Question:
I have the rare pleasure of feeling great affection for a woman who is
attending college. As she knows I love language and am good at it, she
often has me proofread her papers.
Now, the lady is quite intelligent... but she has trouble thinking in a
clear and organized fashion (despite her proclivity for the auditory
digital) and her grammar is TERRIBLE. I frequently have to correct
things like matching the verb tense to its noun, and once in a while I
find a sentence that I can't understand at all. (I'm the guy who likes
talking to schizophrenics, OK?)
English grammar is something I've done well all along. My sister was in
junior high school when I was learning to speak, so I got to learn what
she was learning (she taught me to read when I was around three years
old). So when it came time for me to study grammar in school, I almost
slept through it.
Consequently, I don't have a model by which I can teach it to someone
else. I don't know where to begin. I don't know what's important and
what can wait until later. So...
Does anyone here know of a brief and enjoyable book or audiobook
covering the practical essentials of English grammar? I want to buy her
a gift, and thereby give myself the gift of an easier time proofreading
her papers. :)
Answer:
I suggest a workbook intended for an ESL (English as a Second Language) course.
An alternative would be a Latin grammar (English grammar is based on Latin
grammar) text. Beyond that, a good text on language theory would work...
Oh, wait a minute...there is a Cliff's Notes book on English Grammar available.
It's likely the closest to being brief and enjoyable and is a good guide to
grammar.
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