formal written English
I learned English as a third language and did not get to use it professionally until well into my 20s. There were gaps and errors in my knowledge of formal English, and they had been a hindrance throughout my career.

Looking back, I regret deeply for not studying a reference guide such as this one earlier. It covers the basic grammatical rules, lists the common spelling errors and even discusses the usage of all the important words and phrases. What benefits me the most, nonetheless, is the section on punctuation. I had never quite mastered the usage of colons and semicolons, but now I feel much more comfortable using them.

I purchased the ebook version for my Nook. The formatting looks fine on the small screen. The only constant annoyance is the page number, which corresponds to the paperback version instead of the electronic one. Overall, this is a great reference for anyone who had not gone through rigorous training on professional English writing. ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (39)

Full of errors andomissions
The book uses (sometimes misuses) technical terms that it never bothers to define. That's how carelessly it's been thrown together. The book states (ungrammatically), "Object pronouns are used everywhere else (direct object, indirect object, object of the preposition)." However, the book never defines "direct object," "indirect object," or "object of the preposition." For that matter, it does not even define "preposition." The book makes no mention of transitive verbs, intransitive verbs, appositives, complements, copulative verbs (linking verbs), modals, auxiliary verbs (helping verbs), agents, the subjunctive--the list goes on and on.

This book is also full of errors. Many of the "rules" are misleading or simply incorrect. Moreover, there are grammar and punctuation errors in the writing itself. In the section on finding subjects and verbs, we read, "Being able to identify the subject and verb correctly will also help you with commas and semicolons as you will see later." It is certainly odd that a sentence about proper punctuation should itself include a punctuation error; a mandatory comma has been omitted between "semicolons" and "as." We are told in "Rule 2", "A subject will come before a phrase beginning with 'of'." This is simply not a rule; subjects often follow "of". Consider this sentence: "Hoping to win the respect of her employer, Sandra learned to speak fluent English." The subject, Sandra, comes after a phrase beginning with "of" ("of her employer"), not before one. Someone who followed the rule in the book might falsely conclude that "respect" is the subject, as it comes before "of". We are also told, most unhelpfully, "To find the subject and verb, always find the verb first. [If the reader already knows how to find verbs, why would she be consulting this book?] Then ask who or what performed the verb." This sloppy wording is almost bound to cause confusion. Consider this sentence: "In spite of the bad instructions, the error was found bythe student." The verb is "was found," and the student did the finding. It would be natural to suppose, then, that the student "performed the verb" and thus is the subject. The subject, however, is "the error," not "the student". All of these problems (and others I have not mentioned) are found on a mere two pages of text.

The book, sadly, is a bust.

Great reference book
I purchased this for my seventh-grader but after receiving it decided to share it.I recommend it!

A great reference guide
I did appreciate how easy it was to find the sections I needed to rewrite my sentences. It was very straightforward and the exercises at the end of the book was a perfect added bonus.

However, as a amateur book writer, I found that it did not cover all elements of writing styles. In my opinion, this book is generally for individuals who need to develop their skills in writing essays and research papers.

But all in all, this is a great reference guide to anyone who would like to improve their sentence structures.

A must have book!!
This book is WONDERFUL! I totally recommend it! It breaks down the complicated rules of gramamar and even provides quizzes to test your understanding. You MUST BUY THIS BOOK!

Most Useful!!
This site is absolutely great.It has my vote for the most useful internet reference site. ... Read more

Product Description
This very approachable text combines instruction in parts of speech and sentence structure with down-to-earth examples, funny illustrations, and examination of some of the more amusing and peculiar words in the English language. A chapter on clear e-mail communication and etiquette is brand new in this edition, as are many of the authorÂ's challenging Â"Brain Ticklers.Â" Her helpful chapter on how to edit a school paper has also been heavily revised and updated.

BarronÂ's popular Painless Series of study guides for middle school and high school students offer a lighthearted, often humorous approach to their subjects, transforming details that might once have seemed boring or difficult into a series of interesting and mentally challenging ideas. Most titles in the series feature many fun-to-solve Â"Brain TicklerÂ" problems with answers at the end of each chapter. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (41)

Painless Grammar
I purchased this book for my 11 year old because it was needed for school.It was in great condition and it arrived at our home in a timely manner.

