Product Description
An indispensable tool for writers, proofreaders, students, teachers, editors, and managers, this easy-to-use combination reference guide and workbook will help you feel confident in your writing and editing. Search inside the book and see why leading universities, high schools, government agencies, and homeschooling families are making this user-friendly text their first choice in reference guides. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (22)

Best quick grammar reference I've found
In my work I am called upon to write many reports and memos as well as review and edit documents produced by my staff. I have found the Blue Book of Grammar and Punctuation to be the perfect reference for my needs. At first glance, I feared the book might be too compact and could not possibly cover all the necessary topics. However, whether I sought expert advice on commas, semicolons, quotation marks, hyphens, ellipses, noun-verb agreement, who vs. whom, then vs. than, etc., I have always found the answer I needed quickly and expressed clearly and succinctly. In fact, perhaps it is the book's compactness, as well as the excellent organization and thoughtfully laid out Table of Contents that allows for such easy and quick location of the answers to my grammatical questions.
For the cost, this book delivers much more than I ever would have expected.

I have to dissent...
Most of the reviewers seemed to like this book a lot and recommended it highly.With their recommendations in mind, I went ahead to purchase the book (2 copies) to use for tutoring a high school student.Unfortunately, I was disappointed at the quality of the text (paper, font, number of pages) and the content.There's several pages on the use of commas, which is wonderful, but that's several pages out of not so many.So what's the substance of the rest of the book?Not a whole lot.I immediately returned this item back to Amazon.I suggest, if you need a good reference, to find a good grammar textbook (used in primary and secondary schools) or perhaps even the MLA Handbook - depending on what your needs are.This book, Grammar Blue Book, is a waste of money.

Wish I had listened to "Bare bones -- waste of money."
The content is decent and concise, but the production quality of this book simply can't be forgiven.Ms. Straus likely had these printed up at Kinko's -- this "book" is really more a pamphlet with a card-stock cover over 68 pages of plain paper.This could be something to buy and hand out at a seminar, with the expectation that it would be worked through and then discarded, but I doubt very much that it will last long in even moderate use.

This should be selling for $3, not $13.I wish I had listened to the earlier "bare bones" review.

Excellent resource
I bought two copies of this book, I found this book online and I immediately ordered it.I find that it is a great quick reference quide that allows individuals to test themselves. The tests reinforce what you have just read about grammar and punctuation. I reccomend this book for individuals who want a reliable and easy to use reference for grammar and punctuation questions.

Two Thumbs Up for Jane Straus
Ms. Straus has done an excellent job with making her audience of readers understand the English language. With the many challenges in our language it is very nice to have this publication to lean on! It is well put together and easily read. Whoever? Who? Whomever? Whom? She'll explain it all! You will understand. As a homeschooling mom I can see this book being of a great help for many years to come. Thank you Jane, I wish you much success in your writing endeavors! ... Read more

Product Description
The new edition of "Just Writing" concentrates on the fundamentals of writing, including grammar, punctuation, and style. Concise and student-friendly, this updated paperback helps both the novice and experienced. The authors designed their book to be efficient and effective: tailored specifically for the legal writer, this complete handbook covers the full range of principles of good legal writing, including style, grammar, punctuation, and other mechanics of writing. Short length and focused content make "Just Writing" an appropriate supplemental text for any legal writing course. It presents tips and techniques for every step of the writing process, including planning, drafting, revising, editing, and proofreading. Adapted from "The Legal Writing Handbook", this is the highly praised text from Oates, Enquist, and Kunsch. Clear explanations and excellent examples help students grasp concepts quickly and easily. An excellent chapter on Legal Writing for English-as-a-Second-Language Writers addresses the special needs of these students and a glossary of usage gives helpful hints on word choice. "Just Writing: Grammar, Punctuation, and Style for the Legal Writer, Second Edition", now offers: practice exercises, included on a separate CD with the book, help students build specific skills as they are discussed. The same structure and coverage that was so popular in the first edition has been polished and refined in light of class experience. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Fast and perfect condition
This product was just as described and in perfect condition.Arrival was fast and painless.

Just Writing review
The book was in perfect condition and arrived within good time. I would definately use this seller again. ... Read more

Product Description
The antidote to Eats, Shoots and Leaves—an uproarious and very American language book for those who are tired of getting pulled over by the grammar police

What do suicidal pandas, doped-up rock stars, and a naked Pamela Anderson have in common? They’re all a heck of a lot more interesting than reading about predicate nominatives and hyphens. June Casagrande knows this and has invented a whole new twist on the grammar book. Grammar Snobs Are Great Big Meanies is a laugh-out-loud funny collection of anecdotes and essays on grammar and punctuation, as well as hilarious critiques of the self-appointed language experts.

