Synopses & Reviews
Online sensation Grammar Girl makes grammar fun and easy in this New York Times bestseller
Are you stumped by split infinitives? Terrified of using who” when a whom” is called for? Do you avoid the words affect” and effect” altogether?
Grammar Girl is here to help!
Mignon Fogarty, a.k.a. Grammar Girl, is determined to wipe out bad grammarbut shes also determined to make the process as painless as possible. A couple of years ago, she created a weekly podcast to tackle some of the most common mistakes people make while communicating. The podcasts have now been downloaded more than twenty million times, and Mignon has dispensed grammar tips on Oprah and appeared on the pages of The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and USA Today.
Written with the wit, warmth, and accessibility that the podcasts are known for, Grammar Girls Quick and Dirty Tips for Better Writing covers the grammar rules and word-choice guidelines that can confound even the best writers. From between vs. among” and although vs. while” to comma splices and misplaced modifiers, Mignon offers memory tricks and clear explanations that will help readers recall and apply those troublesome grammar rules. Chock-full of tips on style, business writing, and effective e-mailing, Grammar Girls print debut deserves a spot on every communicators desk.
Mignon Fogarty is the creator of Grammar Girl and founder of the Quick and Dirty Tips Network. A technical writer and entrepreneur, she has served as an editor and producer at a number of health and science Web sites. She has a B.A. in English from the University of Washington in Seattle and an M.S. in biology from Stanford University. She lives in Reno, Nevada.
In 2007, Mignon Fogarty, perhaps better known as Grammar Girl, created a weekly podcast to tackle some of the most common mistakes people make while communicating. Her concise lessons aim to teach, or refresh, grammar knowledge as simply as possible. The podcasts have now been downloaded more than seven million times, and Fogarty has dispensed grammar tips on Oprah and appeared on the pages of The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and USA Today.
Written with the wit, warmth, and accessibility for which the podcasts are known, Grammar Girls Quick and Dirty Tips for Better Writing covers the grammar rules and word-choice guidelines that can confound even the best writers. Her tips include stylistic choices, business writing, and effective e-mailing. From between vs. among” and although vs. while” to comma splices and misplaced modifiers, Fogarty offers memory tricks and clear explanations that will help readers recall and apply those troublesome grammar rules.
Grammar Girl's Quick and Dirty Tips for Better Writing is also available on CD as an unabridged audiobook, read by the author. Please email [email protected] for more information.
Mignon Fogarty, perhaps better known as Grammar Girl, has compiled her concise lessons aimed to teach, or refresh, grammar knowledge as simply as possible. Written with the wit, warmth, and accessibility for which her weekly online podcasts are known, Grammar Girls Quick and Dirty Tips for Better Writing covers the grammar rules and word-choice guidelines that can confound even the best writers. Her tips include stylistic choices, business writing, and effective e-mailing. I teach English at a small high school in Orfordville, Wisconsin. I am very impressed with the quality and ease of information on grammar at your site.”Geri Acker
"This semester, my students are teaching grammar to one another. Rules: be correct, be creative, be interactive. We've already kicked off the journey by agreeing to use sample sentences starring Aardvark and Squiggly. (If you haven't met these characters yet, I suggest you start listening to the Grammar Girl podcast with the rest of the country.) The inclusion of mullets and eye patches into our sentences may send us right off the fun scale. I know we're in college; rest assured we've reserved plenty of time for seriousnessshould the need arise. Truth be told, however, it's all about the retention triggered by vivid images and good times. Can't wait to see what Aardvark and Squiggly are up to this afternoon."Hillary Clemens, Brigham Young University, Idaho
My mom is a language arts teacher at a lockdown facility for middle school and high school girls who have committed felonies. These are some really disturbed young ladies who have had really awful lives. One of my mom's goals is to break them out of their habits of speaking 'street' all the time, and especially to never write in slang. Her point is not to belittle colloquial speech but to impress upon these girls that there's a time and place for everything and if they want to succeed, they will need to learn to express themselves in an educated manner . . . For her birthday I gave mom your book and she loves it! It's now part of her curriculum. She says these girls are amazed that someone can become a celebrity via good grammar and if she says, 'Grammar Girl says . . . " they sit up and listen. She says your ideas for remembering grammar rules are terrific for these girls.”Karen Roth, Scottsdale, Arizona
