Basic American Grammar and Usage: An ESL/EFL Handbook

Many students of English as a second language are daunted by the complexities of English grammar and its terminology. This user-friendly book was written especially for them. The emphasis here is on practical use of written and spoken American-style English, rather than on theory. The first of the book's 15 chapters explains different kinds of sentences—affirmative, negative, and interrogative, as well as clauses and phrases that are component parts of many sentences. Several chapters that follow focus on different parts of speech, describing their uses in verbal and written communication. The book's later chapters discuss vocabulary, standard protocols in conversational speech, and modes of expression, such as preferences and dislikes. A separate chapter presents guidelines for composing letters, e-mails, résumés, and other written forms. Short quizzes for self-testing appear throughout the text, with answers given at the back of the book.

Many students of English as a second language are daunted by the complexities of English grammar and its terminology. This user-friendly book was written especially for them. The emphasis here is on practical use of written and spoken American-style English, rather than on theory. The first of the book's 15 chapters explains different kinds of sentences—affirmative, negative, and interrogative, as well as clauses and phrases that are component parts of many sentences. Several chapters that follow focus on different parts of speech, describing their uses in verbal and written communication. The book's later chapters discuss vocabulary, standard protocols in conversational speech, and modes of expression, such as preferences and dislikes. A separate chapter presents guidelines for composing letters, e-mails, r©sum©s, and other written forms. Short quizzes for self-testing appear throughout the text, with answers given at the back of the book.

Marcel Danesi, Ph.D., is Professor of Foreign Languages at the University of Toronto. He is the author of several textbooks and supplementary study guides for students of Italian, French, and English as a Second Language.