Chapters include:
• I’m Writing This While Naked—The Oh-So Steamy Predicate Nominative
• Semicolonoscopy—Colons, Semicolons, Dashes, and Other ProbingAnnoyances
• I’ll Take "I Feel Like a Moron" for $200, Alex—When to Put PunctuationInside Quotation Marks
• Snobbery Up with Which You Should Not Put Up—Prepositions
• Is That a Dangler in Your Memo or Are You Just Glad to See Me?
• Hyphens—Life-Sucking, Mom-and-Apple-Pie-Hating, Mime-Loving, Nerd-Fight-Inciting Daggers of the Damned

Casagrande delivers practical and fun language lessons not found anywhere else, demystifying the subject and taking it back from the snobs. In short, it’s a grammar book people will actually want to read—just for the fun of it. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (28)

Dis ain't a bad gramer book.
The book is informative and funny. I learned some got grammar points and enjoyed reading it. What else can I say. I wish she would write another.

FUN, FUN BOOK!!!!
I listen to quite a bit of audio books when I am behind the wheel and sometimes the books can be a bit boring.Not this audio book!Fun listen.

Besides having a laugh while listening to the authors stories you're also brushing up on your grammar skills.Learning that the rules are forever changing and that most of the time chances are you the writer or speaker are right.

One of the reasons I enjoyed it is because in my head I was able to stick it tothose annoying people I've referred to as the "grammar police" or what the author called the "grammar snobs" who feel the need to correct or "one up" on others.I am related to a few of those and if I were inclined I would send them this book but I am sure the significance of it would go over their heads.

Anyway, it is a good book where it will either reinforce what you already know/knew or teach you something you did not know in a fun way.

Highly recommend!

A good time learning grammar???
This book is really awesome.I don't know the last time I actually wanted to sit down and read a grammar book.Surely, if you have a test to study for-- this probably isn't the book for you, but if you want to learn how to write better, this book is a great start.

This book provides funny lessons that not only teaches, but makes you remember because of the humor.For instance, in the first chapter she discusses two authors that she considers as "meanies". She says, "A bug crawled up Kilpatrick's and Safire's behinds and died."While trying to teach about possesives she notes: "if they shared a single behind, it would be 'Safire and Kilbatrick's butt.'"Genius-- I couldn't stop laughing.

Another Must-Have Book for Those Who Care About Their Grammar
Hilarious and educational. I've given this book to many people as gifts. You can't have enough on hand to let people "borrow". I wish I could buy a million and just give them out freely in the hopes that people everywhere will improve their grammar - even if just a little!

I wanted to be a English major, and now I are one!
Casagrande writes in an accessible style, with wit wrapped in sarcasm, inside a joke. Such is the springboard and follow-through for each lesson. One of my own favorite phrases is, "Prepositions are bad words to end sentences with." This was an entertaining book to read, a gift from a brother who shares an appreciation for language. I've since bought the author's complementary book, Mortal Syntax. ... Read more

Product Description
Here, at last, is the guide that shows school, college and university students how they can improve their essay-writing skills and their command of spelling, punctuation and grammar. Throughout the emphasis is upon clear guidelines and clear explanations of how to master all aspects of writing. Carefully designed both for students who have never been taught any grammar and for those who need reminding of the basic rules of English, this is set to become one of the indispensable reference works on every student's desk. ... Read more

Product Description
The activity and reference books in this series give thorough coverage of the basic maths and English skills required at Key Stage 2 of the National Curriculum. ... Read more

Product Description
Presents the fundamental rules of grammar, covering sentence structure, parts of speech, common errors, and more. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Makes learning grammar fun!
Not just another dry grammar book, this book has fun activities that will have you hunting for parts of speech and grammatical errors.There is everything from art projects to scavenger hunts.In addition to the partsof speech, you will learn about common errors made in the English language. Great book! ... Read more

Product Description
Got Grammar? is the comprehensive classroom guide.  Each of the over 60 lessons are ready-to-use and reproducible, and each begins with helpful teaching pages that define, explain, and illustrate grammar, usage, or mechanics concepts.   These lessons and the many ready-to-use student activities include 15 diagnostic tests, 15 section-review activities, 18 final tests, and over 100 other creative reinforcement activities, including diagramming.  As practical as it is fun-filled, the book is divided into six sections:

•   Parts of Speech
•   Parts of a Sentence
•   Sentences
•   Usage
•   Mechanics
•   Meeting the Tests Head-On

  ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Great for Supplemental Instruction
I use this book in my college courses at all levels.Grammar books are often difficult for college students to manage, but this book works well because the rules of a particular topic are explained and then reinforced with exercises and tests.

