The bestselling workbook and grammar guide, revised and updated!
Hailed as one of the best books around for teaching grammar, The Blue Book of Grammar and Punctuation includes easy-to-understand rules, abundant examples, dozens of reproducible quizzes, and pre- and post-tests to help teach grammar to middle and high schoolers, college students, ESL students, homeschoolers, and more.
This concise, entertaining workbook makes learning English grammar and usage simple and fun. This updated 12th edition reflects the latest updates to English usage and grammar, and includes answers to all reproducible quizzes to facilitate self-assessment and learning.
- Clear and concise, with easy-to-follow explanations, offering "just the facts" on English grammar, punctuation, and usage
- Fully updated to reflect the latest rules, along with even more quizzes and pre- and post-tests to help teach grammar
- Ideal for students from seventh grade through adulthood in the US and abroad
For anyone who wants to understand the major rules and subtle guidelines of English grammar and usage, The Blue Book of Grammar and Punctuation offers comprehensive, straightforward instruction.
Table of Contents
Preface and Acknowledgments xix
About the Authors xxi
Introduction xxiii
1Grammar 1
Finding Nouns, Verbs, and Subjects 1
Definitions
Noun
Verb
Subject
Gerund
Using verbs to find subjects
Multiple subjects and verbs in a sentence
Infinitives
You as an understood subject
Subject-Verb Agreement 4
Singular vs. plural verbs
Finding subjects before phrases beginning with of With or, either/or, and neither/nor
Two singular subjects
One singular and one plural subject
With and
With interrupting expressions
With here or there
With distances, periods of time, sums of money, etc.
With portion words such as a lot, a majority, percent, some, all
With collective nouns such as group, family, staff
The subjunctive mood
Irregular Verbs 9
Clauses and Phrases 9
Definitions
Clause
Independent clause
Dependent clause
Phrase
Pronouns 10
Definition: Pronoun
Subject pronouns
As the subject of the sentence
Renaming the subject
When who refers to a personal pronoun
Object pronouns
Subject and verb agreement with who, that, and which
Subject and verb agreement with anyone, someone, each, etc.
Following than or as
Possessive pronouns
Its vs. it’s; who’s vs. whose
Reflexives: the -self pronouns
Consistency with singular pronouns
The singular they Pronouns linked with nouns by and
Possessive adjectives vs. possessive pronouns
Who vs. Whom 16
They/Them method
Common whom pitfall
Whoever vs. Whomever 17
Agreement with the verb in the dependent clause
Dependent clause as the subject of the verb following the clause
Who, That, Which 18
Who, that, and which with people, groups, and things
That with essential clauses
Which with nonessential clauses
When which can be used with essential clauses
Adjectives and Adverbs 19
Definitions
Adjective
Adverb
Adjectives modifying nouns and pronouns
Adverbs modifying verbs, adjectives, and adverbs
When to add -ly
Sense verbs: taste, smell, look, feel, etc.
Good vs. well
Well as an adjective when referring to health
Comparisons, such as -er vs. -est and more vs. most This, that, these, and those
Prepositions 22
Definition: preposition
Ending a sentence with a preposition
Avoiding extra prepositions
Like As, as if, as though, the way of vs. have Different from vs. different than In vs. into
Effective Writing 25
Concrete vs. vague language
Active vs. passive voice
Overuse of there is, there are, it is, it was, etc.
Double negatives
Parallel construction
Dangling modifiers
Misplaced modifiers
Fragments
Dialogue
2 Punctuation 31
Spacing with Punctuation 31
Periods 31
With complete sentences
With abbreviations at the end of a sentence
Replacing periods with question marks and exclamation points
Commas 32
To separate three or more items
To separate adjectives
With two independent clauses
Run-on sentences or comma splices
Joined by connectors such as and, or, but, etc.
When the subject does not appear in front of the second verb
With because
Starting a sentence with a dependent clause vs. an independent clause
With nonessential words, clauses, and phrases
With sufficiently identified noun
With introductory words
To set off interrupting expressions
With names
With dates
With city and state
With Jr. and Sr.
With degrees and titles
With quotations
To introduce or interrupt quotations
Following quotations
To separate statements from questions
To separate contrasting parts of a sentence
With certain introductory words
When followed by a series of items
When the series of items ends with etc.
Semicolons 39
To replace a period in two closely linked sentences
With such words as namely, however, therefore, etc., when they
introduce a complete sentence
To avoid confusion where commas already exist
With sentences that have multiple clauses
Capitalization following a semicolon
Colons 41
To introduce a series of items
Except when a series of items directly follows a verb or preposition
With lists
With two independent clauses when the second explains the first
Capitalization following a colon
With long quotations
After the salutation in a business letter
Quotation Marks 43
Use of double quotation marks
Capitalization with quotations
Commas introducing, interrupting, and ending quotations
Periods and commas ALWAYS inside quotation marks
- Question marks and exclamation marks with quotation marks follow logic
With titles of magazines, books, plays, etc.
