Geraldine Woods - Basic English Grammar For Dummies - US (For Dummies

Basic English Grammar For Dummies

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Library of Congress Control Number: 2015941963

ISBN 978-1-119-06347-6 (pbk); ISBN 978-1-119-06349-0 (ebk);

ISBN 978-1-119-06348-3 (ebk)

1. Table of Contents

You want to send a letter to your aunt. She is very strict about proper grammar and spelling. This is what you write:

• Dear Aunt Louise,
• I wanted I would like I want to thank
• Thank you for youre your
• Thank you for the presant pressent gift.

By now, the notepaper is a mess, and so are you. If this sounds like your life, you are not alone. Many people struggle when they must write or speak formally. Fortunately, help is on the way. In fact, it is already here, in the book you are reading.

English grammar is not a mystery. It is a set of traditions and patterns of language handed down through the years. Anyone can learn the rules of Standard English. Basic English Grammar For Dummies explains what you need to know. With practice and the information in this book, you can express yourself confidently and correctly. Even Aunt Louise will be pleased!

As I wrote this book, I followed For Dummies traditions. I also made some patterns myself. Every time I introduce a grammar term, I italicize and explain it. If I write noun, for example, I tell you a noun is the name of a person, place, thing, or idea. Do not be afraid! In Basic English Grammar For Dummies, I use very few grammar terms. As often as possible, I explain what you need to know in normal, nonteacher language. I also underline some words or phrases that you should pay close attention to.

To help you pick up important points quickly, I frequently place information in lists. Every item in a list begins with a little check mark. The key idea appears in boldface (extra-dark type). Examples illustrate every rule. Keep an eye out for these examples, centered alone on a line. If I mention an idea but do not explain it immediately, I direct you to a chapter that contains more information.

Although this book focuses on grammar, I could not resist throwing in some vocabulary builders. A strong vocabulary makes your writing more interesting. Look for gray boxes, called sidebars, if you want to learn new words. If your vocabulary is already in good shape, ignore the gray boxes and go right to the text.

I do not know who you are, but I have already spent some time with you the reader I imagine. When I write, I keep you, the reader, in my mind. I imagine you holding a yellow For Dummies book or an e-reader. This is how I see you:

• You know the language, but you are open to learning more.
• You want a firmer grasp of the rules of Standard English, the formal language of educated people.
• You are busy. You do not want to waste time memorizing facts you will never need.
• You enjoy a little humor.

That is everything I assume about you. Have I described you accurately? I hope so.

Flip through Basic English Grammar For Dummies. Many little drawings appear in the margin. Those pictures are called icons. Icons alert you in these ways:

This icon signals a shortcut or an extra bit of information. A tip is a whisper in your ear, helping you master a grammar rule.

This icon tells you where errors often pop up, so you can avoid mistakes.

For every topic, you find a few questions labeled with this icon. Take the quizzes to check whether you have mastered the material. Answers follow every quick quiz. (No peeking allowed.)

Key ideas appear with this icon.

Like me, you probably spend a lot of time on the Internet. I have placed extra material there, to add to what you find on the screen of your e-reader or between the paper covers of Basic English Grammar For Dummies. Here is what you get, all for free: