Everyday English: How to Say What You Mean and Write Everything Right - Softcover

Scrivenor, Patrick

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1606524828 ISBN 13: 9781606524824

Publisher: Readers Digest, 2012

Synopsis

Do you puzzle over participles, argue over agreement, or throw up your hands over the comma? This back-to-basics overview of the English language includes just what you need to know to make a great impression every day—in school, in life, online, and on the job. Each chapter, covering all the essentials from parts of speech to pronunciation to common pitfalls, includes concise, easy-to-find definitions and explanations, countless examples, fun facts, and tips.

 

·        Parts of Speech: Nouns, verbs, adjectives, and more form the building blocks of the English language. Don’t get tripped up by tenses, possessive pronouns, or adverbs ever again.

·        Grammar: From the simplest sentences to the most complex, this quick guide to grammar shows how to construct phrases and clauses, fix fragments, maintain subject-verb agreement, and so much more.

·        Spelling and Pronunciation: Avoid embarrassing gaffes and typos with this guide to common spellings, vowel and consonant sounds, and word stress.

·        Punctuation: Eggs or egg’s, the Smiths or the Smith’s (or the Smiths’)—proper punctuation makes all the difference. Never misplace another comma, misuse another apostrophe, or mistake another semicolon for an ink smudge.

·        Clear Usage: Create sparkling sentences by using ten key principles of great writing, such as Don’t use no double negatives, Steer clear of clichés, and It is thought that using passive voice should be avoided. (CK final keys)

·        Pitfalls and Confusions: Avoid misunderstandings with this handy list of some of the most commonly confused words, spellings, and meanings—from affect and effect to your and you’re.

About this title

About the Author

Patrick Scrivenor was born in Palestine but brought up mainly in South Africa. He then attended King’s School, Canterbury and Oriel College, Oxford. A regular officer, Ulster Rifles, writer/researcher on Purnell’s History of the Second World War etc.; latterly with Writers in Business, a company that worked to improve the English used by major commercial – and especially financial – concerns in reports. He has been a writer and editor of many years’ standing, and also works as a gamekeeper in Kent. His books include Egg On Your Interface: A Dictionary of Modern Nonsense (1989).

Edition details

• Publisher: Readers Digest
• Publication date: 2012
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1606524828
• ISBN 13: 9781606524824
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 176