Tries to be too much
This book is not a workbook practical for teaching an actual course on grammar. It's more like a survey book, with just a couple of lessons per part of speech as it attempts to exhaustively cover all the elements of grammar -- from elementary to advanced. Also, only one lesson would be workable for a given age group, so it really isn't that good of a resource, despite all the pages. Unfortunately, there are also errors that aren't forgivable -- for instance, p. 13, where we are told that "us" is third person. I cannot believe that went to print. I don't hate it, but I cannot recommend it.

"Got Grammar" is usable
I like the content including the definitions of grammar concepts and the activities, but would like to have known that every activity had a word finding game attached to it.I teach children with dyslexia and that is a bit too abstract for some of them. Also, finding names of cities or countries that have nothing to do with the content of the activity seems pointless.I have to retype the activities onto a word document.

Fills an Important Need
I've had such a hard time finding blackline masters to teach grammar, rather than expensive workbooks, so I was thrilled to find this book.It is extremely complete; the worksheets cover every grammar concept you'll need through high school.They're well-constructed and doable; relatively painless.Plus the book has a diagnostic test for each section (five total), which will help you determine which ones to do.Since I teach sixth grade, I haven't used this book yet (though I may use some sections), but it's such a good resource that I couldn't resist keeping it.A book at a better level for middle school is "Teach Great Grammar" by Gary Robert Muschla.I think this book would be best for advanced middle schoolers or high school. ... Read more

Product Description
A three-level English grammar practice series for the classroom or self-study with clear explanations and lots of extra practice. Each level has an interactive Practice-Boost CD-ROM. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Very good
The products arrived in excelent conditions, and in the right time.
It was free-shipping ... Read more

Product Description
A Spanish Grammar Workbook contains 500 grammar exercises that vary in difficulty from simple tests and puzzles to multiple choice tests and realistic dialogues as well as communication exercises which function as prompts to the oral practice of the grammar in representative contexts.

• Includes 500 grammar exercises varying from simple tests and puzzles to multiple choice tests and realistic dialogues which contextualize Spanish grammar in everyday speech.
  
• Indicates difficulty level of each exercise and includes an extensive answer key.
  
• Complements and is cross-referenced with Blackwell's A Comprehensive Spanish Grammar by Jacques de Bruyne (with additional material by Christopher J. Pountain).
  
• Helps language learners understand grammatical functions naturally by putting theory into practice.

Product Description
Revised and expanded, this lively and innovative workbook covers all aspects of German grammar complete with answers and explanations where necessary.
Practising German Grammar is intended for students of German with a good basic command of communicative and oral skills now seeking to consolidate their knowledge of key grammatical structures of German. The uniquely varied selection of exercises caters for a number of different learning strategies and includes both practice of essential grammatical structures and also text-based exercises and projects by which students are encouraged to discover grammatical regularities themselves. Many are based on real-life sources such as newspapers, business literature and twentieth-century novels, and will allow students to gain an authentic sense of current usage.
All intermediate and advanced students of German will find the second edition of this best-selling workbook an invaluable aid to developing confidence and competence in grammar and usage. ... Read more

Product Description
Based on the revolutionary self-study program described by Forbes as "superb," this logically organized, easy-to-use and engagingly written guide is for anyone who wants to speak and write more effectively. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

Clear, Concise Overview of Essential Grammar Points
As an English teacher who has worked with community college, adult education, high school, and international students, I recommend this thin, practical book.

In less than 200 pages, Grammar for Smart People introduces and reviews the essential grammar points that we should know and sometimes forget. ESL students will also find it clear, direct, and useful. This thin book also contains more real information than many far more expensive, thick, and mandated college textbooks. It's far superior and cheaper than the vastly over-rated Betty Azar series for English language learners or the many other drill and kill textbooks imposed on too many vocational education and community college students.

If you want an affordable, portable, and practical grammar guide, buy this Grammar for Smart People.

