When Bad Grammar Happens to Good People. Ann Batko

How to Avoid Common Errors in English.

The Career Press, 2004. - 256 с.

Are you worried that how you speak or write is holding you back at work? Do you fear you're making frequent conversational errors, but just aren't sure what's correct? Ever stumble when choosing between "who" and "whom," "affect" and "effect," "lay" and "lie"?If so, then When Bad Grammar Happens to Good People should be at the top of your reading list. This comprehensive, easy-to-use reference is a program designed to help you identify and correct the most common errors in written and spoken English. After a short and simple review of some basic principles, this book is organized in the most useful way possible-by error type, such as "Problem Pronouns" or "Mixing up Words that Sound the Same." You choose how to work your way through, either sequentially or in the order most relevant to you. Each unit contains tests at the end to help you reinforce what you've learned.

Вы озабоченным тем, что то, как Вы говорите или пишете на английском языке вызывает у Вас затруднения на работе? Вы опасаетесь, что делаете частые ошибки в разговоре, и не уверены в том, как правильнее выразиться? Всегда запинаетесь, когда нужно выбрать между "who" и "whom," "affect" и "effect," "lay" и "lie"? Если так, тогда книга “When Bad Grammar Happens to Good People” должна быть первой в Вашем списке литературы по изучению английского языка. Это обширное и простое в использовании пособие разработано специально, чтобы помочь Вам распознать и исправить наиболее распространенные ошибки, как в письме, так и в разговорной речи. Эта книга составлена таким образом, что после короткого и небольшого обзора некоторых основных принципов, Вы сами вольны выбирать, как с ней дальше работать, - последовательно прорабатывая одну главу за другой или в том порядке, который больше подходит лично для Вас. В конце каждого урока есть проверочные тесты для того, чтобы помочь Вам закрепить уже пройденный материал.

Примечание: Тоже простая, понятная книжка. В "двух словах" это выглядит так: Don't say..., Say instead... и Here's why... - вот почему.