Use of single quotation marks for quotations within quotations
Spacing between single and double quotation marks
With nonstandard expressions
With technical terms and terms used in an unusual way
Avoiding single quotation marks
With quoted material of more than one paragraph
Question Marks 46
With direct questions
Replacing periods
Capitalization following a question mark
Indirect questions
Rhetorical questions
With sentences that are half statement and half question
With quotation marks
Parentheses and Brackets 48
Not interchangeable
Parentheses
For clarification and asides
With complete sentences
Punctuation inside and outside parentheses
Subject-verb agreement
Comma placement with parentheses
Brackets
With interruptions
Use of [sic]
With quotations
Apostrophes 50
Singular nouns
Possession with singular nouns
Possession with common nouns ending in s Possession with proper nouns ending in s
Possession by inanimate objects
Plural nouns
Plural possession with regular nouns
No apostrophe with plural regular nouns
Plural possession with irregular nouns
Plural possession with names ending in s
No apostrophe with plural names
Possession with singular compound nouns
To show joint or separate possession
Contractions
With initials, capital letters, and numbers used as nouns
With time or money
With personal pronouns
Apostrophes vs. single quotation marks
False possessives
With nouns ending in y
Hyphens 56
No spaces around hyphens
Not the same as dashes
Hyphens between words
With compound adjectives
Suspended hyphens
With compound verbs
With compound nouns
With very and -ly adverbs
With ages
For clarification
With spans of time, distance, or other quantities
With units, abbreviations, or symbols
With compound numbers
With spelled-out fractions
With double last names
Avoiding overuse
Proper nouns of more than one word as compound adjectives
Well-known expressions
Look it up
Hyphens with prefixes and suffixes
Prefixes with proper nouns or proper adjectives
With family relations
Prefixes with double vowels
With self-, ex-, and all- With re-
To avoid confusion
Suffixes not usually hyphenated
Suffixes and double letters
Using discretion and a dictionary
Dashes 63
Em dashes
Em dashes and subject agreement
In place of other punctuation
Spacing
En dashes
With number ranges
With open compound adjectives
Forming dashes
Ellipses 65
Definition and three-dot method
Spacing
With omitted words or sentences
To express hesitation, changes of mood, etc.
Exclamation Points 66
To show emotion, emphasis, or surprise
Replacing periods and mid-sentence commas
Avoidance in formal business writing
Justifiable use
Slashes 66
Technical term: virgule
In formal writing use hyphen or the word or
3 Capitalization 69
First word of a document and after a period
Proper nouns and adjectives derived from proper nouns
Reference list of capitalized categories
Reference list of lowercase categories
Thorny aspects of capitalization
Titles
Titles vs. occupations
Titles in direct address
Kinship names
Nicknames
Geographic regions vs. points of the compass
The before proper nouns
City, town, county, etc., before a proper name
First word of a quotation
Midsentence independent clauses or questions
Course titles vs. academic subjects
Art movements
Lists following colons
Lowercase the national anthem
Titles of books, plays, films, songs, etc.
