Synopses & Reviews
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.
Review
"I loved this text from the minute I adopted it somewhere in the 80's. The strength of The Least You Should Know about English is the clarity of the grammar explanations."
Review
"I have continued to use The Least You Should Know about English because it does a very good job in presenting clear descriptions of common problems, and because it has lots of practice sets with answers."
Review
"The text is easy to read?i.e. its layout is compelling?and the text covers areas that need to be covered in developmental English."
Synopsis
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.
Synopsis
For over twenty years, the simple, friendly approach of THE LEAST YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT ENGLISH has helped students with their spelling, punctuation, and sentence and paragraph structure.
About the Author
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.
Table of Contents
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 Letters. 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 Phrases, 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, Sample Student Essay, 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, Transitional Expressions. VI. Supporting with Details: Types of Support, Sample Student Essay. VII. Revising Your Papers: Sample Student Rough Draft, Revision Checklist, Exchanging Papers, Proofreading Aloud. VIII. Presenting Your Work: Paper Formats, Titles. IX. Writing about What You Read: Writing a Reaction, Coming to Your Own Conclusions, Writing 100-Word Summaries. Answers. Index.