Grammar and usage for better writing

Contents Introduction: How to Use This Book Part ONE Parts of Speech The Subject The Predicate Verbs Action and Linking Verbs Helping Verbs and Verb Phrases Verbs in Contractions Nouns Common and Proper Nouns Plural Nouns Possessive Nouns Compound Subjects Compound Verbs Nouns as Direct Objects Nouns as Indirect Objects Pronouns and Antecedents Personal Pronouns Pronouns in Contractions Review of Verbs, Nouns, and Pronouns Adjectives Predicate Adjectives and Predicate Nouns Adverbs Forming Adverbs from Adjectives Recognizing Adverbs and Adjectives vii 10 13 16 19 22 24 27 34 38 41 45 48 52 55 58 61 68 72 79 84 86 iii Review of Adjectives and Adverbs Prepositions Prepositional Phrases Conjunctions Interjections Review of Prepositions, Conjunctions, and Interjections Part TWO Sentence Composition Characteristics of Good Sentences Comparing Sentences Writing Sentences Revising Sentences Clear, Forceful Sentences Conciseness (Economy) Clarity and Specificity Varying Sentences Unity Part THREE Common Usage Errors Problems with Sentence Structure Simple Sentences Compound Sentences Complex Sentences Sentence Fragments Run-on Sentences Problems with Nouns Plurals of Nouns Possessives of Nouns Problems with Verbs Using the Correct Tense Principal Parts of Verbs Agreement of Subject and Verb Troublesome Verb Pairs Problems with Modifiers Adjectives and Adverbs Confused Double Negatives Other Errors iv 89 94 98 102 108 111 115 116 117 120 121 123 123 126 132 145 149 150 150 151 152 155 164 171 171 172 175 175 177 181 185 189 189 190 191 CONTENTS Problems with Pronouns 193 Problems with Punctuation 201 Personal Pronouns Indefinite Pronouns Possessive Pronouns End Punctuation The Comma Quotation Marks Punctuating Titles 193 196 198 201 202 209 210 Problems with Capitalization 214 Problems with Spelling 221 In Letters In Quotations First Words Proper Nouns and Proper Adjectives Frequently Misspelled Words Words Often Confused Seven Helpful Spelling Rules Contractions Part FOUR Basic Paragraph Composition The Paragraph A Note About Paragraph Length Unity in the Paragraph The Topic Sentence The Clincher Sentence Developing a Paragraph with Reasons Arranging the Reasons Arranging the Reasons—Another Look Developing a Paragraph with Examples Varying Sentence Beginnings Index CONTENTS 214 214 214 215 221 223 224 230 231 232 233 235 239 242 244 245 248 249 253 259 v Introduction How To Use This Book Grammar and Usage for Better Writing is a basic workbook that can provide a founda- tion for further study in English grammar and usage It will benefit students who are learning the essentials for the first time as well as those who wish to review concepts they have previously learned The premise of this book is that understanding how language works enables us to use it more effectively This skill can enhance our personal communications, schoolwork, and professional lives The workbook is organized into four major parts The parts in turn consist of brief lessons, each with explanations, examples, and practice to ensure that students understand the concepts being introduced The book is structured sequentially, with the most basic elements—the parts of a sentence—introduced in Part One, followed by the composition of sentences in Part Two Part Three focuses on some common problems that people encounter when using English, and it places more emphasis on applying the rules Students who are new to grammar study should begin with Part One and work through each section in order; more advanced students who already know the parts of speech may want to start with Part Two and use the first section for reference Once writers learn the parts of sentences and how they work together to determine the meaning and effect of a sentence, they can begin to understand what good writing is all about Part Four is designed to help students make the transition from crafting sentences to developing good paragraphs, the foundation for most kinds of writing It serves as an in- troduction to further study of rhetoric and composition Study the rules, review the examples, and look for more examples of good writing in books, newspapers, magazines, Web sites, and other available sources Complete the exercises to practice what you have learned, but also remember to apply the rules whenever you speak and write The more you use what you learn in this book, the better and more natural your use of the English language will be In the end, you will be a stronger, more effective speaker and writer You’re on your way—good luck! INTRODUCTION vii Part ONE Parts of Speech In a sentence, a word may play one of eight parts It may be either a noun, a pronoun, a verb, an adjective, an adverb, a preposition, a conjunction, or an interjection These eight parts are known as the parts of speech We use the parts of speech to build sentences For example, if we put together the noun sunburn and the verb itches, we can make the following statement: Sunburn itches N V We can expand this statement by adding the adjective my: My sunburn itches N V ADJ We can also add the adverb painfully: My sunburn itches painfully N V ADV ADJ If we should want to ask a question, we can begin with a verb Here is a question made up of the verb is, the noun sunburn, and the adjective painful Is sunburn painful? N ADJ V Of course, we can expand this question For example, we can add the adverb usually Is sunburn usually painful? V N ADV ADJ The system that our language uses to put parts of speech together into sentences is known as grammar The first two lessons focus on the two basic parts of any sentence: the subject and the predicate PA R T S O F S P E E C H Lesson The Subject A sentence has two parts: (1) a subject and (2) a predicate This lesson deals with the subject The subject is the part of the sentence about which something is told or asked The seats on the bus are very comfortable QUESTION: About what is the sentence telling something? ANSWER: The seats on the bus SUBJECT: The seats on the bus Amelia Earhart disappeared over the Pacific QUESTION: About whom is the sentence telling something? ANSWER: Amelia Earhart SUBJECT: Amelia Earhart Has your brother Tom found a summer job? QUESTION: About whom is the sentence asking something? ANSWER: your brother Tom SUBJECT: your brother Tom Position of the Subject The subject is usually found at the beginning of the sentence, but it can also appear in other positions SUBJECT AT THE BEGINNING OF THE SENTENCE : An experienced pilot was at the controls at the time of the crash SUBJECT AT THE END OF THE SENTENCE: At the controls at the time of the crash was an experienced pilot THE SUBJECT