Essential Grammar for Today's Writers, Students, and Teachers

249 Pages·2014·2.54 MB·English

by  Nancy Sullivan

Essential Grammar
for Today’s Writers, Students, and Teachers
This innovative and affordable resource is designed for writers, language students,
and classroom teachers who need an accessible guide to essential English grammar.
Without becoming mired in detailed linguistic defi nitions, Nancy Sullivan helps writers
understand and apply grammatical concepts to develop the skills they need to enhance their own writing.
She clearly explains English grammar basics, using a highly practical, hands-on approach to mastering
the use of language. While the text focuses on word classifi cations and how each word class functions in
sentences, Sullivan provides examples and exercises that are contextually grounded in engaging discussions
of language development. Online instructor materials provide teachers with additional suggestions and
activities designed to enhance these basic grammar lessons.
“Nancy Sullivan’s Essential Grammar for Today’s Writers, Students and Teachers achieves what few grammar
texts accomplish: it presents its subject in a thorough, yet accessible style and format to vanquish any
fears students and teachers may have about learning and teaching this timeless topic. The text includes
examples that appeal to a range of audiences and alleviates the traditional assumption that the parts of
speech and the way we use them is a mystery to be mastered only by experts. This book will remain a
valuable reference for its readers long after a course has ended. In other words, it is indeed essential.”
—Kristine L. Blair, Bowling Green State University
“Nancy Sullivan’s text provides a fresh, clear approach to grammar for students in all disciplines, particularly
future language arts teachers. Beginning with and building on the basics and working through verbal
phrases and dependent clauses, Sullivan methodically explores the way English works. This reasonably
priced book includes virtually all the concepts needed for teaching English grammar. Teachers will
appreciate its streamlined approach—less reading and more doing is always good in a grammar class.”
—Elizabeth Ruleman, Tennessee Wesleyan College
Nancy M. Sullivan teaches grammar and linguistics at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi, where she
has been a member of the English Department for over twenty years. Her research on the intersection of
language attitudes and identity has been widely published. Sullivan’s keen interest in and avid study of gram-
mar has been inspired by her students, who continue to spark her curiosity with their insights and questions.
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Essential Grammar
for Today’s Writers, Students, and Teachers
Nancy M. Sullivan
Routledge
Taylor & Francis Group
NEW YORK AND LONDON
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First published 2015
by Routledge
711 Th ird Avenue, New York, NY 10017
Simultaneously published
by Routledge
2 Park Square, Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxon, OX14 4RN
Routledge is an imprint of the Taylor & Francis Group, an informa business
© 2015 Taylor & Francis
Th e right of Nancy M. Sullivan to be identifi ed as author of this work has been asserted by him/her in
accordance with sections 77 and 78 of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reprinted or reproduced or utilised in any form or by any
electronic, mechanical, or other means, now known or hereaft er invented, including photocopying and
recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system, without permission in writing from the
publishers.
Trademark notice: Product or corporate names may be trademarks or registered trademarks, and are
used only for identifi cation and explanation without intent to infringe.
Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data
Sullivan, Nancy, 1949–
Essential grammar for today’s writers, students, and teachers / by Nancy Sullivan.
pages cm.
Includes index.
ISBN 978-0-7656-4174-8 (pbk.: alk. paper) 1. English language—Grammar. I. Title.
PE1112.S85 2014
428.2—dc23 2014018403
ISBN: 978-1-138-85702-5 (hbk)
ISBN: 978-0-7656-4174-8 (pbk)
ISBN: 978-1-315-71865-1 (ebk)
Online resources for adopting instructors, including additional instructors’ materials, are available at:
www.routledge.com/9780765641748
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For my mom, who always encouraged me to write a book,
although she was not expecting the main characters to be
nouns, verbs, and dangling participles,
and
for my sister Gail Sullivan Eakright (1947–2009),
a longtime educator, talented artist, and best friend.
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Contents
Preface ...........................................................................................................xi
Acknowledgments ........................................................................................xiii
Introduction ..................................................................................................xv
Commonly Used Abbreviations ...................................................................xxi
Chapter 1 / Word Classes .............................................................................3
Language Focus: Language and the Brain ......................................................3
Nouns ..............................................................................................................4
Adjectives ........................................................................................................7
Determiners .......................................................................................9
Articles .................................................................................9
Demonstratives ....................................................................9
Quantifiers ...........................................................................9
Possessives .........................................................................10
Numbers .............................................................................10
Descriptive Adjectives .....................................................................11
Pronouns ........................................................................................................13
Personal Pronouns ...........................................................................14
Reflexive Pronouns ..........................................................................15
Demonstrative Pronouns .................................................................16
Indefinite Pronouns ..........................................................................18
Verbs ..............................................................................................................21