Uh, get it!
I have ten years of education past high school--think B.A., Masters, etc.No one thought I needed to learn grammar, so I don't know grammar.It's frustrating and the thought of weeding through a dry grammar book was killing me, but I have to do it.So, minutes ago, I downloaded to my kindle a sample from ten grammar books.You can read up to about 25 to 50 pages for free on the kindle, something like that.

All of them were awful, and I mean just awful.Then I came to this one---she wrote it for kids.It's easy.

Here's what I learned in the last couple of minutes (things I have struggled with for a lifetime).

Is it North or north?north side of the road but North if it's a region.

East Coast or east coast?Use the caps---East Coast

That was worth the price of admission, because I never know and just guess.I think I always capitalize "north."

Is it Earth or earth?Tricky---Earth if you are talking about it as a planet, i.e. Pluto, Earth, Mars.But: the earth is round.No cap in a sentence like that.

How much time does she spend explaining each of these?Almost none.She states the rule, gives you an example and away you go to the next one.Sparse.Just what I want.

If you have a kindle, download a sample and see for yourself.(don't forget to download all the others, which don't get to any lesson at all in the sample---I am not kidding.Can you say dryyyyyyy?)

I'm actually going to buy a hard copy, because I have a feeling this is one to highlight, dog ear, and flip around in until you can remember all those pesky things you can't remember (or never learned---but, yes, I had to read Do You Know How the Caged Bird Sings--- all about someone peeing on someone).A fine education.

Fantastic
What a great way to get kids interested in grammar. So many kids develop an aversion to the subject, much like math phobia. But there's no need for the topic to be dry or difficult, as Dr. Elliott so deftly illustrates.

"Painless Grammar" is Really Painless
Having graduated from high school many years ago, my last grammar course was a bit out of date.The purpose for my purchasing this book was to obtain a quick reference for current rules of grammar to help convince my friend why I suggest certain changes in his book before his manuscript is submitted.I was a bit disappointed when I realized the target audience for this book was kids.However, as I read it, I was delighted.Adults who were staunch grammar students from decades ago (like myself) can refresh their knowledge as well as learn a few things in the process - all in an easy-to-understand format.This is a great reference book!

Great provider!
This book is terrific, and the seller had it delivered way before the due date. It was also in great condition. ... Read more

Product Description
Selby's Essential College English is an excellent grammar workbook that provides a complete, clear treatment of the rules of grammar and punctuation. Incorporating a friendly and engaging tone throughout, the author's focus on the traditional principles of basic, sentence-level grammar and usage. Each chapter begins with a practice "Find the Error" activity, progresses to lessons and numerous exercises to reinforce each lesson, and concludes with further Review and Editing Tests to help readers retain what they have learned in each chapter. With journal and writing assignments at the end of each chapter, the book places greater emphasis on writing and the writing process. The book also includes checklists, boxed grammar rules, writer's tips, coverage of spelling practice and stylistic elements,For those seeking to develop their grammar skills. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Essential College English: A Grammar and Punctuation Workbook for Writers
The book arrived in excellent condition and I know I need this book.Grammer is something I always need to brush up on.:)) ... Read more

Product Description
The Only Grammar Book You’ll Ever Need is the idealresource for everyone who wants to produce writing that is clear,concise, and grammatically excellent. Whether you’re creating perfectprofessional documents, spectacular school papers, or effectivepersonal letters, you’ll find this handbook indispensable. From wordchoice to punctuation to organization, English teacher Susan Thurmanguides you through getting your thoughts on paper with polish.

