Grammar for Grownups: A Guide to Grammar and Usage for Everyone Who Has to Put Words on Paper...

by Val Dumond

Book Overview

A practical and entertaining handbook that will help anyone get their written messages across in a clear and effective way.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0062700545
• ISBN13: 9780062700544
• Release Date: January 1993
• Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers
• Length: 245 Pages
• Weight: 1.05 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.0" x 5.9" x 8.5"

Customer Reviews

This book works

I loved Grammar for Grownups. I must have slept through all my Englishclasses because I was continually getting things bounced back by mysupervisor or Grammar check. Thanks to this book, I finally feel competentin my use of grammar and punctuation. For example, I finally understandwhere to use a semicolon and the difference between semicolons and colons. Idon't think I'll ever again confuse then with than. The instructions, hintsand practice exercises really worked. The book is practically designed-I'mable to go through the lessons at my own pace and easily review certainsections. I keep Grammar for Grownups on my desk as a reference and I haveeven torn out certain pages and taped them to my wall.Even though I got A's on my college essays, I panicked at the thought ofwriting a report. I really wanted the new position I was offered, but Iknew that I would be required to write many reports. I was about to turndown the job when a friend suggested I try Reports and Proposals. Bybreaking the process into a few easily understood steps, the authorsprovided me with a system for approaching any writing task. The practiceassignments in the book were extremely helpful-and very realistic. The onlycomment my new boss had about my first report was "Good Job."Thanks to Professional Writing Skills, my letters, Emails and memos not onlyget the results I want, they get praise. That book taught me how to trulycommunicate instead of just recycling empty words, the way so many businessdocuments do. Thanks to its six-step process for getting started, thinkingabout your reader, clarifying your main statement and so on, I don't evenpanic when I sit down to write. I just start with the first step. I'm alsograteful for techniques on writing active and concise language, using lists.and correcting grammar and punctuation errors. One of the best investmentsI ever made.Writing Performance Evaluations was the one part of my job I dreaded. Inever knew what to say, I didn't want to make people mad, I was confusedabout objectives-the whole process confused me. But a colleague suggested Itry Writing Performance Documentation and it was as if a curtain had beenlifted. The meaningful examples and helpful feedback showed me what ismeant by objective documentation. I learned what words to stay away fromand the kind of details that are necessary to write helpful observations.This is one of the few times that I found the examples of how not to dosomething as important as those that showed the right way. The section onwriting objectives was equally helpful. Because I now use details and factswhen writing documentation and develop objectives that can be easilymeasured or observed, people actually thank me for my evaluations. This bookhas made a great deal of different in how I see my job.

Grammer For Grownups: A Guide to Grammer and Usage

This is an excellent book! I tried using the Idiot's Guide to Grammer and Style and just wasn't getting "it", so I found a copy of Grammer For Grownups: A Guide to Grammer and Usage for Everyone Who Has to Put Words on Paper Effectively at the library, where I work, and it was a cinch. Very easily written for the average person to understand. A+++

haven't stumped it yet

We've had a copy of Grammar for Grownups in our communications/publications office for about a year now, and we have yet to have a question that has "stumped" this book! We find absolutely everything in it...it's great. And the descriptions and explanations are wonderful....and funny! ie: "Yes, grammar (like sex) holds out the challenge to do it well." "Chapter 3 Do/Be/Do/Be/Do". For those who still want drill, each chapter has exercises at the end....with answers given. The ultimate? People from neighboring offices are now asking us to "Look in that book of yours for xxx." How's that for a reputation?

Looking for a gift?

Looking for a gift for someone who has to write letters, grants, sales briefs? This is the book. The guidelines Ms. Dumond suggests are indispensable. The Pronoun Guide is a very useful tool. This book is always near my computer and is used regularly. The copy I am buying today is for a gift, and I know it will be a hit.

A terrific way to review grammar!

I thought I knew our language and how to use it. Then I read Grammar For Grownups (a friend recommended it) and I discovered many of the reasons for all the rules. The author eschews "rules" and instead provides guidelines. I like that. As an attorney, I like to know why something is being done. This book helps me know why "between you and I" is usually wrong. The Handy-Dandy Pronoun Guide is a godsend. This book sits on my desk and is used just about every day.