AMSCO SCHOOL PUBLICATIONS, INC. 315 Hudson Street, New York, N.Y. 10013 AMSCO Contributing Editors Auditi Chakravarty Director of Language Arts Amsco School Publications, Inc. Bonnie Boehme Editor Nesbitt Graphics, Inc. This book has been adapted from the following Amsco publications: Building Power in Writing By Henry I. Christ English Alive: Complete Edition By Harold Levine Text and cover design: Nesbitt Graphics, Inc. Composition: Nesbitt Graphics, Inc. When ordering this book please specify: Either R 798 W or GRAMMAR AND USAGE FOR BETTER WRITING Please visit our Web site at www.amscopub.com ISBN 1-56765-117-8 NYC Item 56765-117-7 Copyright © 2004 by Amsco School Publications, Inc. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form without written permission from the publisher. Printed in the United States of America. 1 2 3 4 6 7 8 9 08 07 06 05 04 Contents Introduction: How to Use This Book vii Part ONE Parts of Speech 1 The Subject 3 The Predicate 7 Verbs 10 Action and Linking Verbs 13 Helping Verbs and Verb Phrases 16 Verbs in Contractions 19 Nouns 22 Common and Proper Nouns 24 Plural Nouns 27 Possessive Nouns 34 Compound Subjects 38 Compound Verbs 41 Nouns as Direct Objects 45 Nouns as Indirect Objects 48 Pronouns and Antecedents 52 Personal Pronouns 55 Pronouns in Contractions 58 Review of Verbs, Nouns, and Pronouns 61 Adjectives 68 Predicate Adjectives and Predicate Nouns 72 Adverbs 79 Forming Adverbs from Adjectives 84 Recognizing Adverbs and Adjectives 86 iii Review of Adjectives and Adverbs 89 Prepositions 94 Prepositional Phrases 98 Conjunctions 102 Interjections 108 Review of Prepositions, Conjunctions, and Interjections 111 Part TWO Sentence Composition 115 Characteristics of Good Sentences 116 Comparing Sentences 117 Writing Sentences 120 Revising Sentences 121 Clear, Forceful Sentences 123 Conciseness (Economy) 123 Clarity and Specificity 126 Varying Sentences 132 Unity 145 Part THREE Common Usage Errors 149 Problems with Sentence Structure 150 Simple Sentences 150 Compound Sentences 151 Complex Sentences 152 Sentence Fragments 155 Run-on Sentences 164 Problems with Nouns 171 Plurals of Nouns 171 Possessives of Nouns 172 Problems with Verbs 175 Using the Correct Tense 175 Principal Parts of Verbs 177 Agreement of Subject and Verb 181 Troublesome Verb Pairs 185 Problems with Modifiers 189 Adjectives and Adverbs Confused 189 Double Negatives 190 Other Errors 191 iv CONTENTS Problems with Pronouns 193 Personal Pronouns 193 Indefinite Pronouns 196 Possessive Pronouns 198 Problems with Punctuation 201 End Punctuation 201 The Comma 202 Quotation Marks 209 Punctuating Titles 210 Problems with Capitalization 214 In Letters 214 In Quotations 214 First Words 214 Proper Nouns and Proper Adjectives 215 Problems with Spelling 221 Frequently Misspelled Words 221 Words Often Confused 223 Seven Helpful Spelling Rules 224 Contractions 230 Part FOUR Basic Paragraph Composition 231 The Paragraph 232 A Note About Paragraph Length 233 Unity in the Paragraph 235 The Topic Sentence 239 The Clincher Sentence 242 Developing a Paragraph with Reasons 244 Arranging the Reasons 245 Arranging the Reasons—Another Look 248 Developing a Paragraph with Examples 249 Varying Sentence Beginnings 253 Index 259 CONTENTS v INTRODUCTION vii 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 learn- ing 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 en- counter 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 exer- cises 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 In a sentence, a word may play one of eight parts. It may be either 1. a noun, 5. an adverb, 2. a pronoun, 6. a preposition, 3. a verb, 7. a conjunction, or 4. an adjective, 8. 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. ADJ . N . V . We can also add the adverb painfully: My sunburn itches painfully. ADJ . N . V . ADV . 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? V . N . ADJ . 1 Part ONE Parts of Speech 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. 2 PARTS OF SPEECH [...]