Using dozens of examples, The Only Grammar Book You’ll Ever Need provides guidelines for:

·Understanding the parts of speech and elements of a sentence
·Avoiding the most common grammar and punctuation mistakes
·Using correct punctuating in every sentence
·Writing clearly and directly
·Approaching writing projects, whether big or small

Easy to follow and authoritative, The Only Grammar Book You’ll Ever Need provides all the necessary tools to make you successful with every type of written expression. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (22)

Very helpful, useful, and readable.
This book is a pleasure to read, employing a lively style while injecting just enough humor to keep the sector of the populace who are not grammar nerds attentive long enough to absorb valuable information. It is simultaneously clear without being simplistic and substantive without being pedantic, a neat trick in this day of watered-down everything. It also adheres to traditional grammar categories, which are typically more precise and generally to be preferred to modern reorganizing frameworks. In short, it reads like a "for dummies" book without oversimplifying anything or leaving anything out. I looked for omissions in content, and could find none of significance. The book is surprisingly comprehensive, but avoids the type of overly technical style which inhibits usefulness. I found only one error: in the example given for the noun version of objective complement, which is actually an example of a close appositive, not an object complement. Are you listening, Ms. Thurman? The relationship between a direct object and an object complement in a sentence must involve the action of the verb. It is not sufficient to make it an object complement simply for a subsequent noun to give more information about a direct object or rename it.The action of the verb must "flow through" the direct object to the object complement in order to satisfy the definition and distinguish it from an appositive. A correct example of an object complement would be: "Given his extensive experience in debate, I regarded Dan the more likely winner." In this example, "Dan" is the direct object and "winner" the object complement. By the way, the same mistake is found in the author's other book on grammar, The Only Grammar Book You'll Ever Need. Correct that, and, given its purpose, as far as I am concerned, you have a nearly perfect book! Thank you!

Great service
This is my second order and, just like the first, it came promptly and in perfect condition.

Great Gift
I give this book to all my Composition I students when they graduate high school. It's just the right size to keep handy when writing college papers, etc.

Outstanding for Kids, Less So for Adults
This book is well organized and written.It covers the very basics, but not adequate for a serious writer or perhaps even for many college graduates. I'm giving my book to my 10 year old grand-son, who I hope will use it through at least junior high school.Perhaps even through high school.It deserves 5 stars for that purpose.

The Only Grammer Book, No, Seriously.
The title says it all. It hasn't failed me yet. Easy to use, easy to understand. Why did high school composition have to make it so hard? ... Read more

Product Description

The fun and easy way® to improve your grammar

Enhancing your speaking and writing skills helps in everyday situations, such as writing a paper for school, giving a presentation to a company's bigwigs, or communicating effectively with family and friends. English Grammar For Dummies, 2nd Edition gives you the latest techniques for improving your efficiency with English grammar and punctuation.

• Teaches the rules of verbs, adjectives, and adverbs; prepositions, propositions, and pronoun pronouncements; punctuation; possessives; and proofreading skills for all communication
• Geraldine Woods is the author of English Grammar Workbook For Dummies, College Admission Essays For Dummies, Research Papers For Dummies, SAT I For Dummies, 6th Edition, AP English Literature For Dummies, and AP English Language For Dummies

For speakers and writers of all skill levels, English Grammar For Dummies, 2nd Edition provides easy-to-follow, practical information for improving your command of English grammar. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (40)

Thanx so much
I love it! I heard about purchasing things on this site, I have already purchased two books from here and am very satisfied with the condition of the books and I love the book itself. Thanks Amazon!

A Great Book For Bored English Lit. Majors!
Normally, I like "Dummies" books.Normally, I have no problem finishing a "Dummies" book.This is only the second time I have stopped reading a "Dummies" book before reaching the end...way before reaching the end.Like all grammar books, this one uses examples to illustrate the grammar rule being taught.Examples are crucial to teaching English grammar.Unfortunately, the examples in this book used such odd names, and had such odd events happening, that it was impossible for the reader to concentrate on the grammar rule being taught.While one certainly did not expect Ms. Woods to use names like Dick, Jane and Sally, one also did not expect to be constantly bombarded with names like Blathersby, Rugelach, Legghorn, Rumpus, Eggworthy, Grunhilda, Murgatroyd, Ludmilla, Ruggles, Ratrug, etc.(Although, Ratrug would be a very nice name for a ferret.)And what were some of the things our handsomely named individuals were doing?Oh, let's see:"Ledmilla's continual attempts to impress Ludwig were fruitless, including the fruit basket she sent him on Monday and the piranha she Fed-Exed on Tuesday."Or:"Shakey said that he had tossed the salad out the window.It hit a pedestrian, who sued for lettuce-related damage."

