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Learn to get your ideas across clearly and correctly--the easy way
English Grammar All-in-One For Dummies is packed with everything you need to know to communicate with confidence--in your writing, on standardized tests, at work, on social media, and everywhere else. Strong verbal and written skills can help you get where you want to be, and this easy-to-understand Dummies guide will help you understand the English grammar principles you need to know so you can improve your understanding of basic grammar and punctuation rules, easily identify parts of speech, and communicate more effectively.
* Learn the basics of punctuation--periods, commas, semicolons, and beyond
* Write clearer e-mails and messages, or ace the writing section of your test
* Navigate pronouns and make sure you're using inclusive language
* Practice with end-of-chapter quizzes and even more online practice
English Grammar All-In-One For Dummies is an excellent resource for students, professionals, job seekers, non-native-English learners, and anyone who wants to brush up on using this crazy language we call English.
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
Unit 1: Exploring Grammar and Style 5
Chapter 1: Sampling the Ingredients of Grammar and Style 7
What This Year's Sentence Is Wearing: Understanding Grammar and Style 8
Getting to Know the Elements of Grammar and Style 9
Parts of speech 10
Parts of a sentence 11
Small but important: Punctuating, capitalizing, and spelling 15
Recognizing Your Grammar Profile 18
Chapter 2: Adapting Language to Every Situation 21
Grasping the Power and Limits of Standard English 21
Adjusting Language to Suit Your Audience 22
Wanna get something to eat? Friendspeak 22
Conversational English 24
Standard English 24
Practice Questions Answers and Explanations 29
Whaddya Know? Chapter 2 Quiz 31
Answers to Chapter 2 Quiz 33
Unit 2: Exploring Parts of Speech 35
Chapter 3: People to See, Places to Go, Things to Remember: Recognizing Nouns 37
Identifying Nouns 38
Naming people with nouns 38
Naming places with nouns 39
Naming things with nouns 40
Naming ideas and emotions with nouns 41
Sorting Out Singular and Plural Nouns 42
Adding the letters S or ES to form plurals 42
Plurals that break the rules 44
Attaching "This," "These," and Other Words to Nouns 45
Practice Questions Answers and Explanations 47
Whaddya Know? Chapter 3 Quiz 49
Answers to Chapter 3 Quiz 50
Chapter 4: Meeting the Pronoun Family 51
Working Hard: Pronouns and Their Jobs 51
Replacing nouns 52
Replacing pronouns 53
Doubling back with -self pronouns 53
Creating connections, asking questions 54
Tracing Pronoun Traits 55
Person and number 56
Gender and number 58
Case 59
Practice Questions Answers and Explanations 61
Whaddya Know? Chapter 4 Quiz 63
Answers to Chapter 4 Quiz 64
Chapter 5: Existing and Acting with Verbs 65
Expressing Meaning with Verbs 66
Tense 66
Number 66
Mood 66
Voice 67
Meeting the Families: Linking and Action Verbs 67
Linking verbs: A giant equal sign 68
Forms of "be" 68
Synonyms of "be" 68
Savoring sensory verbs 69
Lights! Camera! Action verb! 70
Pop the Question: Locating the Verb 71
Calling the Help Line for Verbs 73
The big three 73
Timing is everything: Creating a time frame with helping verbs 77
Don't ask! Questions and negative statements 77
Adding shades of meaning with helping verbs 79
Practice Questions Answers and Explanations 81
Whaddya Know? Chapter 5 Quiz 84
Answers to Chapter 5 Quiz 85
Chapter 6: Two Real Really Good Parts of Speech: Adjectives and Adverbs 87
Clarifying Meaning with Descriptions 88
Adding Adjectives 88
Adjectives describing nouns 89
Adjectives describing pronouns 89
Adjectives attached to linking verbs 90
Pop the question: Identifying adjectives 90
Articles: Not just for magazines 91
Stalking the Common Adverb 93
Pop the question: Finding the adverb 94
Adverbs describing adjectives and other adverbs 95
Choosing Between Adjectives and Adverbs 97
Sorting out "good"
About the author
Geraldine Woods is a grammarian and writer with more than 35 years' experience teaching and writing about English. She is the author of
English Grammar For Dummies, SAT For Dummies, and
Research Papers For Dummies.