Three Simple Verb Tenses ...............................................................23
Auxiliary Verbs ................................................................................23
The Perfect .........................................................................23
The Progressive ..................................................................24
The Perfect Progressive .....................................................24
Modals ...............................................................................25
vii
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viii Contents
Adverbs .........................................................................................................26
Adverbs Modifying Verbs ...............................................................27
Adverbs of Manner.............................................................27
Adverbs of Time, Place, and Frequency ............................28
Adverbs Modifying Adjectives and Adverbs ..................................29
Prepositions ...................................................................................................31
Conjunctions .................................................................................................33
Coordinating Conjunctions ..............................................................33
Correlative Conjunctions .................................................................34
Interjections ...................................................................................................36
Chapter Review .............................................................................................36
Chapter 2 / Extending The Basics ...........................................................41
Language Focus: The Sounds of Language ..................................................41
Extending Nouns ...........................................................................................42
The Pronoun Substitution Test ........................................................43
Noun Phrase Appositives .................................................................46
Extending Prepositional Phrases ...................................................................49
Adjectival Prepositional Phrases .....................................................51
Adverbial Prepositional Phrases ......................................................54
Prepositional Phrases Versus Phrasal Verbs ....................................57
Extending Verbs with Active and Passive Voice ...........................................59
Extending Conjunctions with Conjunctive Adverbs .....................................65
Chapter Review .............................................................................................67
Chapter 3 / Sentence Patterns .................................................................71
Language Focus: Sociolinguistics .................................................................71
Verb Classes ..................................................................................................72
Linking Verbs ..................................................................................72
Intransitive and Transitive Verbs .....................................................76
Intransitive Verbs ...............................................................76
Transitive Verbs..................................................................77
Sentence Patterns ...........................................................................................80
Linking Verb Patterns ......................................................................80
Intransitive and Transitive Verb Patterns .........................................83
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Contents ix
Intransitive Verb Pattern ....................................................83
Transitive Verb Patterns.....................................................84
Chapter Review .............................................................................................91
Chapter 4 / Verbals: Gerunds, Participles, and Infinitives ....................95
Language Focus: Language Acquisition .......................................................95
Gerunds .........................................................................................................96
Identifying Gerunds .........................................................................96
Tests for Gerunds .............................................................................98
Pronoun Substitution Test ..................................................98
Possessive Subject Test ....................................................100
Verb Conjugation Test ......................................................101
Participles ....................................................................................................105
Identifying Participles....................................................................107
Punctuation of Participles ..............................................................111
Differences Between Gerunds and Participles ..............................114
Infinitives .....................................................................................................116
Identifying Infinitives ....................................................................117
Infinitives as Nouns .......................................................................118
Infinitives as Adjectives .................................................................119
Infinitives as Adverbs ....................................................................121
Adverb Infinitives Modifying Verbs ..................................121
Adverb Infinitives Modifying Adjectives ..........................122
Chapter Review ...........................................................................................124
Chapter 5 / Adjective, Adverb, and Noun Clauses ..............................129
Language Focus: The History of English ....................................................129
Adjective Clauses ........................................................................................132
Relative Pronouns ..........................................................................132
Adjective Clauses with Relative Pronouns
“Which” and “That” ...................................................................133
Relative Pronoun “Which” ..............................................133
Relative Pronoun “That” .................................................135
Adjective Clauses with Relative Pronouns
“Who,” “Whom,” and “Whose” .................................................137
Relative Pronoun “Who” .................................................137
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