Who in the world was Ms. Woods thinking of when she wrote this book?Obviously, not individuals who failed to learn proper grammar in school, and are desperately trying to learn it now; or immigrants trying to learn proper English; or individuals reviewing grammar rules, because their middle-aged brain is kicking out so many of those rules.I particularly feel sorry for those who got this book to read aloud to someone trying to learn grammar.Oh well, maybe this book keeps bored English Lit. majors from falling asleep. I personally can't help but view it as an "exclusive" type of grammar book--not one for the average person.Or maybe it is simply silly.Whatever it is, you might want to try instead:"The Writer's Digest Grammar Desk Reference", Spiral-bound, (2005) by Gary Lutz and Diane Stevenson.

(This review was for the 2001 edition of "English Grammar For Dummies".One can only hope a new editor saw the problems with the 2001 edition and suggested changes for the 2010 edition; but one seriously doubts that, considering the way the book publishing world is these days.Apparently, a great number of the truly good book editors have either retired or died!)

Best English Grammer book
The book is the best English Grammar book I ever read. I recommend this book for everyone wants to learn or improve a grammar.

English Grammar For Dummies
I purchased this product and it was shipped promptly and arrived in excellent condition. I will definitely order again from this site.

NICE BOOK
It's what I was looking for, really dry reading through . I still don't know why you
you need to know a verb from a noun, as long as you get your point across what diffrence does' it really make? ... Read more

Product Description
Readers of all levels will find this guide essential. Giving examples of real usage, this book provides the basic information about grammar and punctuation that people need on a day-to-day basis. Arranged A-Z, it contains entries for standard grammatical terms as well as dealing with related questions of usage.
In addition to explaining basic terms such as 'split infinitive', 'participle', and 'adverb', entries also discuss whether to use 'may' or 'might', 'that' or 'which', and 'it's' or 'its'. The Oxford A-Z of Grammar and Punctuation gives the reader quick and easy access to the answers to these, and many other, questions of grammar. It offers clear and coherent explanations, and illustrations across a broad range of topics, and is the first port of call for any reader seeking clear, authoritative help with grammar and punctuation.

Both easy to use and comprehensive, the Oxford A-Z of Grammar and Punctuation is an essential tool for writing at home, in the office, at school, and at college. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

One of the best of its (not it's!) kind!!!
I am in the process of brushing up on my grammar, and I've looked at many kinds of workbooks.Most are either too basic or too theory-based.This is a nice combination.

I think it would be helpful for just about any American English-speaker, as our language is full of annoying exceptions and style differences.

My only complaint is that it isn't long enough.May I suggest a "Great Grammar Challenge 2"? ... Read more

Product Description
If terms like "transitive verb," "objective case," and "dangling participle" make your eyes glaze over, this book is for you. The only grammar guide to recognize that most adults have forgotten all the rules they learned in school, Action Grammar focuses on what you need to know to speak and write correctly in business and in everyday life.

Organized to give you fast, easy answers to the questions that come up most often, Action Grammar features useful exercises to help you sort out the more puzzling points of spoken and written English, as well as dozens of up-to-date examples of correct (and incorrect) usage, from where to put a comma to when to use "me" rather than "I." For everyone who wants to use the right word in the right place, punctuate properly, and spell correctly, here's a must-have reference that will do wonders for your command of the language.Amazon.com Review
Written specifically for "laypeople" such as those in business, Actiongrammar is a no-nonsense guide to speaking and writing correct English--even when you've forgotten the grammar rules you learned in school. A longtime teacher of business and technical writing to Fortune 500 companies, Joanne Feierman focuses on the grammar most of us need in everyday life, from "Five Lies Your English Teacher Told You" to "Simple Business Verbs You Should Know." She also includes helpful sections on memos, letter writing, and e-mail etiquette, as well as an appendix of troublesome words and phrases, and words that are easy to misspell. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

Skewl Bites!
Great book for those of us who didn't pay attention in school!

Valuable Resource
This book is easy to read and find quick answers.Ask a question and an answer is there in everyday language.What could be better than that!

