ABSTRACT

Does grammar bother you? Does it first inspire boredom, then fear? Since the virtual removal of formal grammar teaching from our schools' standard curriculum forty years ago, such negative responses have increasingly characterised students and professionals alike. As this lively and user-friendly book sets out to prove, that is both unfortunate and unnecessary. Not only is grammar an enabling servant rather than a tyrannical set of absolute rules: it can also be fun.

This light-hearted guide offers extensive coverage of Parts of Speech, Syntax, Inflection and Punctuation, along with a detailed look at common errors and misconceptions. Regular exercises are included, as is a baleful survey of Political Correct usage, whose desire to sanitize and control the way we speak is injurious to grammar, language itself and indeed the way we live now.

The aim throughout this book is to reassure and entertain as well as instruct. This handy volume puts an amusing light on grammar, and as such it is guaranteed to banish boredom and fear.

The Good Grammar Guide can also be read as a companion to one of Richard Palmer's other publications, Write in Style 2nd Edition, also published in Routledge's Study Guides series.

chapter 1|7 pages

Introduction: finding your feet

Finding your feet

chapter 1|4 pages

Apostrophe

chapter 4|4 pages

Complement

chapter 12|5 pages

Gerund

chapter 2|10 pages

Parts of speech

chapter |4 pages

Voice

chapter |3 pages

Auxiliary verbs

chapter |11 pages

Exercise 6

chapter |2 pages

Demonstrative pronouns

chapter |1 pages

Pronouns of number or quantity

chapter |12 pages

Descriptive adjectives

chapter 3|1 pages

Inflections

chapter |5 pages

The eight classes of irregular verb

chapter |7 pages

Irregularities

chapter 4|2 pages

Syntax

chapter |9 pages

Exercise 11

chapter 5|12 pages

Parts of speech (advanced)

chapter |5 pages

Phrasal verbs: a summary

chapter |14 pages

The six classes of noun

chapter 6|12 pages

Punctuation;

Speech and quotation

chapter |1 pages

Exercise 16

chapter 7|4 pages

Finale

Some additional gaps and traps

chapter |2 pages

The apostrophe in plural possessives

chapter |6 pages

The apostrophe with abbreviated verbs

chapter |1 pages

Angle three

chapter |8 pages

Conclusion

chapter |8 pages

Some further common errors

chapter |8 pages

The evils of PC

chapter |17 pages

Appendix I

A Grammatical and technical glossary

chapter |2 pages

Appendix II Answers to exercises

Answers to exercises Exercise 2

chapter |3 pages

Exercise 6

chapter |2 pages

Exercise 14