Check It Out

by Ingalls, Anna; Moody, Dan

• ISBN13: 9780205280131
• ISBN10: 0205280137
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 1999-01-01
• Publisher: Longman Pub Group

Summary

What exactlyisa dangling participle? What is a prepositional phrase? Following grammar rules is a basic necessity for good writing and communication skills, yet basic grammar rules often fall under the category of "assumed knowledge." Though many people get through their writing lives without knowing the "hows" and "whys" of grammatical construction, they don't realize the ways in which good grammar can directly influence good writing. A solid understanding of grammar can lead to writing that is more clear, more concise, and more pleasurable to read. These are the goals ofCheck it Out.This book offers readers a simple, straightforward way to understand the most commonly encountered grammar, punctuation, and sentence structure difficulties. The authors avoid introducing unnecessarily complex grammar terminology, yet strive to ensure all explanations are thorough but concise. In addition to the sections on sentence level concerns, the book also provides brief introductions to the writing process and different types of writing. A separate section is also devoted to readers with special needs and readers for whom English is a second language.Writers, instructors of writing, second language learners, and anyone interested in improving their basic writing skills.

Table of Contents

To the Teacher	vii	(4)
To the Student	xi
I. An Overview of Writing Techniques	1	(24)
Audience and Purpose	2	(1)
Writing for Various Purposes	3	(3)
Figure 1.1: Sample Business Letter	4	(2)
The Writing Process	6	(3)
Prewriting to Discover Ideas	9	(4)
Figure 1.2: Clustering	11	(2)
Overcoming Writer's Block	13	(2)
Keeping a Reading List and Log	15	(2)
Developing a Style with Variety	17	(4)
Format Guidelines	21	(4)
II. The Mechanics of Writing	25	(48)
Introduction to Sentences	26	(2)
Types of Sentences	28	(6)
Avoiding Fragments	34	(4)
Avoiding Comma Splices and Run-On Sentences	38	(2)
Subject-Verb Agreement	40	(3)
Pronoun Basics	43	(2)
More About Pronouns	45	(4)
Irregular Verbs	49	(5)
Passive Voice and Active Voice	54	(2)
Spelling Patterns	56	(2)
Confusing Words	58	(4)
Apostrophes	62	(2)
Commas	64	(3)
Semicolons, Colons, and Dashes	67	(2)
Quotation Marks	69	(2)
Capitalization	71	(2)
III. Types of Writing	73	(30)
Paragraphs	74	(3)
Essays	77	(5)
Journal Writing	82	(2)
Responding to Literature	84	(4)
Research Papers	88	(6)
MLA Documentation	94	(5)
Online Communication	99	(4)
IV. ESL Issues	103	(26)
Increasing Your Vocabulary with Idioms	104	(3)
Articles--a, an, and the	107	(2)
Prepositions	109	(2)
Helping Verbs	111	(2)
Present Tenses	113	(3)
Past Tenses	116	(3)
Future Tenses	119	(3)
Modal Verbs and More	122	(3)
Verbs Followed by Infinitives, -ing Forms, and Related Constructions	125	(4)
Index	129