Review and remember the rules for English grammar
Though this book is on grammar, it is not that hard. It tries to make the subject simple, fun, and the most important thing, easy to remember.

You'll need to make a review of some grammar, but the book is self-contained to that purpose, and it gives you all necessary tools for the work. These tools will help you to understand how to write and speak better English, and if they were not enough for you, every "rule" has examples and these examples, in turn, are explained when needed.

The book recognizes English is a changing language, so there are exceptions for some rules, but it shows you the most general exceptions and helps you to decide which road you should take.

Nonnative English speakers, beware: The book has "fun parts" that could be difficult to understand. If you are not an intermediate or advanced speaker of English, better look for another book.

For Spanish speakers:

este es un buen libro para practicar y aprender gramática inglesa, pero está orientado a hablantes nativos del idioma, no a estudiantes. Si no están en un nivel avanzado, otro libro puede ser mejor.

ELEGANT AND EASY
Barry Tarshis has given us a remarkably well done guidebook to that often complicated language we call "English". It is a priceless helping hand for everyone - students, writers, professionals, and just plain folks.Bravo Mr. Tarshis!

Excellent! Made college freshman English less frustrating
I use it and recommend it to many of my fellow students that are wadingtheir way through college. Especially great for any internationalfolk...the English language is a crazy beast.

LOTS OF USEFUL INFORMATION IN JUST A FEW PAGES
This book took the confusion out of High School English class.Everyone who uses the written English language should invest in this book.It's easy to understand and fun to read. ... Read more

Product Description
Easy Grammar is just what the title implies: grammar made easy! By learning to delete prepositional phrases from sentences first, students are able to distinguish and recognize the other parts of spee ... Read more

Customer Reviews (13)

Great product and service !
Book new as advertised, shipped promptly and arrived in great condition.Will order again ! ! !

Just the right price!
I was searching a few different websites for my daughters high school books. Amazon had most of them at great prices. Delivery was really quick. The book is almost like brand new. I will order from this vendor again!

Great quality and customer service
The book I received was in perfect condition. I really appreciate getting quality at a discounted price. Thanks!

Easy Transaction
Truly happy I purchased this book.Full of information that our children need to know in order to be articulate.The book was new as promised and I am glad to have purchased it for myself.Thank you for offering this book. I will do business again.Peb "Pebi"

grammar made manageable
This book is a great tool for teaching grammar to my active boys who hate "dumb bookwork". It sounds like they have bad attitudes, but they are bright, hands-on learners.Grammar has always seemed abstract to them.The lessons are clear, yet concise.The exercises re-enforce the concepts without excessive repetition.For my boys who hate to write, this workbook is easier for them to "swallow" while they learn basic grammar. ... Read more

Product Description
A comparative and simple approach to learning the grammar of a new language

The Side-by-Side Grammar books present explanations of the essential elements of Spanish or French grammar alongside their English-language equivalents. This method allows students to build on what they already know; not only do readers learn grammar for a new language but also enjoy the added benefit of strengthening their grammar skills in their native tongue !

Each lesson clearly explains functions and uses of the different parts of speech and includes abundant examples for each entry. Because the vocabulary is limited to frequently used words, students can concentrate more on a sentence's structure instead of becoming tangled in its meaning. A "Quick Check" section summarizes main ideas in each section and helps readers retain the most important information. New to these editions are exercise sections to further reinforce students' comprehension. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (14)

Spanish & English Grammar
I love this book.It is very easy to follow and it makes learning Spanish easy with the English instructions.

Mistakes
I like the idea of the book but was dismayed to find 3 errors on one page. I went to the publisher's website to see if they put out an errata page but none was there. (I am using the Second Edition 6th printing)

The mistakes I found (this was the second page I was reading !) on p.43 are:
1. reference to Appendix I, p. 121 should be p. 145
2. (referring to the English what?) It does have different forms for gender and number. should be 'does NOT'
3. (referring to ¿cuál?) ..there are different forms to show gender and number should be different forms to show number (not gender)

SUPERB RESOURCE
I ordered this Saturday and got it Monday. I LOVE Amazon Prime. Money well spent considering how often I shop this site.

As for this particular item: SIDE-BY-SIDE SPANISH & ENGLISH GRAMMER ... EXCELLENT BUY! The student that will be using it no sooner had it in his hands when I noticed him already on the couch and engrossed with the book. When he finally took a break I asked, "good book?" He picked it up again and proceeded to tell me all about it: "It's exactly what I needed without knowing that I needed it. the sided to side is even better. I love how it gives clear examples of the all the tenses in verbs (past, present, future). I can't wait to really get started on it later tonight!"