Subtitles
Gray areas
4 Writing Numbers 79
Using figures vs. spelling out numbers
Numbers beginning a sentence
Hyphenating compound numbers
Hyphenating fractions
Figures of four or more digits
Sums less than a dollar
Noon and midnight
Time of day
Mixed fractions
Large numbers
Decimals
Writing out numbers of three or more digits
When to use and
Do not use commas
Dates
Decades
Use lowercase when spelling out
Using apostrophes with incomplete numerals
Avoiding apostrophe + s with complete numerals
Apostrophes with numbers
5 Confusing Words and Homonyms 85
Good vs. well
Imply vs. infer
Its vs. it’s
Lay vs. lie
Their vs. there vs. they’re
Hundreds more words and homonyms that perplex and confound
6 Quizzes 155
Grammar Pretest 155
Finding Nouns, Verbs, and Subjects Quiz 1 157
Finding Nouns, Verbs, and Subjects Quiz 2 157
Subject and Verb Agreement Quiz 1 158
Subject and Verb Agreement Quiz 2 159
Irregular Verbs Quiz 1 160
Irregular Verbs Quiz 2 160
Pronouns Quiz 1 160
Pronouns Quiz 2 161
Who, Whom, Whoever, Whomever Quiz 1 162
Who, Whom, Whoever, Whomever Quiz 2 163
Who, Whom, That, Which Quiz 1 163
Who, Whom, That, Which Quiz 2 164
Adjectives and Adverbs Quiz 1 164
Adjectives and Adverbs Quiz 2 165
Prepositions Quiz 1 166
Prepositions Quiz 2 166
Affect vs. Effect Quiz 1 167
Affect vs. Effect Quiz 2 167
Lay vs. Lie Quiz 1 168
Lay vs. Lie Quiz 2 168
Advice vs. Advise Quiz 1 169
Advice vs. Advise Quiz 2 169
Their vs. There vs. They’re Quiz 1 170
Their vs. There vs. They’re Quiz 2 170
More Confusing Words and Homonyms Quiz 1 171
More Confusing Words and Homonyms Quiz 2 171
Effective Writing Quiz 1 172
Effective Writing Quiz 2 172
Grammar Mastery Test 173
Punctuation, Capitalization, and Writing Numbers Pretest 175
Commas and Periods Quiz 1 177
Commas and Periods Quiz 2 178
Semicolons and Colons Quiz 1 179
Semicolons and Colons Quiz 2 180
Question Marks and Quotation Marks Quiz 1 181
Question Marks and Quotation Marks Quiz 2 181
Parentheses and Brackets Quiz 1 182
Parentheses and Brackets Quiz 2 182
Apostrophes Quiz 1 183
Apostrophes Quiz 2 184
Hyphens Between Words Quiz 1 184
Hyphens Between Words Quiz 2 185
Hyphens with Prefixes and Suffixes Quiz 1 186
Hyphens with Prefixes and Suffixes Quiz 2 186
Capitalization Quiz 1 187
Capitalization Quiz 2 187
Writing Numbers Quiz 1 188
Writing Numbers Quiz 2 188
Punctuation, Capitalization, and Writing Numbers Mastery Test 189
7 Answers to Quizzes 193
Grammar Pretest Answers 193
Finding Nouns, Verbs, and Subjects Quiz 1 Answers 195
Finding Nouns, Verbs, and Subjects Quiz 2 Answers 195
Subject and Verb Agreement Quiz 1 Answers 196
Subject and Verb Agreement Quiz 2 Answers 196
Irregular Verbs Quiz 1 Answers 197
Irregular Verbs Quiz 2 Answers 197
Pronouns Quiz 1 Answers 198
Pronouns Quiz 2 Answers 199
Who, Whom, Whoever, Whomever Quiz 1 Answers 199
Who, Whom, Whoever, Whomever Quiz 2 Answers 200
Who, Whom, That, Which Quiz 1 Answers 201
Who, Whom, That, Which Quiz 2 Answers 201
Adjectives and Adverbs Quiz 1 Answers 202
Adjectives and Adverbs Quiz 2 Answers 202
Prepositions Quiz 1 Answers 203
Prepositions Quiz 2 Answers 204
Affect vs. Effect Quiz 1 Answers 204
Affect vs. Effect Quiz 2 Answers 205
Lay vs. Lie Quiz 1 Answers 205
Lay vs. Lie Quiz 2 Answers 206
Advice vs. Advise Quiz 1 Answers 206
Advice vs. Advise Quiz 2 Answers 206
Their vs. There vs. They’re Quiz 1 Answers 207
Their vs. There vs. They’re Quiz 2 Answers 207
More Confusing Words and Homonyms Quiz 1 Answers 208
More Confusing Words and Homonyms Quiz 2 Answers 208
Effective Writing Quiz 1 Answers 209
Effective Writing Quiz 2 Answers 210
Grammar Mastery Test Answers 211
Punctuation, Capitalization, and Writing Numbers Pretest Answers 213
Commas and Periods Quiz 1 Answers 215
Commas and Periods Quiz 2 Answers 216
Semicolons and Colons Quiz 1 Answers 216
Semicolons and Colons Quiz 2 Answers 217
Question Marks and Quotation Marks Quiz 1 Answers 218
Question Marks and Quotation Marks Quiz 2 Answers 219
Parentheses and Brackets Quiz 1 Answers 219
Parentheses and Brackets Quiz 2 Answers 220
Apostrophes Quiz 1 Answers 220
Apostrophes Quiz 2 Answers 221
Hyphens Between Words Quiz 1 Answers 222
Hyphens Between Words Quiz 2 Answers 222
Hyphens with Prefixes and Suffixes Quiz 1 Answers 223
Hyphens with Prefixes and Suffixes Quiz 2 Answers 223
Capitalization Quiz 1 Answers 224
Capitalization Quiz 2 Answers 224
Writing Numbers Quiz 1 Answers 225
Writing Numbers Quiz 2 Answers 226
Punctuation, Capitalization, and Writing Numbers Mastery Test Answers 226
Index 229