Your book is great. It reminds me of when I first read Strunk and White. I will use it in my classroom.”Fourth Grade Teacher, Las Vegas Public School System
I am a special education teacher and this year I have a cluster of kids in a self contained language arts class. It is my goal to make them decent writers. Most don't know a noun from ketchup so using your memory tricks will help!”Samantha Jenses, Phoenix Public School System (Middle School)
I went into my high school senior son's English class for a conference. What's on the wall? The Grammar Girl article, laminated, from the Atlanta Journal Constitution.”Barbara Nixon, Atlanta, Georgia
"While Grammar Girls Quick and Dirty Tips for Better Writing is true to its title, offering advice for writers for every step of the process, from generating topic ideas to effective proofreading tips, this is not merely a reference book for writers. Most of the information applies equally to our daily conversation, concisely clarifying routine language-related issues and tackling those little bits of linguistic friction that rub us the wrong way, or perhaps should rub us the wrong way. Language is an interactive art, and Fogartys strength is her simple engagement: Her explanations sound like the urgings of a kind coworker who wants you to stop sabotaging your career by using 'then' when you mean 'than', the gentle guidance of a friend who understands the intricacies of where the comma goes in relation to quotation marks and parentheses. Her tone is easy and informative, which will be a relief to anyone who associates 'proper English' with condescending know-it-alls who think that knowledge of 'whom' separates the learned from the layperson. Best of all, she writes with enthusiasm, sometimes sounding like shes settling a bet rather than disseminating knowledge. Fogartys writing style seems to be influenced by the podcast format: Because many of her topics come from letters from listeners, her responses are always focused on a real and active audience. There isnt any sense that she is simply explaining the rules; she seems to genuinely want her audience to learn. This is not your fathers grammar book: Fogarty speaks to a 21st century audience, her short pieces steeped with modern pop culture references and a bit of retro fun: She uses Star Treks 'Borg' as an example of a singular collective noun (the Borg, she explains, are a sect with no sense of individuality, acting always as a collective); she calls out lessons from seminal language resource Schoolhouse Rocks (an underappreciated educational influence from a generation ago), and name drops Coldplay and the Black Eyed Peas when discussing whether band names are singular or plural. The subject matter isnt newthe crux of every clarification Fogarty offers has surely been covered by another volume in the reference section of the book storebut considering how the same issues remain (e.g., the consistent confusion about when to use me, myself, or I), further tutelage is apparently necessary. Included in this volume are clear explanations of many common day-to-day usage questions, from the proper response to the simple question, 'How are you?' (She thoroughly explains the reason that 'Im good' is every bit as acceptable as 'Im well') to helpful mnemonic tricks for remembering commonly confused items ('i.e.' means 'in other words', and both begin with 'i'; 'e.g.' means 'example', both start with 'e'.) . . . Fogartys success with the podcast, and the value of Grammar Girls Quick and Dirty Tips for Better Writing, is her ability to effectively communicate the essential information in a way that holds the readers attention long enough to set the record straight without causing involuntary flashbacks to the tedium of junior high English classes. Whether you are a grammar-phobe seeking guidance, a parent looking for a tutorial that your kids will enjoy (and therefore use) or a writer seeking a fun reference manual for frustrating recurring questions, Grammar Girls Quick and Dirty Tips for Better Writing will likely satisfy."Bill Reagan, PopMatters
Praise for Mignon Fogarty's Grammar Girl podcast:
"Fogarty walks her listeners through the sometimes-tricky subjects with a voice that is authoritative but warm. Kind of like the sixth-grade teacher you wish you had."USA Today
"Delightfully droll . . . Grammar Girl gives clear explanations with helpful examples."The Los Angeles Times
"Fogarty . . . sparked what you might call a worldwide, syntax-driven fiesta."Newsday
"At the root of all her success, of course, is a true love of language and grammar."The Arizona Republic
"Fogarty . . . has become the countrys go-to gal on grammar . . . Helpful. Smart. Funny. Fans find Grammar Girl to be all those things."The Seattle Times
Review
“Advice is delivered in a witty, gracious manner with the clever use of mnemonics that make the audio delivery especially effective.” -
AudioFile "Podcast star Fogarty's witty collection is popcorn for the brain."
