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Better Writing presents the fundamentals of writing completely and accurately. Based on guidelines that generations of writers have proved to be the best way of expression, the text includes solid coverage of important topics, logical organization, and gives center-stage attention to each of the five ways (Grammar, Punctuation, Spelling, Principles of Style, Directions for Style) providing complete coverage for each, organizing them logically, and explaining them clearly and concisely.
E-Book Content
Preface P ractic al S u g g e s tio n s for Writing
Pa rt (1 LESSON
The
S e n t e n c e
1
T h e P a r t s of S p e e c h • • • • • • • •
LESSON
2
S u bject and Verb (Stage One) • • • • • •
Contents
Noun 10 Pronoun 10 Verb 10 Adjective 11 Adverb 11 Conjunction 12 Preposition 13 Interjection 13
16
Verbs of One Word 17 Verbs of More Than One Word 18 Verbs, Not Modifiers 19 Finding the Subject 20 Compound Subjects and Verbs 23 Compound Sentences 24
LESSON
3
S u b je ct. Verb, and " C o m p l e t e r ” (Stage Two)
27
Subject Complements After Linking Verbs 28 Direct Objects After Action Verbs 29 Subjects and Verbs, Not Adjectives and Adverbs 30 Verbs, Not Verbals 31 LESSON k S u b je c ts , Verbs. P h rases, and Clauses (Stage Three) • Verbal Phrases as Subjects 35 • Clauses as Subjects 36 • The Subject and Verb in a Sentence with a Modifying Clause 36 • Explanatory Words (Appositives) 38 iii
CONT E NT S
P a r t
2
Gr ammar
L E S S O N 5 A g r e e m e n t ( L e v e l 1)
43
• The Subject Separated from Its Verb by a Prepositional Phrase 44 • Compound Subjects 45 • Sentences Beginning with Here and There 45 • Collective Nouns 46 • Each, Either , and Neither 47 • The Pronoun and Its Antecedent 48
L E S S O N 6 Agreement (Level • • • • •
2)
51
Nouns Plural in Form but Singular in Number 52 Nouns Singular in Sense but Plural in Use 52 None , Any, Some , All, and Most (NASAM) 53 The Number and a Number 54 Who and That Clauses 54
L E S S O N
7
P r o n o u n s _________________________________________________________5 7
• • • • •
The Subject Forms of Pronouns 58 The Object Forms of Pronouns 58 Self-Words 60 Comparisons After As or Than 60 The Possessive Form with -ing Words 61
L E S S O N Verbs
8 64
• I f (and Wish) Clauses 64 • The Correct Forms of Certain Verbs 65 • Double Negatives 67 LESSON
9
A d j e c t i v e s and A d v e r b s • Adjectives and Adverbs 71 • The Articles A and An 72
iv
70
• Comparing Two or More Adjectives or Adverbs 72 • This, That, These , and Those 74 L E S S O N 10 Prepositions
77
• Errors in the Use of Prepositions 77 • Special Prepositions with Certain Words 79 L E S S O N 11 Grammar Practice
P a r t
3
83
P u n c t u a t i o n
L E S S O N 12 P u n c t u a t i o n of t h e S i m p l e S e n t e n c e
91
• Words in a Series 92 • Adjectives in a Series 93 • Explanatory Words (Appositives) 93 • Parenthetical Expressions 94 • Direct Address 96 • Introductory Words 96
L E S S O N 13 P u n c t u a t i o n of t h e S i m p l e S e n t e n c e (Continued)
99
• Verbal Phrases 99 • Introductory Prepositional Phrases 100 • Dates and Addresses 101 L E S S O N 14 P u n c t u a t i o n of t h e C o m p o u n d S e n t e n c e
1 04
• The Comma in a Compound Sentence 104 • The Semicolon in a Compound Sentence 106 • The Comma in a Command Sentence 106
L E S S O N 15 P u n c t u a t i o n of t h e C o m p l e x S e n t e n c e • Introductory Cla