EXCELLENT reference -- gives what it promises & more
This excellent little book promises instant answers to grammar questions and delivers! Its chapters are all separated into "parts" with headings that include: Grammar Gripes, Then and Now (includes a chapter entitled fives lies your english teacher told you), Punctuation Points, Mechanics(includes how to handle numbers, capitalization and many other chapters), Grammar, Mastering Business Writing, and an Appendix (it includes troublesome words and phrases, words that are easy to misspell, business words & formatting for letters and memos). By the way, even your kids will find this an easy reference to their grammar questions -- it's a good book for all ages.

The day I got this book I actually was able to put it to use immediately -- I was writing something and had a question about the word "that" (as in "she told her that...). I was able to open the book and get the answer immediately! On closer inspection I found that it deals with just about any grammar question you might have.This is a truly powerful little book! I'm glad I bought it, you will be too!

Day-dreaming, 35 years ago
This book just came from Amazon today so I haven't read it yet. But Iwanted to share with you what I was most delighted with when I opened thebook. I must have been day-dreaming when the teacher taught the rule of Y.All these years, I'm 46, I never new when to leave the Y and add s, or dropthe Y and add ies. In fact, that rule was one of the reasons I bought thebook. You can imagine how happy I was when the first page I turned to wasthe very rule I was looking for--the rule of Y. I can't wait to get intothe section on commas.

After skimming through the book, I saw many rulesthat I have forgotten, but that, Joanne Feierman, has resurrected into afun easy way to remember. I doubt I'll ever forget the rule of Y from nowon. You know, when I think about it, there was probably a good reason why Iwas day-dreaming thirty-five years ago.

A MUST HAVE for business persons
This book is wonderful for those who have forgotten the basic grammar/punctuation lessons you learned in grade school.It's very straightforward;it's quick and easy reading. There aren't vaguely familiarenglish terms you have to look up in the dictionary before you canunderstand the pretense of the paragraph.I have recommeded this book tofriends and co-workers and they have enjoyed reading it and learning a fewthings, too.It's worth the small investment! ... Read more

Product Description
For students competing for the decreasing pool of college scholarships, writing a stellar entrance essay can make all the difference. With discrete explanations of vital grammar rules, common usage errors, and the other key concepts people need to refer to most often, Grammar Essentials For Dummies provides crucial information to help students communicate accurately and effectively. This guide is also a perfect reference for parents who need to review critical grammar concepts as they help students with homework assignments or college entrance essays, as well as for adult learners headed back into the classroom and people learning English as a next language.

The Essentials For Dummies Series
Dummies is proud to present our new series, The Essentials For Dummies. Now students who are prepping for exams, preparing to study new material, or who just need a refresher can have a concise, easy-to-understand review guide that covers an entire course by concentrating solely on the most important concepts. From algebra and chemistry to grammar and Spanish, our expert authors focus on the skills students most need to succeed in a subject. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Once again, the stellar "For Dummies" series goes beyond living up to its title
Written by English teacher Geraldine Woods as part of the excellent "For Dummies" series of instructional books, Grammar Essentials for Dummies is a concise, easy-to-use guide to improving one's grammar whether for schoolwork, college application tests, resumes or business documents, or simply to communicate more effectively with friends, family and co-workers. Chapters explain grammar rules in plain terms, give examples of correct and incorrect usage, offer principles of punctuation, tips for common trouble issues and pitfalls, and more. Once again, the stellar "For Dummies" series goes beyond living up to its title - Grammar Essentials for Dummies is emphatically not just for "dummies", but also for writers of all skill and experience levels, whether they are novices seeking to improve their basic writing skills or professionals trying to apply just a little more polish to their final draft.
... Read more

Product Description
Knowing the rules is as easy as ABC.

Writing an academic paper or business document need not be a daunting task. The Pocket Idiot’s Guide to Grammar and Punctuation provides the basics rules of grammar and punctuation, along with the examples readers need to make points clearly and quickly.

• Straightforward, no-frills rules of grammar and punctuation with clever, interesting examples that clarify points without complicating them

• Examples of common mistakes and how to avoid them

• Computer spellcheckers cannot adequately correct grammar and punctuation

• Pocket-size format is perfect for carrying in a laptop case ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

fabulous SAT study resource
I am an SAT tutor, and I use this book to teach grammar for the writing section ... with terrific results!

