14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Clear and Concise, April 18, 2010
This review is from: English Grammar For Dummies (Paperback)
The attempt to amuse with silly examples wears thin after a while. That accounts for the four stars instead of five.
I bought it because it is required for a class I am taking. It explains English grammar clearly and simply. Short chapters and large type make this a 384 page book. It's equivalent to maybe 200 pages of a regular book. We are using it with the workbook, and they complement each other well. If you are really just reviewing your grammar, you might try getting just the workbook, which does have quick explanations at the beginning of each group of worksheets. The workbook also has correct answers for all of the worksheets, with explanations of why those answers are correct.
I think I slept through grammar, which was taught somewhere in my K-12 years, because I remember very little of it and had no real knowledge of things like gerunds or dangling participles. For me the book and workbook combo are working nicely.
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31 of 40 people found the following review helpful:
2.0 out of 5 stars
A Great Book For Bored English Lit. Majors!, August 27, 2010
This review is from: English Grammar For Dummies (Paperback)
Normally, I like "Dummies" books. Normally, I have no problem finishing a "Dummies" book. This is only the second time I have stopped reading a "Dummies" book before reaching the end...way before reaching the end. Like all grammar books, this one uses examples to illustrate the grammar rule being taught. Examples are crucial to teaching English grammar. Unfortunately, the examples in this book used such odd names, and had such odd events happening, that it was impossible for the reader to concentrate on the grammar rule being taught. While one certainly did not expect Ms. Woods to use names like Dick, Jane and Sally, one also did not expect to be constantly bombarded with names like Blathersby, Rugelach, Legghorn, Rumpus, Eggworthy, Grunhilda, Murgatroyd, Ludmilla, Ruggles, Ratrug, etc. (Although, Ratrug would be a very nice name for a ferret.) And what were some of the things our handsomely named individuals were doing? Oh, let's see: "Ledmilla's continual attempts to impress Ludwig were fruitless, including the fruit basket she sent him on Monday and the piranha she Fed-Exed on Tuesday." Or: "Shakey said that he had tossed the salad out the window. It hit a pedestrian, who sued for lettuce-related damage."
Who in the world was Ms. Woods thinking of when she wrote this book? Obviously, not individuals who failed to learn proper grammar in school, and are desperately trying to learn it now; or immigrants trying to learn proper English; or individuals reviewing grammar rules, because their middle-aged brain is kicking out so many of those rules. I particularly feel sorry for those who got this book to read aloud to someone trying to learn grammar. Oh well, maybe this book keeps bored English Lit. majors from falling asleep. I personally can't help but view it as an "exclusive" type of grammar book--not one for the average person. Or maybe it is simply silly. Whatever it is, you might want to try instead: "The Writer's Digest Grammar Desk Reference", Spiral-bound, (2005) by Gary Lutz and Diane Stevenson.
(This review was for the 2001 edition of "English Grammar For Dummies". One can only hope a new editor saw the problems with the 2001 edition and suggested changes for the 2010 edition; but one seriously doubts that, considering the way the book publishing world is these days. Apparently, a great number of the truly good book editors have either retired or died!)
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6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great to learn English for Speakers of Other Languages- You will be smug after reading it...LOL, April 20, 2011
This review is from: English Grammar For Dummies (Paperback)
I do not have very good grammar, as you may notice from my review, but believe me my grammar was a lot worse. The book is easy to read and good reference to keep. I am not a native English speaker but now I know many rules that natives don't know. Thanks to Ms. Woods. Now I have more confident when I speak or write way better than before. Actually, many of the rules make sense, Ms. Woods made them that way, the writer of that book nows how people think and what is the next question that come to your mind; therefore, she answer you questions if you keep reading. I recommended the book to other friends and I recommend it to you too. Fun and easy to read.
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