- O, The Oprah Magazine, named one of four "terrific audiobooks"
PRAISE FOR Grammar Girl: One of iTuness Best Classic Audio Podcasts for 2008 and 2009! "One of the Best Audiobooks of 2007"—iTunes on the audiobook page, for
Grammar Girl's Quick and Dirty Tips to Clean Up Your Writing“Delightfully droll...Grammar Girl gives clear explanations with helpful examples.” —Los Angeles Times “At the root of all her success, of course, is a true love of language and grammar.” —The Arizona Republic "Grammar Girl's Quick and Dirty Tips for Better Writing is enthusiastically recommended for professional writers of all walks of life, from high school students crafting essays to college students working on Ph.Ds to prospective novel writers, nonfiction writers, journalists, newspaper columnists and much more." - The Midwest Book Review
Review
"Reminds me of when I first read
Strunk and White. I will use it in my classroom.”—
Fourth Grade Teacher, Las Vegas Public School System"Whether you are a grammar-phobe seeking guidance, a parent looking for a tutorial that your kids will enjoy (and therefore use) or a writer seeking a fun reference manual for frustrating recurring questions, Grammar Girls Quick and Dirty Tips for Better Writing will likely satisfy."—Bill Reagan, PopMatters
Praise for Mignon Fogarty's Grammar Girl podcast:
"Fogarty walks her listeners through the sometimes-tricky subjects with a voice that is authoritative but warm. Kind of like the sixth-grade teacher you wish you had."—USA Today
"Delightfully droll . . . Grammar Girl gives clear explanations with helpful examples."—The Los Angeles Times
"Fogarty . . . sparked what you might call a worldwide, syntax-driven fiesta."—Newsday
"At the root of all her success, of course, is a true love of language and grammar."—The Arizona Republic
"Fogarty . . . has become the countrys go-to gal on grammar . . . Helpful. Smart. Funny. Fans find Grammar Girl to be all those things."—The Seattle Times
Synopsis
Mignon Fogarty, a.k.a. Grammar Girl, is determined to wipe out bad grammar—but shes also determined to make the process as painless as possible. One year ago, she created a weekly podcast to tackle some of the most common mistakes people make while communicating. More than seven million episodes have now been downloaded, and Mignon has dispensed grammar tips on Oprah and appeared on the pages of the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, and USA Today.
With the trademark wit, warmth, and approachability that the
podcasts are known for, Grammar Girls Quick and Dirty Tips for Better Writing covers the grammar rules and word choice guidelines that can confound even the best writers. From “between vs. among” and “although vs. while” to comma splices and misplaced modifiers, Mignon offers memory tricks and clear explanations that will help readers recall and apply those troublesome grammar rules. Chock full of tips on style, business writing, and effective e-mailing, Grammar Girls latest audiobook should be heard by every communicator.
Synopsis
Online sensation Grammar Girl makes grammar fun and easy in this New York Times bestseller
Are you stumped by split infinitives? Terrified of using who when a whom is called for? Do you avoid the words affect and effect altogether?