I also ordered him the INGLES HECHO FACIL book and from the quick skim I saw a lot of potential in putting the two books together. I'm very excited to expand his learning with these two new tools. Flipping between the books and Rosetta Stone keeps him interested and doesn't burn him out.

You can easily learn Spanish grammar if you also know English grammar.
Having learnt French as an adult alongside English-speakers from the US, Canada, UK, S. Africa and Australia, I have seen how difficult Latin languages are for many of them.This is despite the fact that English vocabulary is 40% Latin (via Norman French melding with Middle English into Modern English) and the grammar and syntax of English are much closer to modern Romance languages than to modern Germanic.

The essential problem is that many English-speakers, even the University-educated, are not entirely familiar with their own grammar.Too often, when a Spanish teacher informs an English-speaker about adjectives and adverbs, past participle etc., there is profound confusion in the student.This is particularly so in countries such as the U.S. where the spoken language is largely learned non-formally and formal English is not placed on the cultural pedestal as it is in the UK or in France, for example.So the poor English-speaking learner has to relearn or learn the basic concepts of grammar before he can readily digest the Spanish equivalent.

It is very telling that even in US newscasts, grammatical and pronunciation errors are repeated over and over and no one points them out; in France, letters would flood in complaining of a newsreader's faux pas. More often than not, one hears the incorrect "different than" when it should be "different TO" or "different FROM".Another common error is confusion in the choice of "between each other" versus "between one another"; "each" refers to an individual and so "each other" refers to two individuals (such as "husband and wife"), whereas "one another" refers to more than two people ("members of Congress").The equivalent in French would be "l'un et l'autre" versus "les uns et les autres".

This book addresses that gap, much like the Fluency video program, by reinforcing our native language's grammar first.Then it is becomes clear that Spanish grammar becomes much more akin to that of English.If you can't tell what's correct in English, how can one comprehend the equivalent in Spanish?As one can see, Spanish (and French and Italian...) grammar is very similar to that of English.

Excellent reference
You cannot learn to speak Spanish with this book, but you can use the material to enhance the single most powerful tool you have to learn a new language: translating back and forth with your mother tongue. When the authors call this "side-by-side" they aint kiddn. It 'must have been' (subjunctive tense might be easily redeemed to certitude with a quick telephone interview of said authors) tuf to create such a discliplined structure--left page reveals the grammar of English, the right page the corresponding grammar of Spanish. Thus, there's no shuffling around the book for comparisons; it's, uh, side by side, including a brief history of both languages (which, BTW, doesn't quite do justice to the happenstance confluences that have made English so chokingly bloated with polyglottal effluence. ... Read more

Product Description
This book fills a long standing need for a basic introduction to Cognitive Grammar that is current, authoritative, comprehensive, and approachable.It presents a synthesis that draws together and refines the descriptive and theoretical notions developed in this framework over the course of three decades.In a unified manner, it accommodates both the conceptual and the social-interactive basis of linguistic structure, as well as the need for both functional explanation and explicit structural description. Starting with the fundamentals, essential aspects of the theory are systematically laid out with concrete illustrations and careful discussion of their rationale. Among the topics surveyed are conceptual semantics, grammatical classes, grammatical constructions, the lexicon-grammar continuum characterized as assemblies of symbolic structures (form-meaning pairings), and the usage-based account of productivity, restrictions, and well-formedness.The theory's central claim - that grammar is inherently meaningful - is thereby shown to be viable. The framework is further elucidated through application to nominal structure, clause structure, and complex sentences. These are examined in broad perspective, with exemplification from English and numerous other languages. In line with the theory's general principles, they are discussed not only in terms of their structural characterization, but also their conceptual value and functional motivation.Other matters explored include discourse, the temporal dimension of language structure, and what grammar reveals about cognitive processes and the construction of our mental world. ... Read more

