Reviewing Basic Grammar: A Guide to Writing Sentences and Paragraphs (with MyWritingLab Student Access Code Card), 8th Edition

Reviewing Basic Grammar uses a step-by-step approach to combine an intense grammar review with an introduction to paragraph writing.

Preface                                                                                                                

 

1.   Getting Started: Computers, Grammar, Sentences, and Paragraphs

Standard English: Who Needs It?

Writing with the Computer

Writing Sentences

            Editing Exercise

The Paragraph: An Overview

Introductory and Concluding Paragraphs

Introductions

Conclusions

Writing Paragraphs

 

2.  The Parts of Speech: A Review

The Noun

The Pronoun

The Verb

The Adjective

The Adverb

The Preposition

The Conjunction

The Interjection

A Word of Caution

        Editing Exercises

        Writing Sentences: The Parts of Speech

        Review Test 2-A: Parts of Speech

        Review Test 2-B: Parts of Speech

Writing Paragraphs: The Topic Sentence and Unity in the Paragraph

 

3.  Finding the Subject and the Verb in the Sentence

The Subject and the Verb

Finding the Verb

        Action Verbs

        Linking Verbs

        Words Mistaken for the Verb

Finding the Subject

        Subjects and Other Words in the Sentence

        Simple and Complete Subjects

        Compound Subjects

        Subjects in Inverted Sentences

        Subjects with Verbs in Active and Passive Voice

        Subjects and Prepositional Phrases

Subjects and Verbs in Compound and Complex Sentences

        Editing Exercises

        Writing Sentences: Identifying Subjects and Verbs

        Review Test 3-A: Finding the Subject and the Verb in the Sentence

        Review Test 3-B: Finding the Subject and the Verb in the Sentence

Writing Paragraphs: Coherence in the Paragraph Through Chronological Order

 

4.  Making the Subject and Verb Agree

Subject-Verb Agreement

        Editing Exercises

        Writing Sentences: Subject and Verb Agreement

        Review Test 4-A: Making the Subject and Verb Agree

        Review Test 4-B: Making the Subject and Verb Agree

  Writing Paragraphs: Coherence in the Paragraph Through Spatial Order

 

5.  Common Errors Involving Verbs

Regular Verbs

Irregular Verbs

        Suggestions for Using Irregular Verbs

Using the Correct Tense

        A Few Suggestions for Using the Correct Tense

Shifts in Tense

Two Pairs of Irregular Verbs: Lie and Lay and Sit and Set

        Editing Exercises

        Writing Sentences: The Correct Form of the Verb

        Review Test 5-A: Common Errors Involving Verbs

        Review Test 5-B: Common Errors Involving Verbs

Writing Paragraphs: Coherence in the Paragraph Through Order of Importance

 

6.  Using the Correct Form of the Pronoun

The Classes of Pronouns

Personal Pronouns

        Subject Pronouns

        Object Pronouns

        Possessive Pronouns

Relative Pronouns

        Who, Which, and That/Special Uses

Intensive and Reflexive Pronouns

Some Problems with Pronouns: Who and Whom

        Editing Exercises

        Writing Sentences: Using the Correct Form of the Pronoun

        Review Test 6-A: Using the Correct Form of the Pronoun

        Review Test 6-B: Using the Correct Form of the Pronoun

Writing Paragraphs: Coherence in the Paragraph by Using Transitional Words and Phrases

 

7.  Common Errors in Pronoun Agreement and Reference

Agreement in Number

Agreement in Person

Pronoun Reference

Avoiding Sexism in Pronoun Usage

        Editing Exercises

        Writing Sentences: Avoiding Common Errors in Pronoun Usage

        Review Test 7-A: Common Errors in Pronoun Agreement and Reference

        Review Test 7-B: Common Errors in Pronoun Agreement and Reference

Writing Paragraphs: Developing a Paragraph by Using Examples

 

8.  Compound and Complex Sentences

Compound Sentences

        Punctuating Compound Sentences

Complex Sentences

        Three Kinds of Dependent Clauses

        Editing Exercises

        Writing Sentences: Using a Variety of Sentence Types

        Review Test 8-A: Compound and Complex Sentences

        Review Test 8-B: Compound and Complex Sentences

Writing Paragraphs: Developing a Paragraph by Comparison and Contrast

 

9.  Correcting Sentence Fragments, Run-on Sentences, and Comma-Splices

Sentence Fragments

        Phrases as Fragments

        Dependent Clauses as Fragments

Run-on Sentences

Comma-Splices

Comma-Splices and Conjunctive Adverbs

        Editing Exercise

        Writing Sentences: Avoiding Fragments, Run-on Sentences, and Comma-Splices

        Review Test 9-A: Correcting Sentence Fragments, Run-on Sentences, and Comma-Splices

        Review Test 9-B: Correcting Sentence Fragments, Run-on Sentences, and Comma-Splices

Writing Paragraphs: Developing a Paragraph by Classification

 

10.  Confused Sentences

Misplaced and Dangling Modifiers

Illogical Comparisons

Confusing Adjectives and Adverbs

        Using Adjectives after Linking Verbs

        Using Adverbs to Modify Verbs

Parallel Structure

        Editing Exercises

        Writing Sentences: Avoiding Confused Sentences

        Review Test 10-A: Confused Sentences

        Review Test 10-B: Confused Sentences

Writing Paragraphs: Developing a Paragraph by Process and Analysis

 

11.  Punctuation and Capitalization<

End Marks

        The Period

        The Question Mark

        The Exclamation Point

Internal Punctuation

        The Comma

        Additional Uses of the Comma      

        Omitting Commas

        The Semicolon

        The Colon

        Parentheses

        The Dash

        Quotation Marks

        Italics

        The Hyphen

        The Apostrophe

        Numbers

        Editing Exercises

        Writing Sentences: Using Correct Punctuation

Capitalization

        Editing Exercises

        Writing Sentences: Using Correct Capitalization

        Review Test 11-A: Punctuation

        Review Test 11-B: Punctuation

Writing Paragraphs: Developing a Paragraph by Cause and Effect

 

Appendeix A:    A Checklist for the ESL Writer

Learning to Use Articles and Quantifiers

        Articles (a/an and the)

        Quantifiers

Problems with Verbs

        The Twelve Verb Tenses

        Tips for Choosing the Right Tense

Learning to Use Verb Phrases

Learning to Use Adjectives and Adverbs

Common Expressions

        Using Used To        

        Using When and If

        Using Since and For 

        Using -s and es

Problems with Word Order and Unnecessary Words

        Adjectives

        Adverbs

        Repetition of the Subject

Other Problems with Grammar, Spelling, and Punctuation

Additional Reference Books for ESL Students

 

Appendix B:    A Brief Guide for Avoiding Errors in Grammar and Usage

 

A Glossary of Usage

A Glossary of Grammatical Terms

Answers to Selected Exercises

Credits

Index