 Grammar
for
Grownups
How You Will Benefit
Writing ability is a highly important
skill in today’s world, but to be a good
writer, you have to have a good
foundation. Grammar is that foundation.
Are Grammar
and Usage More Important than Vocabulary?
Vocabulary is certainly important, but
the skill to weave words together and
use them to their best advantage may be
even more vital. The magic computer keys
required for this ability is grammar.
Words—as irreplaceable as they
are—are only words; it takes a careful
hand, study, practice, and knowledge of
grammar and style rules to make words,
as Rudyard Kipling called them, "the most
powerful drug used by mankind."
Why Is Writing
So Difficult
For Some People?
The more I
work with people to help them
communicate more
effectively, the more I realize that the
major problem with English is its rules,
and the problem with the rules is their
complexity. I believe the study of
communication can be fun.
Communicating, particularly in writing,
is a skill of logic—just like the logic
you use in a puzzle. The pieces are the
parts of speech and the object is to put
them together into a
complete picture.
Good
writing requires the ability to analyze,
make judgments, discover relationships
between words and phrases, and
communicate with others in a way that
makes sense and will cause action. If
you can follow the instructions for
installing software, beat the computer
at Solitaire, put in spark plugs, read a
cookbook, or keep up with the day-to-day
problems of family, work and life,
understanding the rules of composition
and using them to write more effectively
should be no problem at all.
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Grammar is the logic of speech, even
as logic is the grammar of reason.
—Richard C. Trench, 1807-1886
Author of
On the Study of Words
Possible
Topics
-
Parts of Speech
-
Subject/Verb Agreement
-
Tense and Number Agreement
-
Verb-A-Likes
-
Sentence and paragraph
structure
-
Pronouns
-
Prepositions
-
Comparatives
-
The basics of commonly
misused words, spelling
updates, punctuation
-
Presenting your ideas
effectively and efficiently
-
Valuable skills and
practical,
understandable, usable
techniques you can use
immediately
Why not
include Kay’s book, Don’t Let Your
Participles Dangle In Public!
(revised January 20067) as part of your
program?
Your program can be custom-designed
through a review of correspondence
samples from participants. We study the
samples and develop a comprehensive
workbook using your terminology, issues,
jargon, and style. This has proved to be
an extremely successful method because
participants recognize their own
mistakes and get a chance for immediate
feedback and correction.
Click here for info on Participles. |