... = 5 will + not = Contractions are entirely natural and correct in informal English (friendly notes, everyday conversation) However, they are not ordinarily used in formal English (business letters, letters of application, term papers, reports) 20 PA R T S O F S P E E C H EXERCISE 2 Change each of the following contractions to formal English Samples: didn’t did not I’ve I have 1 hasn’t 6 can’t 2 isn’t... We are four miles from the river 10 I was talking to a neighbor Plural Nouns Nouns have a singular form and a plural form The singular is the form that means only one: boy, girl, soda, hamburger, etc The plural is the form that means more than one: boys, girls, sodas, hamburgers, etc EXERCISE 1 Write the form indicated Samples: the plural of window windows the singular of kittens kitten 1 the singular... forms of a few more nouns SINGULAR PLURAL (only one) (more than one) 1 hat hats 2 box boxes 3 leaf leaves 4 foot feet From the above examples, you can see that there is no single rule for forming the plural of nouns; there are several If you memorize the rules and do the exercises carefully, you will be well on your way to spelling plurals correctly Rule 1 For most nouns: Add s to the singular to form... time does not matter to you What would you say to your friend? 1 It does not matter 2 It doesn’t matter VERBS 19 You would probably say: It doesn’t matter In informal conversation, we tend to use contractions For example, we combine does with not, forming the contraction doesn’t Note that not, the second word in the contraction, loses the letter o, and in place of that o we have an apostrophe: doesn’t... higher The predicate is are higher QUESTION My sister Karen is waiting for us QUESTION 1: About whom is the sentence telling something? ANSWER: My sister Karen The subject is My sister Karen T H E P R E D I C AT E 7 2: What is the sentence saying about My sister Karen? ANSWER: My sister Karen is waiting for us The predicate is is waiting for us QUESTION Was Andy angry? QUESTION 1: About whom is the sentence... have 1 hasn’t 6 can’t 2 isn’t 7 weren’t 3 won’t 8 you’d 4 I’ll 9 wasn’t 5 shouldn’t 10 it’s The contraction ain’t is considered nonstandard This means that ain’t should not be used in either formal or informal English situations Avoid it INSTEAD OF USE I ain’t ready I’m not ready or I am not ready Ain’t I next? Am I not next? They ain’t come back They haven’t come back or They have not come back VERBS... cold She turned the page How Can a Linking Verb Be Recognized? If a verb can be replaced with some form of the verb be, it is a linking verb Question 1: Is feels a linking verb in the following sentence? Jordan feels angry Answer: We can replace feels with is (a form of the verb be) Jordan is angry Therefore, feels, in the above sentence, is a linking verb Question 2: Is feels a linking verb in the following... Shorten your verb phrases whenever possible Avoid wordiness—the use of unnecessary words Aim for conciseness—brief, uncluttered expression WORDY: CONCISE: If you do not run for president, she may (The main verb run is understood.) WORDY: Jim refused to apologize He should have apologized CONCISE: 18 If you do not run for president, she may run Jim refused to apologize He should have (The main verb apologized... ear + s = ears chair + s = chairs table + s = tables face + s = faces Question: Can I form the plural of words like class or dish by just adding s? Answer: No, because [classs] and [dishs] would be hard to pronounce We must do something else This brings us to Rule 2 Rule 2 For nouns ending in s, sh, ch, or x: Add es to form the plural NOUNS ENDING IN s: class + es = classes dress + es = dresses NOUNS... subject is called the simple subject The seats on the bus are very comfortable SIMPLE SUBJECT: seats The simple subject and the words that describe it are together known as the complete subject COMPLETE SUBJECT: The seats on the bus Question: Does a simple subject ever consist of more than one word? Answer: Yes, especially if it is a name For example: The late Amelia Earhart was a pioneer in aviation COMPLETE . 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 Inc. When ordering this book please specify: Either R 798 W or GRAMMAR AND USAGE FOR BETTER WRITING Please visit our Web site at www.amscopub.com ISBN 1-56765-117-8