Product Description
Teachers and students in third and fourth grades will value this instructive and entertaining journey to Grammar World, where kids have fun while they develop their facility in correct English usage. Grammar World is a make-believe amusement park where boys and girls are introduced in chapter one to the animals who teach them about different kinds of sentences: statements and questions, commands and exclamations, subjects and predicates, combining sentences, and how to avoid fragments and run-on sentences. Chapter two takes kids to Grammar WorldÂ's rides, where they learn about nouns, pronouns, adjectives, and several other parts of speech. Chapter three takes them to the Water Park, where they learn how to use verbs. Chapter four is a dolphin show, and explanation of prepositions, prepositional phrases, conjunctions, and interjections. The fifth and final chapter is a fireworks display, in which kids learn punctuation, capitalization, abbreviations, and other details that will help them write clearly andcorrectly. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Fun and Educational
I have homeschooled my 5th grader for three years.She was struggling with grammar until I got her this book.She is able to work almost completely independently.I also like how all writing can be done in the book, no need to keep a separate notebook.That makes homeschooling on the fly that much easier.She is happy whenever she sees it on her daily schedule, always does it without complaint, enjoys reading me the funny parts, and is learning.It is not what I would consider a rigorous curriculum and is probably better suited to a fourth or even third grade level, but we had not done grammar prior to this year and I am very pleased with it.I plan to use it for her younger brothers as well, and am looking at other books in the series. ... Read more

Product Description

The trusted reference—now with on-the-go access

Whether you're in school or out in the work world, communicating clearly and correctly is key to your success. With easy-to-understand explanations of grammar rules and plenty of real-world examples and tips, this authoritative reference is just what you need to speak and write with confidence and ease.

Now more accessible than ever, this edition has been updated to include:

• A new chapter on punctuation, including common punctuation mistakes

• Expanded coverage of commonly misspelled words and variances in spelling

• More intuitive organization, making it easier to navigate

• Visual elements that enhance your understanding of specific grammar problems

• Free online access to portions of the book for an on-the-go reference to commonly misspelled words; common punctuation errors; variances in spelling among the U.S., the U.K., and Canada; and frequently misused words and expressions

Lucid, comprehensive, and easy-to-use, this is your go-to guide to get ahead. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (8)

Poor grammar guide
I have a number of stylebooks and grammar handbooks, and until recently I hadn't used this one very much. Now that I've looked up a few things in it, I'm very disappointed with its content. Many of the explanations are too short and vague, and at times I found clear errors. The most recent (and no doubt the very last) thing I looked up was the section on conjunctive adverbs. This handbook states that conjunctive adverbs are also called subordinating conjunctions, and it gave examples and explanations of subordinating conjunctions. That information is absolutely incorrect; although many of the actual words in each category overlap, conjunctive adverbs are not subordinating conjunctions. I can't imagine someone knowledgeable in English grammar making such a flagrant mistake.

I wouldn't recommend this handbook to anyone. I'm sure the vast majority of its content is accurate, but there's no point in having a handbook that you can't trust.

Great Desk Reference at all levels.
I use this book to help my understanding of the mechanics of the English language so that I may better understand the mechanics of other languages.I work as a translator of two foreign languages which I learned as a teenager and as an adult.

The book has many practical examples which explain the context and usage.the index makes sense. I can search for example on the usage of shall vs will or the conjugation of drink into drank and drunk.there are lots of neat quiz examples where there are choices between two words or usages.my kids enjoy going through the them to see what they can get right.they are ages 13, 11, and 8.

Very good reference for an in-depth understanding of grammar
I look a lot for a English Grammar book that would give an overall understanding on grammar again. I was preparing for the GMAT test, and this book gave the basic and in-depth understanding of grammar structure. This books covers most of the key points on the GMAT Sentence Correction, such as, Subject Verbal Agreement, Modifiers, Clauses, Pronouns, Appositives. It was also a great source of consultation on idioms as well. Very good acquisition.

No Errata Sheet
It has become common practice recently to publish errata online, so I was surprised that such a popular title, in its second edition, has no online errata sheet.I actually called the publisher to verify this.This is disappointing because I like being able to have some faith in the correctness of the material I read; second-guessing and independently verifying every example and definition takes a lot of time.

In the second paragraph on page twenty-four, for example, the authors identify "who" in the sentence, "The runner who wins will earn the prize," as an indefinite relative pronoun.Two pages previous to this example, however, one can find an example that says, "The gentleman who gave you that book is our new librarian," and goes on to explain that, "The relative pronoun 'who' is not an indefinite pronoun because it has the antecedent 'gentleman' and introduces an adjective clause."This is just like the example on page twenty-four where "who" refers to the antecedent "the runner" and introduces the adjective clause "who wins".Whatever the right definition is, the book clearly contradicts itself.

