The Least You Should Know about English: Writing Skills, Form a

Quickly master English writing skills with THE LEAST YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT ENGLISH: WRITING SKILLS, FORM A, Tenth Edition. Brief and uncomplicated, this text has helped students learn the basics of English writing for thirty years with its clear, concise concept explanations and useful, relevant corresponding exercises. Topics include spelling, word choice, sentence structure, and punctuation, as well as more advanced topics, such as the writing process, argumentation, and summarizing skills. Check your work easily with exercise answers located in the back of the book, making it an excellent writing resource even after the course has ended.

The tenth edition of Wilson (Pasadena City College) and Glazier's (Western Illinois U.) textbook provides a review of basic skills for the Standard Written English accepted in business and the professions. The new edition includes new and updated exercises on word choice and spelling, sentence structure, punctuation and capitalization. The chapter on writing features a new section on writing an argument and an expanded, separate section on writing summaries. Answers to all exercises are included at the back of the book. Annotation ©2008 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

Improve your word choice, spelling, punctuation, sentence structure, and writing with THE LEAST YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT ENGLISH: WRITING SKILLS, FORM A! For thirty years, this developmental English text has helped students like you improve their skills through a simple, friendly approach. Extensive sets of exercises, humorous and informative topics, and a book-specific website with grammar reviews and resources, ensure that you succeed in this course.

With an amazing gift for explaining the basics of grammar, punctuation, and writing, Paige Wilson, Associate Professor at Pasadena City College, focuses on the vital structures of English, reinforcing fundamental concepts with an abundance of easy-to-follow exercises.

1. WORD CHOICE AND SPELLING. Your Own List of Misspelled Words. Words Often Confused (Set 1). Words Often Confused (Set 2). The Eight Parts of Speech. Adjectives and Adverbs. Contractions. Possessives. Words That Can Be Broken into Parts. Rules for Doubling a Final Letter. Using a Dictionary. 2. SENTENCE STRUCTURE. Finding Subjects and Verbs. Locating Prepositional Phrases. Understanding Dependent Clauses. Correcting Fragments. Correcting Run-on Sentences. Identifying Verb Phrases. Using Standard English Verbs. Using Regular and Irregular Verbs. Maintaining Subject-Verb Agreement. Avoiding Shifts in Time. Recognizing Verbal Phrases. Correcting Misplaced or Dangling Modifiers. Following Sentence Patterns. Avoiding Cliches, Awkward Phrasing, and Wordiness. Correcting for Parallel Structure. Using Pronouns. Avoiding Shifts in Person. 3. PUNCTUATION AND CAPITAL LETTERS. Period, Question Mark, Exclamation Point, Semicolon, Colon, Dash. Comma Rules 1, 2, and 3. Comma Rules 4, 5, and 6. Quotation Marks and Underling/Italics. Capital Letters. 4. WRITING. What Is the Least You Should Know about Writing? Basic Structures. I. The Paragraph: Defining a Paragraph. Types of Paragraphs. Sample Paragraphs in an Essay. II. The Essay: The Five-Paragraph Essay and Beyond. Defining an Essay. A Sample Essay. Writing Skills. III. Writing in Your Own Voice: Narration. Description. IV. Finding a Topic: Look to Your Interests. Focused Free Writing. Clustering. Talking with Other Students. V. Organizing Ideas: Thesis Statements. Organizing an Essay. Topic Sentences. Organizing Body Paragraphs (or Single Paragraphs). Transitional Expressions. VI. Supporting with Details: Types of Support. VII. Revising Your Papers. Revision Checklist. Exchanging Papers. Proofreading Aloud. VIII. Presenting Your Work: Paper Formats. Titles. IX. Writing an Argument: Taking a Stand and Proving Your Point. Three Requirements of a Strong Written Argument. A Longer, More Challenging Reading. X. Writing Summaries: Sample Summary. Summary Checklist. Answers. Index.