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Contents
Foreword 17
Introduction: How Do We Learn to Speak Correctly? 21
Pretest 27
Grammar Review 31
Chapter 1: Perplexing Pronouns 55
A Lesson on Pronoun Cases 56
Use the Subjective Case When... 57
Use the Objective Case When... 58
Use the Possessive Case When... 58
Subjective and Objective Cases 59
1. I vs. Me 59
2. She vs. Her 60
3. Who vs. Whom 61
4. Whoever vs. Whomever 62
Test: Subjective and Objective Case 63
Answer Key: Subjective and Objective Case 65
Objective and Possessive Case 67
5. His vs. Him 67
6. Their vs. Them 67
Test: Objective and Possessive Case 69
Answer Key: Objective and Possessive Case 69
Relative Pronouns: “Which,” “That,” and “Who/Whom” 7 1
7. Which vs. That 73
Test : Relative Pronouns 73
Answer Key: Relative Pronouns 74
Intensive or Reflexive Pronouns–What They’re for and Where NOT to Put Them 75
8. Me vs. Myself 76
Test: Intensive and Reflexive Pronouns 76
Answer Key: Intensive and Reflexive Pronouns 77
Chapter 2: Vexing Verbs 79
Transitive and Intransitive Verbs 79
9. Lie vs. Lay 81
10. Sit vs. Set 84
Test: Transitive and Intransitive Verbs 85
Answer Key: Transitive and Intransitive Verbs 86
A Lesson on Verb Tenses 86
Forms of the Verb “to Be” Across the Six Tenses 89
“Shall” and “Will” 91
Tricky Verb Tenses 91
11. Do 91
12. Burst 92
13. Dive 93
14. Drink 93
15. Swim 94
16. Ring 94
17. Sing 95
18. Spring 95
19. Hang 96
20. Drive 96
21. Ought 97
22. Be sure and 97
23. Try and 98 Test: Tricky Verb Tenses 98
Answer Key: Tricky Verb Tenses 99
The Subjunctive Mood 100
24. If I Was vs. If I Were 102
Test: The Subjunctive 103
Answer Key: The Subjunctive 103
Chapter 3: Ambiguous Agreements 105
25. Subjects With Complex Modifiers 106
Agreement With Compound Subjects 107
26. Subjects Joined by “And” 108
27. “Either/Or” and “Neither/Nor” 109
28. Subjects Joined by “Or” 110
Test: Compound Subjects and Verbs 111
Answer Key: Compound Subjects and Verbs 112
Agreement With Indefinite Pronouns 113
29. Each…Are 113
30. None…Is/Are 114
Test: Indefinite Pronouns and Verbs 116
Answer Key: Indefinite Pronouns and Verbs 117
Indefinite Pronouns and Personal Pronouns 118
31. Everyone…Their 118
Test: Indefinite Pronouns and Personal Pronouns 120
Answer Key: Indefinite Pronouns and Personal Pronouns 121
Chapter 4: Mangled Modifiers 123
Adjectives vs. Adverbs 123
32. Bad vs. Badly 123
33. Real vs. Really 124
34. Near vs. Nearly 125
35. Good vs. Well 125
Test: Adjectives vs. Adverbs 126
Answer Key: Adjectives vs. Adverbs 127
Comparatives vs. Superlatives 127
36. Bigger vs. Biggest 127
37. Less vs. Least 128
38. Better vs. Best 128
39. More vs. Most 129
Test: Comparatives vs. Superlatives 130
Answer Key: Comparatives vs. Superlatives 130
Distance/Number/Quantity Modifiers 131
40. Between vs. Among 131
41. Fewer vs. Less 131
42. Farther vs. Further 132
43. Number vs. Amount 132
44. So far as vs. As far as 133
Test: Distance/Number/Quantity Modifiers 133
Answer Key: Distance/Number/Quantity Modifiers 134
Absolute Modifiers 135
45. Unique vs. Most Unique 135
46. Perfect vs. More Perfect 136
47. Infinite vs. Less Infinite 136
48. Ultimate vs. Penultimate 137
49. Pregnant vs. Less Pregnant 137
Test: Absolute Modifiers 138
Answer Key: Absolute Modifiers 139
Imprecise and Made-up Modifiers 139
50. Hopefully 139
51. Regretfully 140
52. Awful 141
53. Plenty 141
Test: Imprecise and Made-up Modifiers 141
Answer Key: Imprecise and Made-up Modifiers 142
Chapter 5: Problem Prepositions 143
Prepositions Expressing Fine Shades of Meaning 143
54. Agree to vs. Agree with 143
55. Differ with vs. Differ from 144
56. Different from vs. Different than 144
Test: Prepositions That Express Fine Shades of Meaning 145
Answer Key: Prepositions That Express Fine Shades of Meaning 146
Unidiomatic and Superfluous Prepositions 146
57. Centers around 146
58. Where…at 147
59. As to 147
60. Off of 148
61. Over with 148
62. Type of a 149
Test: Unidiomatic and Superfluous Prepositions 149
Key: Unidiomatic and Superfluous Prepositions 149
Chapter 6: Confused Connections 151
Bookend Expressions 152
63. Not only…But/But also 152
64. On the one hand…On the other hand 153