On page twenty-six, in the second paragraph from the bottom, the authors fail to identify "who" in the sentence, "Who was that person I saw you talking to today?" as an interrogative pronoun.Humorously, this is on the same page where "interrogative pronoun" is defined and the valid examples "Who did you see in the lobby?" and "Who was that masked man?" are presented.

Given an errata sheet, such corrections are trivially penciled in.Without one, it is easy to become frustrated.

Makes even the simplest concepts confusing
This book is dull, poorly organized, and ambiguous. The number of errors make you doubt the validity of every statement. ... Read more

Product Description
(Ages: 6-9) Elsie, an exclamation point, announces loudly that she's sure she'll win the school Punctuation Bee. After all, an exclamation point has won the last three years. But Penny, a period, and her friend, Quentin, a question mark, decide to practice and practice. More than anything, Penny wants to beat Elsie, who brags way too much!

The bee begins and one by one, the punctuation marks drop out. Finally, as the loudspeaker announces the end of the school day, only Quentin, Penny, and Elsie remain. It looks like a three-way tie. Then Quentin asks an important question that saves the day-for Penny!Moira Donohue, author of Alfie the Apostrophe, again makes punctuation fun in this up-close look at the important mark that stops everything-the period. Jenny Law's lively illustrations add just the right touch. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Penny Dazzles and Teaches at the same time
Donohue follows Alfie the Apostrophe with another romp through the world of animate punctuation marks. This book focuses on final punctuation marks and Penny the star of the book is a dazzling, fun, wonderful, and makes learning about punctuation an adventure. As an adult who has trouble with punctuation and grammar, I am a huge fan of Donohue's books and I can actually use it to learn from too. But the real value of this book is that it will intrigue and entertain children as they learn about punctuation.

Donohue's Done IT Again!
Moira Rose Donohue has done it again! Her new picture book, Penny and the Punctuation Bee, shows us how important end punctuation is.This follows her Alfie the Apostrophe, which brought punctuation alive for young readers. Teachers will love the clever use of the punctuation bee as another way to practice punctuation while young readers will enjoy Penny's enthusiasm and delight in winning the bee. Teachers will also find other ways to use Penny and Alfie to make punctuation come alive for young writers. Let's hope for a sequel!

Final Marks Count!
Move over Lynne Truss.How can you compete with Penny?Don't try!"Penny and the Punctuation Bee" will take your kids into the wonderful world of punctuation marks.Without these marks, sentences have no life, no emotion, and no real excitement.Following on the magic of "Alfie the Apostrophe," Moira Rose Donohue brings us into the exciting lives of Penny and her friends as they compete to show the important uses of the question mark and the exclamation mark and the multiple uses of the period.Teachers will find this brightly illustrated book a gem for teaching the final punctuation marks.And readers will want to cheer Penny on, but not as the cheer leader, of course.Without question, this is Donohue at her best!
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Product Description
This groundbreaking undergraduate textbook on modern Standard English grammar is the first to be based on the revolutionary advances of the authors' previous work, The Cambridge Grammar of the English Language (2002). The text is intended for students in colleges or universities who have little or no previous background in grammar, and presupposes no linguistics. It contains exercises, and will provide a basis for introductions to grammar and courses on the structure of English, not only in linguistics departments but also in English language and literature departments and schools of education. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

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If not for the supplemental materials my professor created, this book would be useless. Poorly written to give understanding to anyone who didn't already know the material.

Grammar Book
I got my book in time to catch up quickly with my online class. Thanks for the quick delivery!

excellent resource for relearning english grammar
When I started studying Tibetan, I discovered pretty quickly that my understanding of English grammar was a little too rusty. While I found help for my affliction on several excellent grammar websites, I wanted a grammar book to throw in my bag with my other study materials; one is not always connected.

Of the seven grammars I considered, "A Student's Introduction to English Grammar" is the hands-down winner. The book is well written, clear, to-the-point and based on recent research rather than 19th century grammar dogma. It includes an overview that maps the rest of the book, individual chapters on each of the major components of English grammar and a decent glossary. I find the technical definitions of terms, wealth of examples and clear structure are almost always just what I need to decode the mysteries of grammarian thinking and understand the key differences between English and Tibetan grammar.

I recommend that book to anyone interested in linguistics or studying a foreign language and for whom English is their first language. I don't believe it is well-suited for English language learners; they would likely be better served by a grammar like Yate's "Master the Basics".

