Basic English Grammar

Informationen zum Autor Geraldine Woods is the author of more than 10 Dummies titles, including English Grammar For Dummies . She is a hugely experienced educator with a gift for helping students realize their potential and come to grips with even the hardest subjects. Her friendly style and good humor make learning easy. Klappentext The easy way to brush up on your English skillsIs it good or well? There, their, or they're? Some people don't have to think twice about using proper English, but for the rest of us it can get tricky and confusing. Whether you're writing or speaking, it's all too easy to fall prey to simple mistakes that will represent you in a less-than-desirable light--which can potentially cost you a job or put you in an embarrassing social situation. Avoiding complicated grammar rules, Basic English For Dummies sticks to the basics and makes it easy to get up and running on what you need to know to partake in successful everyday communication, no matter your audience or medium.Inside, you'll find plenty of examples and exercises, guidance on how to structure sentences to make yourself easily understood, and so much more. In no time, you'll leave the 'me or I?' debate at the door and speak and write confidently and correctly. Plus, you'll expand your vocabulary, find the right tone and style you want to convey in your communication, and avoid common English language pitfalls.* Includes quizzes and self-tests* Provides guidance on composing letters, emails, texts, and phone calls* Explains in plain English how to improve your English skills* Gives you instruction and exercises on putting your skills to practice right awayIf English is your first language, but you missed or have forgotten the nuances that were taught in school, Basic English For Dummies is your go-to guide. It is also ideal for those learning English as a second language. Zusammenfassung The easy way to brush up on your English skills Is it good or well? There, their, or they're? Some people don't have to think twice about using proper English, but for the rest of us it can get tricky and confusing. Inhaltsverzeichnis Introduction 1About This Book 1Foolish Assumptions 2Icons Used in This Book 2Beyond the Book 3Where to Go From Here 3Part I: Getting Started with Basic English Grammar 5Chapter 1: Getting a Grip on Grammar 7Getting to Know the Elements of Proper English 7Building Language, Block by Block: Parts of Speech 8Making Sentences 10Action or being words 11Subjects 12Complements and descriptions 14Small but Important: Punctuating, Capitalizing, and Spelling 14Punctuation 15Capitalization 16Spelling 17Facing Everyday Writing Tasks 18Chapter 2: Language in Action 21Adjusting Language to Suit Your Audience 21Friendspeak 22Conversational English 23Standard English 24Getting Help from Spelling and Grammar Checkers 26Recognizing Your Grammar Profile 28Part II: The Parts of Speech 31Chapter 3: People to See, Places to Go, Things to Remember: Recognizing Nouns 33Identifying Nouns 33Naming people with nouns 34Naming places with nouns 35Naming things with nouns 36Naming ideas and emotions with nouns 37Sorting Out Singular and Plural Nouns 39Adding the letters "S" or "ES" to form plurals 39Creating plurals of words that end with the letter "Y" 40Plurals that break the rules 42Attaching "This," "These," and Other Words to Nouns 43Chapter 4: Practicing Pronouns 47Replacing Nouns with Pronouns 47Pronouns for the speaker or writer 48Pronouns that speak to others 50Pronouns that speak about other people or things 51Avoiding errors with two common pronouns 52Solving the Case of Pronouns 54Subject pronouns 54Object pronouns 57Sorting subject and object pronouns 58Forming Possessive Pronouns 62Chapter 5: Doing and Being Words: Verbs 65Searching Out Verbs 65Asking Questions to Find the Verb 66...

List of contents

Introduction 1
 
About This Book 1
 
Foolish Assumptions 2
 
Icons Used in This Book 2
 
Beyond the Book 3
 
Where to Go From Here 3
 
Part I: Getting Started with Basic English Grammar 5
 
Chapter 1: Getting a Grip on Grammar 7
 
Getting to Know the Elements of Proper English 7
 
Building Language, Block by Block: Parts of Speech 8
 
Making Sentences 10
 
Action or being words 11
 
Subjects 12
 
Complements and descriptions 14
 
Small but Important: Punctuating, Capitalizing, and Spelling 14
 
Punctuation 15
 
Capitalization 16
 
Spelling 17
 
Facing Everyday Writing Tasks 18
 
Chapter 2: Language in Action 21
 
Adjusting Language to Suit Your Audience 21
 
Friendspeak 22
 
Conversational English 23
 
Standard English 24
 
Getting Help from Spelling and Grammar Checkers 26
 
Recognizing Your Grammar Profile 28
 
Part II: The Parts of Speech 31
 
Chapter 3: People to See, Places to Go, Things to Remember: Recognizing Nouns 33
 
Identifying Nouns 33
 
Naming people with nouns 34
 
Naming places with nouns 35
 
Naming things with nouns 36
 
Naming ideas and emotions with nouns 37
 
Sorting Out Singular and Plural Nouns 39
 
Adding the letters "S" or "ES" to form plurals 39
 
Creating plurals of words that end with the letter "Y" 40
 
Plurals that break the rules 42
 
Attaching "This," "These," and Other Words to Nouns 43
 
Chapter 4: Practicing Pronouns 47
 
Replacing Nouns with Pronouns 47
 
Pronouns for the speaker or writer 48
 
Pronouns that speak to others 50
 
Pronouns that speak about other people or things 51
 
Avoiding errors with two common pronouns 52
 
Solving the Case of Pronouns 54
 
Subject pronouns 54
 
Object pronouns 57
 
Sorting subject and object pronouns 58
 
Forming Possessive Pronouns 62
 
Chapter 5: Doing and Being Words: Verbs 65
 
Searching Out Verbs 65
 
Asking Questions to Find the Verb 66
 
Telling Time with Verbs 68
 
Present tense 68
 
Past tense 69
 
Future tense 71
 
Recognizing Forms of Some Important Verbs 72
 
The verb "be" 72
 
The verb "do" 73
 
The verb "have" 75
 
Getting Assistance from Helping Verbs 76
 
Asking questions with helping verbs 76
 
Creating negative statements with helping verbs 78
 
Expressing duty, ability, and possibility with helping verbs 80
 
Chapter 6: Describing with Adjectives and Adverbs 83
 
Adding Detail with Adjectives 83
 
How to find adjectives 85
 
Where to find adjectives 86
 
Writing Well with Adverbs 89
 
Adding information to verbs 89
 
Adding meaning to descriptions 91
 
Choosing between Adjectives and Adverbs 93
 
Placing "a" and "an" in the Proper Place 96
 
Making Comparisons with Adjectives and Adverbs 97
 
Single-word comparisons 97
 
Two-word comparisons 98
 
Irregular comparisons 99
 
Chapter 7: Little Things Mean a Lot: Prepositions 101
 
Recognizing Prepositions 101
 
Locating items and actions with prepositions 102
 
Telling time with prepositions 103
 
Discussing other relationships with prepositions 104
 
Identifying Objects of Prepositions 105
 
Finding objects through meaning 106
 
Locating objects with questions 107
 
Choo

Product details

• Authors: G Woods, Geraldine Woods, Geraldine (New York Woods, Woods Geraldine
• Publisher: Wiley, John and Sons Ltd
• Languages: English
• Product format: Paperback / Softback
• Released: 12.10.2015
• EAN: 9781119063476
• ISBN: 978-1-119-06347-6
• No. of pages: 384
• Dimensions: 188 mm x 235 mm x 18 mm
• Series: For Dummies; For Dummies
• Subjects: Education and learning; Humanities, art, music > Linguistics and literary studies > English linguistics / literary studies; Linguistics, English Language, Englische Sprache, Sprachwissenschaften, Englisch /Sprache