Clean, Well-Lighted Sentences: A Guide to Avoiding the Most Common Errors in Grammar and Punctuation [Hardcover]

Janis Bell (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0393067718 | ISBN-13: 978-0393067712 | Publication Date: September 17, 2008 | Edition: First Printing

Long overdue: a clear, good-humored discussion targeting only the most common errors in American sentences—nothing more.

This is a focused, respectful, entertaining guide to getting our sentences into good shape. After thirty-five years of teaching writing, Janis Bell knows which sentences those are and precisely what ails them. She describes grammar and usage problems in ways that make immediate sense. She explains precisely what our punctuation marks do and won't do. She also answers the very questions that readers are likely to have. Besides being extremely readable and relevant, each chapter offers a challenging quiz followed by answers that leave no doubt. This small, engaging book is for people who know what they want to write and who know English—all they need to hear is what Bell has to say about the gaffes that have crept into their sentences. Equally useful to a ninth-grader and a senior-level manager, Clean, Well-Lighted Sentences is a sweet and timely find.

Editorial Reviews

Review

“Here’s a book that is entertaining when it needs to be (all the time) and informative when it needs to be (all the time). You get seven clean, clear chapters of how-to that will help anyone who ever has to write.” --This text refers to the Kindle Edition edition.

About the Author

An English professor and writing consultant since 1973, Janis Bell teaches writing at Golden Gate University in San Francisco, California, where she currently resides.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 176 pages
• Publisher: W. W. Norton & Company; First Printing edition (September 17, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0393067718
• ISBN-13: 978-0393067712
• Product Dimensions: 8.1 x 5.6 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (21 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #721,894 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

39 of 42 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The ultimate reference for good writers!, August 14, 2008

By 

D. Browdy (Foster City, CA United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Clean, Well-Lighted Sentences: A Guide to Avoiding the Most Common Errors in Grammar and Punctuation (Hardcover)

I took Janis' class at Golden Gate University and own a copy of this book in its pre-published form. I went into the class not expecting much as I consider myself a pretty good writer. However, this book hit on all the little niggling points that get you. Who or whom? Who's or whose? Affect or effect? Little questions like that are made perfectly clear without all the tediousness you get in traditional reference books. Everything is written with a sense of humor so it's readable too.

If this book can help good writers, I think it should be a great help for average or worse writers too. Good stuff.

21 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Do you find some details of English confusing?, September 16, 2008

By 

Stephenie Frederick - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Clean, Well-Lighted Sentences: A Guide to Avoiding the Most Common Errors in Grammar and Punctuation (Hardcover)

If you care even a tiny bit about communicating with others of your species, or at least impressing them, GET THIS BOOK! Clean, Well-lighted Sentences is an easy-to-use look-up source that takes only a few seconds per error to use. In fact, I just used it to move "only" to the right of "takes," where it belongs. Look up your mistakes (the index is fantastic), read the lovely, funny explanations, make the corrections - and you're good to go without feeling like an idiot. I can't recommend the book highly enough - and because of its delightful tone, it actually makes a good Christmas or birthday gift.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Very good and an easy read, October 30, 2008

By 

John Gary (San Jose, CA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Clean, Well-Lighted Sentences: A Guide to Avoiding the Most Common Errors in Grammar and Punctuation (Hardcover)

This is a nice book, pleasure reading and learning something that I can use on almost a daily basis. I haven't been in an English class for A LONG TIME but I need to write for work every day. This book has truly helped me to write more clearly and stop making some of the common mistakes a lot of us make and don't even realize we're making. I'm glad I bought it, it has become my desk reference also.