Product Description

English: An Essential Grammar is a concise and user-friendly guide to the grammar of modern English, written specifically for native speakers and based on genuine samples of contemporary spoken and written English.

In the first four chapters, this book covers the essentials of English grammar, beginning with the basics and going on to deal with phrase, clause and sentence structure. A fifth chapter deals with English word formation and spelling, including problem spellings and British and American spelling variants.

Features include:

• discussion of points that often cause problems
• guidance on sentence building and composition
• practical spelling guidelines
• explanation of grammatical terms
• a set of exercises at the end of each chapter
• appendix of irregular verbs.

With numerous language examples bringing grammar to life, this Essential Grammar will help you read, speak and write English with greater confidence. It is ideal for everyone who would like to improve their knowledge of English grammar.

Gerald Nelson is Professor in the English Department at The Chinese University of Hong Kong, and formerly Reader in the Department of English Language and Literature, University College London, UK.

Product Description
Why another book on this topic? The author's experience editing leading journals in psychology suggests that publication manuals and books on writing about experimentation in psychology do not adequately address grammatical usage and style. Much of the advice published for scientific writers reads as if it had been written either by English teachers for writers who do not publish in scientific fields, or by scientific writers who think that the information already available in countless handbooks on grammar and style for student writers in English classes is enough. Unfortunately, such traditional handbooks do not offer the particular sorts of commentary that scientific writers need.

This book offers specific advice on a host of issues ranging from the appropriate use of abbreviations to wordiness -- and how to avoid it. Dr. Bellquist's expertise in both the English language and the language of scientific writing ideally positions him to offer guidelines on the use of the passive, the best wording for statistical presentations, and just how to describe experimental procedures, among many other topics. Complete with examples and principles to guide writing decisions, this book will assist both students and seasoned professionals in presenting their work clearly for maximum impact. This book is intended as a guide to grammar and usage for writers in scientific fields -- particularly in experimental psychology and all fields related to experimental psychology. Features of the book include:

* alphabetical entries and numerous cross references on grammar, usage, and style;

* numerous examples taken from scientific papers or based on actual cases;

* discussions of semantic problems of grammar such as modification, predication, and statement;

* and discussions of usage specific to experimental psychology, statistics, and related fields.
... Read more

Product Description
If you're confused by commas, perplexed by pronouns, and plain terrified by tenses, English Grammar For Dummies will put your fears to rest. Packed with expert guidance, it covers everything from sentence basics to rules even your English teacher didn't know - if you want to brush up on your grammar, this is the only guide you'll ever need.

Discover how to: avoid common grammatical errors; get to grips with apostrophes; structure sentences correctly; use verbs and find the right tense; and decide when to use slang or formal English.

  ... Read more

Product Description
This is an alphabetical guide to the most common problems of grammar and vocabulary. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Good for reference
Not only for beginners, but also for intermediate level students. Please take into account that this book is "a shortened and simplified version" of Practical English Usage. If you want a book to carry forstudying in the bus, BSE is good, but for having it in your desk, PSE isbetter. ... Read more

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Product Description
Syndicated columnist and grammarian, Don K. Ferguson is an inveterate note-taker, recording mistakes in grammar or word usage and when observing an incorrect punctuation mark. Accumulating a small mountain of short, cryptic notes, Ferguson wondered how they might be made useful. Out of these thoughts, Ferguson's column "Grammar Gremlins" was born and now this book. Ferguson's work should not be confused with a "school lesson," nothing boring or schoolteacherish, in a nineteenth century stereotypical sense of the word. The reader will find this book interesting and charming; and consistent with our age of sound bites and demands for brevity, the segments are mercifully short but energized with useful, interesting, and thoughtful information. Ferguson's material comes from snippets of conversations overheard on the street, from correspondence that crosses his desk, from public speakers, and from brochures and pamphlets, among many other sources. It seems that no one! is exempt from grammar and usage problems. Ferguson reminds us that there are no laws of grammar that you must obey, only rules. Our use of the English language is one of the key standards by which we are measured-socially, professionally, and academically. Grammar Gremlins can help us. Read some of it each day. Better still, keep it handy for quick reference. It will help you resolve those nagging little grammar questions you encounter. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

This book is terribly underwhelming
A great book idea, a poor authority, poorly organized. One should prefer waterboarding to this book. There is some accuracy and design in the book which recommends against capital punishment, but much rehabilitation need be forced upon the author before he is allowed to suffer the public further. I sentence the author to three to five years of hard revision.

