William Bradshaw - The Big Ten of Grammar: Identifying and Fixing the Ten Most Frequent Grammatical Errors

PRAISE FOR
The Big Ten of Grammar

I have not found computerized grammar checks to be very reliable, nor have I seen a convenient grammar reference source in my twenty-five years of legal practice. The Big Ten of Grammar is a quick way to check ones recollection of hard-to-remember grammar rules. Dr. Bradshaw includes great examples for each rule and a brief but comprehensive recap at the end of each chapter. The Big Ten of Grammar is my new favorite reference book.

JANE COHEN, ATTORNEY AT LAW, ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI

I thought I would never need a grammar book again after college, but I could not have been more wrong. Working in a top-level government office in Washington, I learned that a solid grasp of grammar is necessary to be considered credible. Dr. Bradshaw explains daily grammar in a clear and detailed fashion. I am now in graduate school, and The Big Ten of Grammar is my constant companion. Its a must for every serious student.

NICOLE NORD, SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA

With The Big Ten of Grammar, Dr. Bradshaw has not only identified the most frequent grammatical landmines, he has provided easy-to-remember techniques for avoiding them. It is a reference book I can carry in my head.

CHARLIE CLAGGETT, VP MARKETING, WARSON BRANDS, ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI

The Big Ten of Grammar is my compact resource for resolving pesky grammatical questions that plague most of us everyday. I teach a university Managerial Economics Class, which includes two writing assignments, and The Big Ten of Grammar will be a helpful resource for students.

JOHN H. ARMSTRONG, BANKING PROFESSIONAL, ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI

The Big Ten of Grammar is the most practical and useful book Ive seen since The One Minute Manager in 1982.

DAVE BUCK, MBA, NEW PRODUCTS CONSULTANT, ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI

The Big Ten of Grammar is now my primary grammar reference and constant companion. Technology professionals are notoriously poor spellers and writers, so Dr. Bradshaws straightforward guidelines are extremely useful in my work as a software development professional. Clear and precise software design documents are necessary to eliminate costly errors due to misinterpretation. Correct grammar is clearly a key ingredient for my work. Thank you, Dr. Bradshaw, for writing this book.

MEGAN MORI, PRINCIPAL, MORI PARTNERS, SANTA BARBARA, CALIFORNIA

At first I hesitated to read The Big Ten of Grammar, thinking I knew it all, but after the second chapter I realized I had forgotten many of the rules of grammar. Thank you, Dr. Bradshaw, for reminding me of them in such a fun, memorable way. It is a great book I keep on my coffee table where I can reference it easily.

G. VIETOR DAVIS, JR., INVESTMENTS AND FORMER REAL ESTATE DEVELOPMENTS, WILLIAMSBURG, VIRGINIA

Engineers focus on technology with little time for proper grammar. Dr. Bradshaws The Big Ten of Grammar makes a fine companion to spell-checking software, online dictionaries, and search engines. The Big Ten of Grammar brings precision and accuracy to professional writing.

LARRY GREEN, INTERNET ENGINEER, SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA

I love The Big Ten of Grammar! Correct grammar is easily forgotten as we age, but I find all of Dr. Bradshaws examples especially helpful. The Big Ten of Grammar will make a wonderful reference book for my work. And my mother bought a copy for each of her seven college-age grandchildren.

SHERRY STRUCKHOFF, RN, BSN, HEALTH SCIENCE INSTRUCTOR, WAYNESVILLE CAREER CENTER, MISSOURI

Because of its clear and engaging explanations, The Big Ten of Grammar was an instant hit with teachers and secretaries in Parkway. Thank you, Dr. Bradshaw, for helping to curtail some of the most common grammar demons in workplace communication and student writing.

REBECCA LANGRALL, EDD, CURRICULUM COORDINATOR, SECONDARY COMMUNICATION ARTS, PARKWAY SCHOOL DISTRICT

The Big Ten of Grammar

Identifying and Fixing the Ten Most Frequent Grammatical Errors

William B. Bradshaw, PhD

Copyright 2012, by William B. Bradshaw, PhD
www.williambbradshaw.com

FIRST PAPERBACK EDITION

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without permission in writing from the publisher, except by a reviewer who may quote brief passages in a review.

Cataloging-in-Publication Data available upon request.

LCCN: 2010923488
ISBN: 978-0-8253-0677-8
Hardcover ISBN: 978-0-9842-3585-8

For inquiries about volume orders, please contact:

Beaufort Books
27 West 20th Street, Suite 1102
New York, NY 10011
sales@beaufortbooks.com

Published in the United States by Beaufort Books
www.beaufortbooks.com

Distributed by Midpoint Trade Books
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Printed in the United States of America

To Mrs. Jones

and to all of the other teachers on various levels of education
who have gone beyond the call of duty in helping struggling
students to understand and achieve but who seldom get appropriately
thanked or recognized for their extra time and effort

General rule for forming possessive case of nouns

During most of my professional career, I worked with not-for-profit institutions in various parts of the country. Regardless of where I was locatedno matter the state or the settingI found that the people I encountered all had something in common. From the highest authority to the youngest student, from the hotshot financier to the working-class parent, I found that they all had one thing in common: they all tended to make the same grammatical errors.

When I retired from a formal position that required my going to the office each day, I began a systematic study of the typical grammatical errors people make. I read newspapers, those from small towns that are known primarily to regional readers and some of the biggies with national and international audiences; I read professional journals from religious, educational, and philanthropic publishers; I listened to radio newscasters and watched the TV news from the major, cable, and satellite networks; I watched moviesold ones and new ones; I patiently listened to and watched commercials on radio and TV; I paid attention to highway billboards; I listened to the speeches of politicians and read their newsletters; I even resorted to watching soap operas. Again and again, I found the same grammatical errors. These findings led me to write The Big Ten of Grammar: Identifying and Fixing the Ten Most Frequent Grammatical Errors.

When the book was first published in hardback, I developed a website: www.bigtenofgrammar.com. In the website I offered to answer grammatical questions and provided a way for readers to e-mail their questions to me. I received queries not only from people living in the United States, but also from residents of foreign countries as far away as India. I also received phone calls and e-mails not connected to my website, asking questions about grammar and suggesting things that I did not include in the book. All of this made it possible for me to understand where readers were coming from and some of the grammatical issues that were puzzling them.

This softbound edition is nearly identical with the original hardback, except for one primary change: in this new edition I have included an appendix titled Keeping Up-To-Date: Ten Short Reminders. The appendix, based on the queries from my website, deals with recent changes in the accepted standards of grammar that many people are unaware of. It is my hope that these few pages at the end of the book will make this edition of