Speaking of idiots...
Please do not expect to learn anything worthwhile from a grammar handbook written by an author who cannot identify his own usage errors! Although the book's index lists pages that address misplaced modifiers, the title itself contains this very mistake: there is no such thing as a pocket idiot. The word pocket is intended to describe the book, not its audience; therefore, the corrected title would read "The Idiot's Pocket Guide to Grammar and Punctuation." At first I thought that the title of this book was intended as a joke, but scanning the sample pages provided on Amazon, I found numerous other grammatical errors such as the plural pronoun "they" being used to replace the singular subject "everyone." I found five grammatical errors in just the opening section, but I won't bother to list them all. Buy a better grammar handbook, and then see if you can identify the author's mistakes yourself. I am stunned that this author acquired a PhD in English. ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (59)

Entertaining and Educational!
This is NOT a textbook! It is a casual read. That is why I LOVE this book (as well as the Grammar Girl podcast). If I wanted to fall asleep while reading about proper grammar, I would pick up a textbook. Instead, I prefer to be engaged and delighted. Mignon's upbeat and bubbly personality comes through in this book, which is what first attracted me to her podcast. I believe this would be a great supplement to any English class textbook!

Grammar Girl's Tips
Good to set on the table next to your bed.You can then review a few rules every night before you go to bed.

Excellent book!
Just like a lot of people, I learned about the book from the popular podcast,"Grammar Girl".This is an excellent book for everyone.The book is full of information yet at the same time very succinct. It covers a lot from punctuation and even tips on writing style.Near the back of the book also contains lots of useful gems in the appendices.

The book is very easy to understand; even for my son who is in grade school.

I usually just borrow books from the library.One way I look at how good a book is if I will buy it after I read it.This is one of those books.An excellent reference to keep on your shelf; or better, to keep on your side to have it always handy.

The Five-Star Rating Says It All
I can't say enough nice things about this book, so I'll just say that I keep it on my desk and use it as a reference daily.

Wonderful resource!
This is quite the worthwhile resource for any kind of writing; be it short stories or business letters. Broken down into easy to understand elements Quick and Dirty Tips tells you exactly the information you need to know and why. Mignon Fogarty's approach is wonderfully entertaining even though you are reading about a generally dry subject, and she even shows breaks in 'conventional' grammar rules; accompanied of course by reasons for the breaking away from said rule.

I highly recommend keeping this book at hand if you do any sort of correspondence, especially the business kind. In can save you a lot of question and worry on whether or not you used that comma correct, and just when is it that you are supposed to use Whom over Who. ... Read more

Product Description
· A clear, precise guide to correct English

· Includes sections on spelling rules and common grammatical errors

· Small-format paperback at a great low price ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Useful as well as handy
I have reviewed several writing, grammar, style and usage guides while preparing guidelines for a magazine I edit. This may become my first choice reference.

"Handy Grammar, Usage and Punctuation" is quite comparable to Merriam Webster's "Guide to Punctuation and Style." They are similar in size and price and cover similar material. The differences that I expect between the two publishers' reference works are stronger here than in other competing titles: M-W is stilted and more detailed, RH more casual and readable. I'll use them both.

M-W's punctuation rules are more detailed, more formal and generally more complete. Random House's are briefer and clearer. This, from RH about the exclamation point, is not suggested in M-W: "Avoid overusing exclamation points in writing. They are effective only when used sparingly." M-W devotes more than a page to the exclamation point and notes things that RH does not in its one-third page.

Random House includes an excellent review of basic grammar which will probably prove to be more useful than the well regarded grammar book that I bought. "Handy Grammar" also includes spelling rules and lists of prefixes, suffixes and roots, and commonly misspelled words. M-W does not address spelling.

One of the most helpful sections will be the eleven-page section on avoiding insensitive and offensive language. We of the geriatric set may not agree with all of it, but we'd best not ignore it. M-W does not address it. The section is not as complete as that in American Heritage's "Book of English Usage" (one of the finest language references that I own.)