The best general grammar and usage book around
I think this book should be on every professional's desk. I probably recommend it to my seminar attendees more than any other book.

The book is divided into the following sections:

-Punctuation, Mechanics, and Spelling
-Grammar
-Usage
-Pronunciation and Misused Words
-Vogue Words and Terms
-Who Tells Us What To Say and How To Say It?

As you can tell, from the section titles, this book helps with your writing and speaking. The book also shows how things change over time. For example, datum used to be singular for data and data was plural. Now the word data is used to represent both the singular and the plural.

I love the author's explanation of which versus that. Should I say, "It was the dog that lives next door." or "It was the dog which lives next door."? The technically correct answer: that.However, something like the following would be incorrect:

The food, that consisted of table scraps, was given to the dog.

Instead it should be:

The food, which consisted of table scraps, was given to the dog.

This is because the inserted statement - the one separated by commas - is non-essential information. It is traditional that "that" is used to introduce essential information.

I love this book and think you will to. I read it again every two years. This keeps me in grammatical shape - at least as good as can be expected for a West Virginian like myself (smile).

I hope this information helps you make your decision more easily.

Tom Carpenter

Grammar Gremlins
Ever wonder what is the correct way to say or write our own language? Well, this guy has put all of our most commom mistakes in one place. I get so aggravated when I hear such lazy grammar usage. But now I have an easy reference to know what is correct and what is not. I also found several I was in question about for myself, and now I know what I have been doing wrong. Want to know the "REAL" and correct usages for "I" and "me" in a sentence? This book spells-it-out. ... Read more

Product Description
Provides carefully sequenced exercises that focus only on the basic rules highlighted in Sections 1–11. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

not real thrilled
The diagnostic survey needs an answer key.I could go through it and think that I had done a very good job, but without an answer key I have no clue.The main part of the worksheets are fine, since they have references in the margin. The survey at the end of the book should also have an answer key so that I can measure my success in learning the rules of style and punctuation. ... Read more

Product Description
This is a reproduction of a book published before 1923.This book may have occasional imperfections such as missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. that were either part of the original artifact, or were introduced by the scanning process.We believe this work is culturally important, and despite the imperfections, have elected to bring it back into print as part of our continuing commitment to the preservation of printed works worldwide.We appreciate your understanding of the imperfections in the preservation process, and hope you enjoy this valuable book. ... Read more

Product Description
Leading grammar expert Michael Swan answers questions such as, What is grammar for? How does it relate to vocabulary? How does it change? How does it differ across other languages? This accessible and readable introduction uses very little technical jargon in offering a fresh, original look at the subject.
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Product Description
For anyone who has ever had a problem with dangling modifiers and split infinitives, or for those who have no idea what these things even are, "My Grammar and I" provides all the answers. Taking you on a tour of the English language, through a veritable minefield of rules and conditions for the grammatically unaware, and highlighting the common pitfalls that every English language user faces on a day to day basis, "My Grammar and I" also offers amusing examples of awful grammar, while steering you in the direction of grammatical greatness. Factual and witty, "My Grammar and I" is the perfect gift for all English language sticklers for Christmas 2008. ... Read more

Product Description
Twelve empirical studies take innovative approaches to validate specific language tests and their impact in different parts of the world. An introductory chapter reviews theories of test validation, distinguishing between techniques for validation presented in following chapters. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

You will write like an expert if you use this book!
I got my first copy of this book in college, and ordered the 8th edition some time ago.It is ESSENTIAL reference material for anyone who wants to write CORRECTLY and USE the English language correctly.Your writing will improve, and a great side effect is that everyone will think you are incredibly smart!Get and USE this book!Those of us who cringe at the continuous abuse of the English language will thank you!

The only grammar reference you will ever need!
I am a technical writer with a Bachelors degree in English. I picked up this book in college, and I still use it to this day. Many grammars are lengthy and exhaustive, but this book's light weight and logical break-downof grammar make it the ultimate reference. Whether you are a strugglingstudent, or a professional writer, you need this reference on yourbookshelf.

A workbook is also available, which follows this reference tothe letter. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

An appalling and outdated textbook
This book was awful when I was young. It is even worse today when my daughter is using it. This text is dated and boring. Popular culture and the media have changed drasticly in the last thirty years. This text has not.
The artwork and graphics are awful, the sample paragraphs are appalling and totally irrelevant to today's adolescent.
Holt Rinehart and Winston have no pride whatsoever in their product. The management must've been asleep at the wheel for decades. This text does not educate, but rather actively contributes to youth alienation towards education. ... Read more