The topics addressed are good and the information presented is useful, but the errors in the text detract from the final product. I was surprised that for a book which deals with grammar and style that the author did not pay more attention to the details of presentation, breaking even some of her own rules.
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M. Albert CollinsI have an earlier edition of this book. I recommend it for quick and easy reference about certain grammatical questions, but I must say that if you want or need a thorough explanation, you should consult the Chicago Manual of Style. For ease of use, though, this is a good book. Let's say that you need to refresh your memory about how the colon is used (or let's say you've never even thought about how the colon is used, but now, for one reason or another, you need to know). Grammatically Correct has five parts. You would look in Part Three, Punctuation, and you would see in the Table of Contents that each punctuation mark has its own little chapter or section within the larger parts. The colon is the fourth punctuation mark discussed, and it gets nine pages. The nine pages pretty much cover all uses of the colon, and there's even a short discussion of colon vs. semicolon. For most people, the information presented in this book is sufficient to answer the grammatical questions they have. It's easy to use, and that's a big plus.
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OhioanFirst of all this is a review of the Kindle version it has converted well with good formatting the only downside of this version is with some of the early examples of correct and incorrect examples the answers are quite small and in a fairly faint grey and as they are included as a graphic they cannot be enlarged.Although a American publication it deals with "English" in a more general manner giving differences between USA and UK usage and spelling, indeed it references other versions of "English".I have rarely come across a reference book that I have actually read rather than dipping in and out when I wanted to know something. Although this is directed primarily at authors it is extremely useful for everyone who wants to improve their English grammar and spelling. The one section that I have never before seen so clearly laid out is where correctly spelt words are used in the wrong context.This is a book that I will not delete from my Kindle.
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BobThe book is good for basic grammar rules. But if anyone wants to have an advanced grammar book, do not get it. This book contains very basic rule that are not applicable in writing of anything more complex than an essay of a fifth-grader.
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VerasiThough I very rarely give reviews, I'm making an exception.I'm constantly buying grammar books (my worst subject) for review. I have a masters degree, yet I still struggle with grammar (some kind of mental block). This is the first grammar book in which the information is given in a way I could logically and enjoyably absorb it. Excellent-you won't regret buying it. Thanks to the author, Anne Stilman.
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Anthony Ingoglia "Primalart - Seeker"This is an essential guide for grammar. Even not being native to English, the book was pretty much comprehensible and helped me out a lot with many doubts.
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Jose A. FranciscoThis is an inexpensive alternative to that mammoth Chicago Manual of Style. It's an excellent reference book for grammar, punctuation, & style. It's easy to find what you want. It's easy to read--doesn't read like a "reference book." For example, should I have put my closing quotation mark before the period in the last sentence? Get the book & find out. I can't believe a book can hold so much when it's only 3/4" wide.
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Star JesusBy trade I am a historian and so most of my reviews will either cover history, anthropology, (my minor) or theology (my passion). Recently, Kindle ran this book as one of the "Kindle Daily Deals" and I picked it up for a great price. I did not come to this book with high expectations. Let's face it, grammar books are not as exciting to most people as they might be to an English major. This book left me feeling pleasantly surprised. Its goal is to give the reader a refresher course on the conventions of English Grammar. However, Anne Stillman does a little more than that by giving the reader an easy, accessible and fun book to peruse. I am not an English major as may be apparent in my review. Therefore, my review may not be as useful as someone who is in this field. Nevertheless, I learned a lot of things from this book and had my memory refreshed on things that I had long forgotten.First of all, the book is basically fun. There are sections of the book which drag a little bit. However, that has more to do with the content than the author. She did an outstanding job writing in a way that requires the reader to interact with the book. She gives examples of different texts that show mistakes and then demonstrates the correct rules. She also gives test questions at various points allowing the reader to see what he or she does may be weak in. This was a great asset to the book. It is important to not just read a book but be able to test yourself and see whether you understand the concepts. Her vocabulary is not bloated and inaccessible. She writes with a relaxed yet professional tone. There is a bit of academic language that she introduces. Most of these terms you have heard in Jr. High or High School. However, if you have not, then don't worry because she breaks it down into a manageable size.Second of all, the book is full of important grammar rules. I love the fact that she is not stuffy. She tells you the rules but she also tells where the rules are not as clear. This was important to me because in college I would often get conflicting grammar tips from professors. She clears up some of the opinions and thoughts about the rules. There are a lot of things that are actually very dependent upon your judgment. She goes through punctuation, parts of speech, sentence structure, and tips for successful writing. Some of the things you will find that you know. Others you may know but not be able to explain how you know. This book will help you remember why these rules are set in place.It is a fairly fast paced book so obviously if you are looking for something that dives in deep then you will find this book to be unsatisfactory. However,if it is a good brush-up you are looking for then this book is for you.Lastly, the book has great advice for aspiring writers. If you are thinking about writing a book or even a term paper this book is great to have around to reference when needed. She gives great instruction on helping your paper to flow more smoothly. She is concise and precise as she teaches the aspiring writer to do the same. She gives great examples from books and exhorts the writer to not be verbose and yet not to aspire to be as short and sweet as Hemingway. She admonishes the writer to shoot for the middle ground. On a side note, the book has great charts in it. There are some complaints about the Kindle edition but I didn't find it intolerable. The charts have a few errors on them but Kindle is working with the publisher to get these bugs worked out. In my opinion it did not detract from the work.I did not pay full price for this book because I caught it on sale. However, I would gladly pay full price for it. It is important to have a good reference or two around, and if you don't have one then here is a good one to start with. If I do any academic writing in the future this will be my go-to book. Hopefully, as you are reading this you are not thinking I should go back and read it again. I probably should! I won't read it again but I will definitely reference it quite often. Unless you are an English major I can't see why you would need any more than this book to aid you with your grammar skills. Thanks for taking the time to read this review and I hope that it helped.
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J.B. Hughesby Anne Stilman, � 2010.The definition of the Past Perfect on page 248 is incorrect, so the examples given are likely to be incorrect as well. Buyer beware. This caveat relates to the one tense only and should not be construed as an opinion of the whole text.~~~~~~~The Past Perfect is a specialized device by which we are able to show that by the time something happened, something else had ALREADY happened. It is NOT used to show that one past event preceded another. From the sixth grade: "When the police arrived, the robbers had fled", i.e, the robbers were ALREADY gone; there were just cops there, no robbers.
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Brad JohnstonI'll be the first to admit that reference books tend to put me to sleep. This book however is a joy to read (and I don't say that lightly). Informative, to the point, and not excessive at all. I'm very impressed and completely grateful to the author. In the midst of editing my own work; this was just what I needed. I have the Kindle version and found very few errors. All the hyperlinks work well, and make going back and forth between sections an ease.
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Nicole MacDonald
Grammatically Correct, 2nd Edition its purpose is to convey facts, findings, or instructions, it need be read only once for its content to be clear. ..