Grammar Girl is here to help
Mignon Fogarty, a.k.a. Grammar Girl, is determined to wipe out bad grammar--but she's also determined to make the process as painless as possible. A couple of years ago, she created a weekly podcast to tackle some of the most common mistakes people make while communicating. The podcasts have now been downloaded more than twenty million times, and Mignon has dispensed grammar tips on Oprah and appeared on the pages of The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and USA Today.
Written with the wit, warmth, and accessibility that the podcasts are known for, Grammar Girl's Quick and Dirty Tips for Better Writing covers the grammar rules and word-choice guidelines that can confound even the best writers. From between vs. among and although vs. while to comma splices and misplaced modifiers, Mignon offers memory tricks and clear explanations that will help readers recall and apply those troublesome grammar rules. Chock-full of tips on style, business writing, and effective e-mailing, Grammar Girl's print debut deserves a spot on every communicator's desk.
Synopsis
Online sensation Grammar Girl makes grammar fun and easy in this New York Times bestseller
Are you stumped by split infinitives? Terrified of using “who” when a “whom” is called for? Do you avoid the words “affect” and “effect” altogether?
Grammar Girl is here to help!
Mignon Fogarty, a.k.a. Grammar Girl, is determined to wipe out bad grammarbut shes also determined to make the process as painless as possible. A couple of years ago, she created a weekly podcast to tackle some of the most common mistakes people make while communicating. The podcasts have now been downloaded more than twenty million times, and Mignon has dispensed grammar tips on Oprah and appeared on the pages of The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and USA Today.
Written with the wit, warmth, and accessibility that the podcasts are known for, Grammar Girls Quick and Dirty Tips for Better Writing covers the grammar rules and word-choice guidelines that can confound even the best writers. From “between vs. among” and “although vs. while” to comma splices and misplaced modifiers, Mignon offers memory tricks and clear explanations that will help readers recall and apply those troublesome grammar rules. Chock-full of tips on style, business writing, and effective e-mailing, Grammar Girls print debut deserves a spot on every communicators desk.
Mignon Fogarty is the creator of Grammar Girl and founder of the Quick and Dirty Tips Network. A technical writer and entrepreneur, she has served as an editor and producer at a number of health and science Web sites. She has a B.A. in English from the University of Washington in Seattle and an M.S. in biology from Stanford University. She lives in Reno, Nevada.
In 2007, Mignon Fogarty, perhaps better known as Grammar Girl, created a weekly podcast to tackle some of the most common mistakes people make while communicating. Her concise lessons aim to teach, or refresh, grammar knowledge as simply as possible. The podcasts have now been downloaded more than seven million times, and Fogarty has dispensed grammar tips on Oprah and appeared on the pages of The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and USA Today.
Written with the wit, warmth, and accessibility for which the podcasts are known, Grammar Girls Quick and Dirty Tips for Better Writing covers the grammar rules and word-choice guidelines that can confound even the best writers. Her tips include stylistic choices, business writing, and effective e-mailing. From “between vs. among” and “although vs. while” to comma splices and misplaced modifiers, Fogarty offers memory tricks and clear explanations that will help readers recall and apply those troublesome grammar rules.
Grammar Girl's Quick and Dirty Tips for Better Writing is also available on CD as an unabridged audiobook, read by the author. Please email [email protected] for more information.