65. Either…Or 154
66. Neither…Nor 154
67. As…As 154
68. The Reason…Was That 155
Test: Bookend Expressions 155
Answer Key: Bookend Expressions 156
Imprecise, Pretentious, or Needless Connectors 157
69. Where 157
70. Per 158
71. Plus 158
72. As to whether 159
73. In the event that 159
74. Owing to the fact that 160
75. As vs. Because and Since 160
Test: Imprecise Conjunctions and Connectors 160
Answer Key: Imprecise Conjunctions and Connectors 161
Chapter 7: Puzzling Plurals 163
76. Media 163
77. Data 164
78. Alumni 165
79. Criteria 166
80. Phenomena 166
81. Memoranda 167
Test: Puzzling Plurals 167
Answer Key: Puzzling Plurals 168
Chapter 8: Mixing up Words That Sound the Same 169
82. Accept vs. Except 170
83. Advice vs. Advise 170
84. Affect vs. Effect 171
85. Amoral vs. Immoral 171
86. Averse vs. Adverse 172
87. Beside vs. Besides 173
88. Biannually vs. Biennially 173
89. Climatic vs. Climactic 174
90. Could of vs. Could have 174
91. Elude vs. Allude 175
92. Imminent vs. Eminent 175
93. Ingenious vs. Ingenuous 176
94. Jibe vs. Jive 176
95. Tack vs. Tact 177
96. Tortuous vs. Torturous 177
Test: Mixing up Words That Sound the Same 178
Answer Key: Mixing up Words That Sound the Same 179
Chapter 9: Mixing up Words That Look the Same 181
97. Adapt vs. Adopt 181
98. Allusion vs. Illusion vs. Delusion 182
99. Assignment vs. Assignation 183
100. Childlike vs. Childish 183
101. Continual vs. Continuous 184
102. Creditable vs. Credible vs. Credulous 185
103. Incredible vs. Incredulous 185
104. Elegy vs. Eulogy 186
105. Epitaph vs. Epithet 186
106. Flaunt vs. Flout 187
107. Luxurious vs. Luxuriant 187
108. Morale vs. Moral 188
109. Periodic vs. Periodical 189
110. Persecute vs. Prosecute 189
111. Proceed vs. Precede 190
112. Respectful vs. Respective 190
113. Sensuous vs. Sensual 191
114. Simple vs. Simplistic 192
115. Uninterested vs. Disinterested 192
Test: Mixing up Words That Look the Same 193
Answer Key: Mixing up Words That Look the Same 195
Chapter 10: Mixing up Words
Whose Meanings Are Related 197
116. Annoy vs. Irritate vs. Aggravate 197
117. Burglary vs. Robbery 198
118. Can vs. May 199
119. Compose vs. Comprise 199
120. Convince vs. Persuade 200
121. Eager vs. Anxious 201
122. Explicit vs. Implicit 201
123. Figuratively vs. Literally vs. Virtually 202
124. Imply vs. Infer 203
125. Kind of /Sort of vs. Rather 204
126. Let vs. Leave 204
127. Like vs. As and As if 205
128. Likely vs. Apt vs. Liable 205
129. Percent vs. Percentage 206
130. Quote vs. Quotation 207
131. Semiannually vs. Semimonthly vs. Semiweekly 207
132. Serve vs. Service 208
133. Take vs. Bring 209
134. Use vs. Utilize 209
Test: Mixing up Words Whose Meanings Are Related 210
Answer Key: Mixing up Words Whose Meanings Are Related 213
Chapter 11: Made-up Words 215
135. Irregardless 215
136. Authored 216
137. Critiqued 216
138. Gift 216
139. Adding “-ize” 217
140. Enthuse 217
141. Adding “-wise” 218
Test: Made-up Words 219
Answer Key: Made-up Words 220
Chapter 12: Wasteful Words and Infelicities 221
142. A half a 221
143. And et cetera 221
144. Like 222
145. The field of 222
146. Needless to say 222
147. Time period 223
148. Party 223
Test: Wasteful Words 224
Answer Key: Wasteful Words 224
Chapter 13: Mispronounced Words 227
149. Air vs. Err 227
150. Anyways vs. Anyway 228
151. A ways vs. A way 228
152. Cent vs. Cents 228
153. Libary vs. Library 228
154. Reconize vs. Recognize 229
155. Stricly vs. Strictly 229
156. Heighth vs. Height 229
157. Athaletics vs. Athletics 229
158. Goverment vs. Government 229
159. Irrevelant vs. Irrelevant 230
160. Temperment vs. Temperament 230
161. Lightening vs. Lightning 230
162. Mischevious vs. Mischievous 230
163. Grevious vs. Grievous 230
164. Histry vs. History 231
165. Nucular vs. Nuclear 231
166. Perscription vs. Prescription 231
167. Prespiration vs. Perspiration 231
168. Disasterous vs. Disastrous 232
169. Accidently vs. Accidentally 232
170. Representive vs. Representative 232
171. Preform vs. Perform 232
172. Asterik vs. Asterisk 232
173. Artic vs. Arctic 233
174. Anartica vs. Antarctica 233
175. Expresso vs. Espresso 233
Review Tests 235
Index 249
About the Author and Editor 255