The complete idiot guide part 5 pptx

Chapter
Z:
Conan
the
Grammarian
_23
Damaqe
Control
Now
that
you know where you're most likely
to need some added writing instruction and
practice, try these
three
ideas to help you see
where you should focus your efforts:
•
Keep track of the writing errors you
make by checking your own work or
seeing
what points your co-workers and
supervisors
mention repeatedly.
•
For now, take it one chapter at a time.
Concentrate on one element of your
writing in
turn.
Don't try to master all
of
grammar and

usage;
you'll make
yourself
mad and very dull at parties.
•
Remember
that
using standard grammar
with
confidence will help you build the
credible image you
want—and
need—
to succeed.
Mission Possible
How can you succeed in improving your
skills
in grammar,
usage,
and mechanics? Try
these 10 methods. I guarantee
success!
1.
First of
all,
recognize
that
you
can
succeed. Many, many people before you who

weren't very good at grammar and punctuation have learned more than enough
to get where they want to be.
2.
Face the fact
that
it doesn't happen overnight. It will take you some time to get
it all down.
3.
Lose
the fear of being criticized. You're no grammar wuss.
4.
Decide
that
you
are
going
to learn. Make a commitment to do it.
5.
Practice, practice, practice. Look for opportunities to practice your writing and
speaking
skills.
6. Find someone who will read your writing and
give
you an honest critique.
7.
Take courses in basic
English
and reading. Check out adult education in your
local
school district or community

college.
Danger,
Will
Robinson
Don't
panic if you can't
identify
each type of error at this
point.
Just
do the best you can.
Remember:
You're
going
to take
the
Writing
Inventory again.
Danger,
Will
Robinson
When most managers
complain
that
their
employees
"can't
write,"
they are most
often

referring
to errors
their
people
make in grammar and
usage.
2*i
Parti:
No
Uncertain
Terms
gSSky,
y
Quoth the Maven _
^Vf
Don't
have
time
to sit in
class?
You
don't
need to!
Some
commu-
nity
colleges
offer
basic
writing

courses
for adults on trains and
buses
rather
than
in
traditional
classrooms;
many companies now
give "mini-courses" and
writing
seminars
in
their
conference rooms.
What could be more convenient?
8. Try a computer tutorial program. It has the advan-
tage
of being private; just you and your
'puter.
9. Keep a journal of your work habits, strengths,
and accomplishments. Not only is it good writing
practice, but it's
also
handy to have at review time.
When
you talk to your superior about promo-
tions and
raises,
you can refer to this journal for

specific
examples
of
your accomplishments.
10.
Just do it! Don't put off writing
that
proposal for
six
months because you think your writing isn't
good
enough yet.
The
Least
You Need to Know
•
Most writers make the same grammar,
usage,
mechanical, and spelling errors
over and over.
•
Assess
your writing strengths and weaknesses to help you concentrate on the
areas
that
need specific improvement.
•
You can improve your writing now by following the methods outlined in this
chapter.
Under the Grammar

Hammer
Believe
it or not, grammar comes from the same word
that
glamour comes
from. In the
1700s,
grammar meant "enchantment,
magic"
(among
other
things).
A sloppy speaker here, a sloppy speaker there, the r became an /.
Voilà! A new word is born:
glamour.
To most of
us,
however, Tom Cruise
has
glamour, Liz Taylor has glamour, even Rin Tin Tin had some glamour
(even though it's a little furry). Grammar does not have glamour.
Neither
does grammar have
much
magic,
unless it's the witches' caldron variety.
But you've been misled. I'm here to tell you
that
grammar can have glam-
our. It can even be sexy. In this

part
of the book, you learn the nitty-gritty
of
using
English
properly, including parts of speech, pronoun reference,
case,
verb tense, agreement, and solutions to a host of
other
common
usage
dilemmas.

Chapter
Parts
of
Speech:
Coming
to
Terms
In
This
Chapter
•
Learn four of the eight parts of
speech:
nouns, verbs, conjunctions,
and
prepositions
•

Understand the concept of subject and object
•
See how words are put together to create meaning
English
words are divided into eight different parts of speech according to
their function in a sentence. The parts of speech are (the envelope,
please):
adjectives,
adverbs,
conjunctions,
interjections,
nouns,
pronouns,
prepositions,
and
verbs.
In this chapter, you learn all about nouns, verbs, conjunctions, and
prepositions. I explain the other four parts of speech in Chapter
4.
You learn
how to recognize parts of speech so you have a standard way to describe
how words work together to create meaning.
Nouns: Prime-Time Players
A
noun
is a word
that
names a person, place, or thing. Nouns, like house
guests,
come in different

varieties.
House guests include those you want,
those you hate, and those you're stuck
with
regardless.
Nouns come in these
varieties:
common
nouns,
proper
nouns,
compound
nouns,
and
collective
nouns.
28
Part
2:
Under
the
Grammar
Hammer
You
Could
Look
It Up
A
noun is a
word

that
names
a person, place, or
thing.
Take
My
Word
for
It
The
word
noun
comes
from
the
Latin
word
nomen,
which
means
"name." Now,
wouldn't
that
make a great pick-up line?
1.
Common
nouns
name any one of
a
class