The usage section fits nicely between Bernstein's "Careful Writer" and M-W's "Concise Dictionary of English Usage." Bernstein distinguishes "can" and "may" in one sentence while "Concise Dictionary" has an essay of perhaps 200 or 300 words. Random House wraps it up nicely in a brief paragraph.

I expect that, more often than not, I will reach for this bookbefore going for M-W's "Guide to Punctuation and Style," Bernstein, Fowler, Strunk & White, American Heritage's "Book of English Usage" or other references that I keep nearby. But I may reach for something else as well. How about a larger and more comprehensive version, Randy? ... Read more

Product Description
This practical guide gives you quick, easy-to-understand answers to the questions you face most often in your writing:How to punctuate a sentence; when to capitalize, italicize, or use quotation marks; how to form plurals, possessives, and compound words; when to use abbreviations;the right way to present numbers; how to handle common usage problems; and how to write footnotes, endnotes, and bibliographies. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (8)

Mirriam Webster's guide to punctuation
this is a nice compact size bookthat both
tells you a lot about and helps you with punctuation. I got it fast arrived in good condition love it. I will order from them again

Another good M-W Family Member
All you want/need to know about punctuation is here. Plus a lot more.

MERRIAM-WEBSTER is THE publisher for American English reference books.
Add this volume to several others and you have decent "library" in paperback, at low prices.

A bargain for such a useful tool
For the price you'll pay for this book you can hardly afford not to have it by your side when writing, editing or proofreading. I use it for all three of the aforementioned tasks. While your computer may be constantly connected to the internet, sometimes it's just easier to pick up an actual reference book and find the answer you need.

In the case of this little reference book (just the size of a paperback novel) you'll discover it's easy to lookup your question in the index and then quickly find the information you need. They layout and font face that was used makes this guide read almost like a dictionary. In other words, it is designed for reading short sections and presents the grammar rules in a lean format that is perfect.

This book shares space on my desk with my Oxford Dictionary of Current English:

Oxford Dictionary of Current English

And also my beloved copy of the 11th Merriam-Webster's Collegiate dictionary:

The Merriam-Webster Dictionary

And as noted above... for the price you'll pay, the Merriam-Webster's guide is more than good value for your money.

arm floaties not a life raft
The guide is helpful for basic grammer needs.Essentially, it will help you stay afloat if you have the periodic question or need a refresher, but it wont save you if you are completely lost in terms of grammer rules.It doesn't offer enough examples to fully explain the grammar rules, and sometimes is ambiguious(i.e usually you do "x", but it is also okay to "y" or "z").

Tightly packed like a book on commas and semicolons and more should be!
The complexity of the subject(s) makes for a bit of confusion, but it is all in here. My copy is already dog-eared after only a couple of days in my possession and pretty constant use. It is much easier to use than the huge volumes of similar advice that once stood on their own tables at the local library. Already I have bookmarks throughout it. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

...grateful for this book...
I have spent much moolah on various grammar workbooks. This is definitely my favorite. Most others (including the pricey Sylvan books) are quite parsimonious with instructions and review. They are pretty much set up for a child to crank out worksheets. This TCR book introduced each section/topic with a very clear and concise review that was helpful for a parent to go over alone and then with the child prior to completing the worksheets. Since it has been a while since I was taught grammar, I was uncertain how to explain these topics to my child, but this workbook helped to give me teaching tips. The worksheets are also laid out in an organized manner. Some workbooks are so chaotic I can't imagine how they could help a child.

The only reason I didn't give it a "5-star" rating was because this one and the next age level (4-5) both skip diagramming sentences. Although most schools have gotten away from this, my child's school is planning on introducing it in 5th grade and I wanted him to have a "heads-up." I also believe that it is a very important in understanding grammar and organizing one's thoughts and sentences. ... Read more

Product Description
Good punctuation is more than just a matter of courtesy: in workplace writing, a sentence should yield its meaning instantly. But when punctuation is haphazard, readers need to work to understand or guess at the writer's intent. "Punctuation at Work" provides readers with 18 common sense principles to live by, helping them to avoid time-wasting confusion, questions about professionalism and sometimes even serious and costly miscommunication. From hyphens and semicolons to brackets and quotation marks...all the way to ellipses (and the eternal struggle between 'that' and 'which'), this book shows readers how to use correct punctuation to make meaning clear and emphasize their most important ideas. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Brilliant book worth more than you'll ever pay
This book is an absolutely brilliant work.The 19 principles are worth your knowing--and worth ANY price that you pay for the book.

