How to Speak and Write Correctly [Paperback]

Joseph Devlin (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 115362950X | ISBN-13: 978-1153629508 | Publication Date: March 7, 2010

The book has no illustrations or index. Purchasers are entitled to a free trial membership in the General Books Club where they can select from more than a million books without charge. Subjects: English language; Language Arts

Product Details

• Paperback: 90 pages
• Publisher: General Books LLC (March 7, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 115362950X
• ISBN-13: 978-1153629508
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 5.9 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (14 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,493,700 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

120 of 125 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Practical, Precise and Concise Grammar Book, October 21, 2010

By 

Terri J. Rice "ricepaper" (WA United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: How To Speak And Write Correctly (Hardcover)

This little book at under 150 pages is practical and precise.

If you've forgotten your grammar lessons, it begins by explaining the rudimentary parts of speech: noun, verb, pronoun, adjective, adverb.

Then it move on to the sentence. What makes a sentence a sentence and not a clause; and just what is the difference between a clause and a phrase. Do you know!? I do now! Joseph Devlin tells us, "Apart from their grammatical construction there can be no fixed rules for the formation of sentences. The best plan is to follow the best authors and these masters of language will guide you safely along the way."

The essential paragraph allows you to contain all the thoughts on a single idea in one area and then blessedly separate it from the next bit of writing. "A solid page of printed matter is distasteful to the reader, it taxes the eye and tends towards the weariness of monotony..."

There is a chapter devoted to figurative language: simile, metaphor, personification, allegory, synecdoche, metonymy, hyperbole... Really essential components to make writing interesting.

Then Devlin delves into puncutation.

You get the idea, a concise book that covers a truck load of good grammar taught well.

141 of 148 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Mildly old fashioned but concise and to the point guide to english, September 4, 2010

By 

andys "andys" (Dublin, IE) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: How to Speak and Write Correctly (Kindle Edition)

This seems to be a pretty comprehensive guide to English grammar which is to the point. There are plenty of useful examples and it covers common mistakes as well as how to write and speak clearly.

Best of all it's free. What's not to like?

99 of 107 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A bit dated but still pretty helpful and useful!, September 22, 2010

By 

N. Hawkins "whereishawkins" (Chicago) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: How to Speak and Write Correctly (Kindle Edition)

It's been probably over 20 years since I've had anything resembling a lesson on grammar or proper sentence construction, so I looked at this and thought, hey, a free book - why not?

The book shows a bit on the age - proper use of the word "thou," for example (however, I think we should bring it back.) However I did find it useful to read and review to make sure I didn't make the same mistakes for the last 20 years, and thus, feel like an idiot.

The best part is that the book's free, which makes it go from "I'd never buy this" to a "must have," even if it's for quick reference.