of person,
place,
or thing.
•
boy
•
city
•
food
2.
Proper
nouns
name a specific person, place, or
thing.
•
Bob
•
New York City
•
Rice-a-Roni
3.
Compound
nouns
are two or more nouns
that
function as a
single
unit.
A com-
pound noun can be two individual words, words joined by a hyphen, or two

words combined.
•
individual words: time capsule
•
hyphenated words: great-uncle
•
combined words: basketball
4.
Collective
nouns
name groups of people or things.
•
audience
•
family
•
herd
•
crowd
Take a few seconds to catch your breath. Then underline the nouns in each of the fol-
lowing
sentences.
1.
A hungry lion was roaming through the jungle looking for something to eat.
2.
He came across two men.
3.
One man was sitting under a
tree
and reading a book; the other man was typing

away
on his typewriter.
4.
The lion quickly pounced on the man reading the book and devoured him.
5.
Even the king of the jungle knows
that
readers digest and writers cramp.
Chapter 3: Parts of
Speech:
Coming
to
Terms
Z9
Answers
1.
lion,
jungle,
something
2.
men
3.
man, tree, book, man, typewriter
4.
lion, man, book
5.
king,
jungle,
readers, writers
Possessive

Nouns:
Vio
of the Law
In
life,
possession
shows
success;
in
grammar,
possession
shows ownership. Follow these
rules
to create
possessive
nouns.
1.
With
singular
nouns, add an apostrophe and s.
•
girl:
girl's
manuscript
•
student: student's ideas
2.
With
plural nouns ending in
s,

add an apostrophe after the s.
•
girls: girls'
manuscript
•
students: students' ideas
3.
With
plural nouns not ending in
s,
add an apostrophe and s.
•
women: women's books
•
mice: mice's tails
Possess
It!
Reduce
each of the following sentences to fewer words by using the
possessive
form.
Doing
so will improve your writing
style.
Here's an example:
Original:
The comedy routines of the Three
Stooges
aren't funny to me.
Revised:

The Three
Stooges'
comedy routines aren't funny to me.
1.
The
original
name of
Mel
Brooks
was Melvin Kaminsky.
2.
The quack of
a
duck doesn't echo, and no one knows why.
Part
2:
Under
the
Grammar
Hammer
3.
The placement of the eyes of a donkey in its head enables it to see all four feet at
all
times.
4.
The original name of Mickey Mouse was Mortimer Mouse.
5.
The real name of Hulk Hogan is Terry
Bollea.
6. The milk of a camel does not curdle.

7.
In
Fantasia
by Disney, the name of the Sorcerer is Yensid, which is Disney backward.
8. The urine of
a
cat glows under a black light.
9. The favorite hobby of my mother-in-law is playing cards
with
her
computer.
10.
Keep the boss of your boss off the back of your boss.
Answers
1.
Mel Brooks' original name was Melvin
Kaminsky.
2.
A duck's quack doesn't echo, and no one knows why.
3.
The placement of a donkey's eyes in its head enables it to see all four feet at all
times.
4.
Mickey Mouse's original name was Mortimer Mouse.
5.
Hulk
Hogan's
real name is Terry
Bollea.
6. Camel's milk does not curdle.

7.
In Disney's
Fantasia,
the Sorcerer's name is Yensid, which is Disney backward.
8. A cat's urine glows under a black light.
9. My mother-in-law's favorite hobby is playing cards
with
her
computer.
10.
Keep your boss's boss off your boss's back.
Chapter
3:
Parts
of
Speech:
Coming
to
Terms
31
Plural Nouns: Two's Company, Three's a Crowd
Here are the guidelines for creating plural nouns.
1.
Add s to form the plural of most nouns.
•
boy: boys
•
girl:
girls
•

computer:
computers
2.
Add
es
if the noun ends in
s,
sh,
ch,
or x.
•
class:
classes
•
wish: wishes
•
inch: inches
•
box: boxes
3.
If
a
noun ends in consonant -y, change the y to
/
and add
es.
•
city: cities
•
lady:

ladies
4.
If
a
noun ends in vowel -y, add
s.
Words ending in -quy
don't
follow this rule
(as
in
soliloquies).
•
essay:
essays
•
monkey: monkeys
Too
Much
of
a
Good Thing?
Before
I overwhelm you
with
the rules, take a break and make each of the following
singular
words plural.
Write
your answer in the space provided.

Singular
Plural
1.
roach
2.
alto
3.
cameo
4.
lily
5.
sex
32
Part
2:
Under
the
Grammar
Hammer
6. cry
7.
potato
8.
kitten
9.
silo
10.
fez
Answers
1.

roaches
2.
altos
3.
cameos
4.
lilies
5.
sexes
6. cries
7.
potatoes
8. kittens
9.
silos
10.
fezzes
5.
Add s to most nouns ending inf. However,
the/endings
are so irregular as to be
nearly
random. If you have any doubts at all, consult a dictionary.
Singular
brief
chief
proof
Plural
briefs
chiefs

proofs
Exceptions: In some
cases,
change
the
/to
fe or v and add
es:
Singular
Plural
•
self
selves
•
wolf wolves
•
leaf
leaves
Exception: This rule doesn't hold for names.
When
you're dealing
with
names,
just add
s.
Thus, Mr. and Mrs.
Wolf
becomes the
Wolfs.
6. In compound words, make the main word plural.

Singular
Plural
•
mother-in-law mothers-in-law
•
passerby passersby
sister-in-law
sisters-in-law