Mignon Fogarty, perhaps better known as Grammar Girl, has compiled her concise lessons aimed to teach, or refresh, grammar knowledge as simply as possible. Written with the wit, warmth, and accessibility for which her weekly online podcasts are known, Grammar Girls Quick and Dirty Tips for Better Writing covers the grammar rules and word-choice guidelines that can confound even the best writers. Her tips include stylistic choices, business writing, and effective e-mailing. “I teach English at a small high school in Orfordville, Wisconsin. I am very impressed with the quality and ease of information on grammar at your site.”Geri Acker
"This semester, my students are teaching grammar to one another. Rules: be correct, be creative, be interactive. We've already kicked off the journey by agreeing to use sample sentences starring Aardvark and Squiggly. (If you haven't met these characters yet, I suggest you start listening to the Grammar Girl podcast with the rest of the country.) The inclusion of mullets and eye patches into our sentences may send us right off the fun scale. I know we're in college; rest assured we've reserved plenty of time for seriousnessshould the need arise. Truth be told, however, it's all about the retention triggered by vivid images and good times. Can't wait to see what Aardvark and Squiggly are up to this afternoon."Hillary Clemens, Brigham Young University, Idaho
“My mom is a language arts teacher at a lockdown facility for middle school and high school girls who have committed felonies. These are some really disturbed young ladies who have had really awful lives. One of my mom's goals is to break them out of their habits of speaking 'street' all the time, and especially to never write in slang. Her point is not to belittle colloquial speech but to impress upon these girls that there's a time and place for everything and if they want to succeed, they will need to learn to express themselves in an educated manner . . . For her birthday I gave mom your book and she loves it! It's now part of her curriculum. She says these girls are amazed that someone can become a celebrity via good grammar and if she says, 'Grammar Girl says . . . " they sit up and listen. She says your ideas for remembering grammar rules are terrific for these girls.”Karen Roth, Scottsdale, Arizona
“Your book is great. It reminds me of when I first read Strunk and White. I will use it in my classroom.”Fourth Grade Teacher, Las Vegas Public School System
“I am a special education teacher and this year I have a cluster of kids in a self contained language arts class. It is my goal to make them decent writers. Most don't know a noun from ketchup so using your memory tricks will help!”Samantha Jenses, Phoenix Public School System (Middle School)
“I went into my high school senior son's English class for a conference. What's on the wall? The Grammar Girl article, laminated, from the Atlanta Journal Constitution.”Barbara Nixon, Atlanta, Georgia
"While Grammar Girls Quick and Dirty Tips for Better Writing is true to its title, offering advice for writers for every step of the process, from generating topic ideas to effective proofreading tips, this is not merely a reference book for writers. Most of the information applies equally to our daily conversation, concisely clarifying routine language-related issues and tackling those little bits of linguistic friction that rub us the wrong way, or perhaps should rub us the wrong way. Language is an interactive art, and Fogartys strength is her simple engagement: Her explanations sound like the urgings of a kind coworker who wants you to stop sabotaging your career by using 'then' when you mean 'than', the gentle guidance of a friend who understands the intricacies of where the comma goes in relation to quotation marks and parentheses. Her tone is easy and informative, which will be a relief to anyone who associates 'proper English' with condescending know-it-alls who think that knowledge of 'whom' separates the learned from the layperson. Best of all, she writes with enthusiasm, sometimes sounding like she
Synopsis
Are you stumped by split infinitives? Do you avoid the words “lay” and “lie” altogether? Grammar Girl is here to help!
Synopsis
Mignon Fogarty, a.k.a. Grammar Girl, is determined to wipe out bad grammar—but shes also determined to make the process as painless as possible. One year ago, she created a weekly podcast to tackle some of the most common mistakes people make while communicating. More than seven million episodes have now been downloaded, and Mignon has dispensed grammar tips on Oprah and appeared on the pages of the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, and USA Today.
With the trademark wit, warmth, and approachability that the
podcasts are known for, Grammar Girls Quick and Dirty Tips for Better Writing covers the grammar rules and word choice guidelines that can confound even the best writers. From “between vs. among” and “although vs. while” to comma splices and misplaced modifiers, Mignon offers memory tricks and clear explanations that will help readers recall and apply those troublesome grammar rules. Chock full of tips on style, business writing, and effective e-mailing, Grammar Girls latest audiobook should be heard by every communicator.
Video
About the Author
Mignon Fogarty is the creator of Grammar Girl and founder of the Quick and Dirty Tips Network. A technical writer and entrepreneur, she has served as an editor and producer at a number of health and science Web sites. She has a B.A. in English from the University of Washington in Seattle and an M.S. in biology from Stanford University. She lives in Reno, Nevada.