Great for motivated students
I used this as the main textbook for a university course "English Grammar and Usage" that I teach. My opinion of the reference work on which it is based, The Cambridge Grammar of the English Language, is in keeping with the positive Amazon reviews (for a well-written review by a respected scholar see http://www.ling.ohio-state.edu/~culicove/Publications/CGEL_Review.pdf). I am delighted with how A Student's Introduction to English Grammar boils the reference book down for use in the classroom.

The textbook offers a big picture on grammatical issues (hierarchy, lexical categories, form and function, prototypical v. relatively infrequent structures, licensing, etc.) while consistently, concisely, and precisely dealing with the nitty-gritty problems of distinguishing between lexical categories (e.g., between an adverb and a preposition) and between grammatical structures (e.g., between a relative clause and an embedded interrogative clause, both beginning with a wh- word such as who or where).

The exercises at the end of each chapter are very good for checking comprehension of the main points but there are no keys to them. Conscientious students said that they would have liked to have a key so that they could check their understanding as they worked through the exercises; they would also have liked more exercises with clear-cut answers before venturing into more challenging ones. I would post my answers, often accompanied by explanatory notes, after an assignment was due, but perhaps should have posted them ahead of time.

Throughout the semester, I have students analyze texts of various genres for the grammatical structure(s) in focus. By the end of the semester, the top students were able to well identify practically all phrase and sentence structures in short stories and New York Times articles, thanks to the presentations in A Student's Intro.Usage issues such as standard v. non-standard dialects, formal v. informal language, avoiding sexist language, and problems of prescriptive grammar receive some attention in A Student's Intro but if this is an important component of the course, other resources will be needed.

If most of the students have language-related majors/minors - or at least enjoy studies in this area, this is a great book; most of my students in this category said that they did not like the book at first but came to appreciate it as the semester progressed. However, the majority of my students were education majors taking this as a required course and for the majority of them the book was not friendly enough. The compact, serious style is fine for motivated students with a flair for thinking linguistically but for those who do not have this flair the approach of the book can seem too much like that of the demanding high-school teacher filling essays with red ink.

A colleague who teaches the same course uses an atheoretical book which is dated and analytically sloppy compared to A Student's Intro but which is easy to read and filled with "discussion questions" and exercises concerning usage issues clearly pertinent to communication situations in and outside the classroom.Martin Parrott's Grammar for English Language Teachers is in between these two extremes and I will switch to it next semester. I suspect that I will return to using A Student's Intro, looking for ways to improve my pedagogical approach so that the weaker students are better motivated and able to benefit from this excellent work.

Great condition
The book arrived in a very timely manner and it was in great condition -- no markings or bent pages.I would definitely buy from this seller again. ... Read more

Product Description
Originally published by Prentice Hall in 1992, this text is now readily available from Routledge. This comprehensive up-to-date descriptive grammar is ideal for students of English as a foreign language. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Great book
I met this book in University and used it during three years. It gives a very thorough idea of what English syntax, grammar and semantic are in a very easy way. It can be used buy someone who has never heard of this things but the level goes high increasingly. The semantic part may be a bitcomplicated to neophytes but it is easyly attainable with a bit ofeffort.

Being used to books of this type, in my University days, I cansay that this book is the best I have encountered in this particular fieldof my English studies. It is written for non-English speakers, making iteasier to understand the theorical concepts. However, as I said before, itis not a swallow book.

If someone has problems with English syntax orgrammar in general I heartily recommend this book. ... Read more

Product Description

Helpful instruction and plenty of practice for your child to understand the basics of grammar and vocabulary

Understanding grammar is essential for your child to speak and write with competence and clarity. Practice Makes Perfect: Exploring Grammar gives your child bite-sized explanations of grammar and vocabulary, with engaging exercises that keep her or him motivated and excited to learn. They can practice the grammar skills that are challenging, polish skills they’ve mastered, and stretch themselves to explore skills they have not yet attempted. This title features 170 activities (plus answer key) that increase in difficulty as your child proceeds through the book.

This book is appropriate for a 4th grade student working above his or her grade level, or as a great review and practice for a struggling 5th or 6th grader.

Your student will learn how to:

• Recognize types of sentences
• Understand sentence structure
• Identify parts of speech
• Use punctuation and capitalization together
• Find her or his own grammar mistakes

Topics include: Sentences, Nouns, Verbs, Pronouns, Adjectives, Adverbs, Prepositions, Conjunctions and Interjections, Punctuation and Capitalization,Usage and Proofreading