The only point made in the book that I disagree with is this:the use of slashes.In terms of the book itself, it is decidedly NOT convention to use a slash to indicate a time period, as in "1998/99."Instead, the conventional mark for such a period is a hyphen or an n-dash, as in "1998-99."Likewise, it should be the "Baltimore-Washington Parkway" and "work-life balance," not "Baltimore/Washington Parkway" and "work/life balance."The slash used in the last two examples can be misinterpreted to mean one, the other, or both.Sometimes the use of the slash in such constructions indicates a series of coordinate adjectives that should be punctuated with commas.In other words, the use of the slash in such constructions is not clear.

And if you don't understand the expression "a series of coordinate adjectives," you need to read the book.Pay close attention to the discussion about the normal order of adjectives in English, as in "little old lady" (a coordinate adjective series that requires no comma).

Another questionable observation is this: There has a been a debate about the serial comma (as in "a, b, and c," not "a, b and c") for DECADES.The more accurate observation is that there has been a debate about this issue for more than a CENTURY.

Anyone who would like to have a good model for how to write should read this book and emulate its style--if that is possible and even if he or she is not interested in its subject. ("Emulate" means to copy OR surpass.)

Most impressive, the book is really quite humorous--and therefore interesting to read.Richard Lauchman continues the enlightening work of William Sabin in "The Greg Reference Manual" anddeserves kudos for his outstanding efforts. ... Read more

Product Description

How does good writing stand out?

If its purpose is to convey facts, findings, or instructions, it need be read only once for its content to be clear. If its purpose is to entertain or to provoke thought, it makes readers want to come back for more.

Revised and updated, this guide covers four essential aspects of good writing:

Product Description

The Complete Book of Grammar and Punctuation offers children ingrades 3 to 4 extensive instruction and practice in the practicalapplications of grammar and punctuation!

Customer Reviews (8)

Great for extra grammar and punctuation practice for 3rd grader
This is a cute book that I am using to supplement my homeschooling. It covers the grammar and punctuation section of the California state standards. It is fun to do and just the right amount of work for a child. It is not an all-inclusive language arts program, though. You would still need reading and writing books (I like Spectrum Reading and Spectrum Writing). In addition, you would also need spelling and vocabulary / word study books, as well as a lot of library books for daily recreational reading. I like this book because I feel that it has enough repetition and practice of each skill so that my child can learn to write and speak properly. I found that even in college many students did not know the basic rules of grammar.You can't emphasize grammar enough, in my opinion. I am even learning a few things that I had forgotten!

great book at a great price
I am using this book as the centerpiece for our 4th Grade homeschool language study.It's a great book, especially for the price.

Occassionally, if a concept isn't really firm in my child's mind, I will write up an extra worksheet or two to reinforce the concept.However, the introduction of concepts and rules is just right for us.

I really like the "Complete Book of" series.This book in particular is my favorite.I wish I had discovered these earlier, I could have saved a small fortune from the money I've spent on expensive coursework.

Didn't realize it was intended for 3-4 grade...
As my title says, the book is good but I didn't realized it was intended for 3-4 grade - I wish that were reflected in the title or more prominently on the page.I was looking at the Amazon age range, which says "9-12". That should really probably be about 8-10 yrs. My son is 12 so it's really not the right level for him. I could probably use some of it with my soon-to-be second grader (if he needed it).

I also got the English and Language Arts version of this book, and same story. So now I have two books that I really can't use.

Good product for price
Book is an easy to follow course. While not necessarily in depth, it does cover the basics and one could not argue that you don't get your moneys worth.

Fantastic book
My son in 4thh grade, and he absolutely loves this book. He spent 15-20 minutes with this book every day without asking him.The questions are very clear, and instructions are easy to follow. I have seen a big improvement in my son's grammar and spelling skills after he have done several pages of the book. I highly recommended this book to every 4th grade student. ... Read more