We all know the basics of punctuation. Or do we? A look at most neighborhood signage tells a different story. Through sloppy usage and low standards on the internet, in email, and now text messages, we have made proper punctuation an endangered species. In Eats, Shoots & Leaves, former editor Lynne Truss dares to say, in her delightfully urbane, witty, and very English way, that it is time to look at our commas and semicolons and see them as the wonderful...

"Verbs are easier to show than explain! Luckily, this 20th anniversary edition is chock-full of them. Updated design elements, Try It! features, and brand-new back matter make this a must-have for readers learning about verbs"--

For students who want to learn the nuts and bolts of English grammar

A generation ago, the United States public school system stopped formal instruction in English grammar and consequently created a legion of students and professionals notoriously weak in writing and language skills.

English Grammar for the Utterly Confusedis a must-have for anyone who gets that "deer-in-the-headlights" look when asked to recognize a

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The founder of a popular weekly podcast shares comprehensive explanations for troublesome grammar rules in a resource complemented by memory tricks, word-choice guidelines, and e-mail tips.

The word bitch conjures many images for many people, but it is most often meant to describe an unpleasant woman. Even before its usage to mean a female canine, bitch didn't refer to gender at all--it originated as a gender-neutral word meaning genitalia. A perfectly innocuous word devolving into a female insult is the case for tons more terms, including hussy--which simply meant housewife--or slut, which meant an untidy person and was also used to...

"A revised and updated new edition of the bestselling workbook and grammar guideThe Blue Book of Grammar and Punctuation is a concise, entertaining workbook and guide to English grammar, punctuation, and usage. This user-friendly resource includes simple explanations of grammar, punctuation, and usage; scores of helpful examples; dozens of reproducible worksheets; and pre- and post-tests to help teach grammar to students of all ages. Appropriate for...

"Playful puns and comical cartoon cats combine to show, not tell, readers what prepositions are all about. This 20th anniversary edition includes brand-new design details, fun back matter, and hands-on Try It! features"--

A surprising and entertaining explanation of how the words we use (even the ones we don't notice) reveal our personalities, emotions, and identities.
We spend our lives communicating. In the last fifty years, we've zoomed through radically different forms of communication, from typewriters to tablet computers, text messages to tweets. We generate more and more words with each passing day. Hiding in that deluge of language are amazing insights...

This is a new kind of dictionary, one that reflects the use of "rhythm rhymes" by rappers, poets, and songwriters of today.

" Do you wake up feeling rough? Then you're philogrobolized. Find yourself pretending to work? That's fudgelling. And this could lead to rizzling, if you feel sleepy after lunch. Though you are sure to become a sparkling deipnosopbist by dinner. Just don't get too vinomadefied; a drunk dinner companion is never appreciated. The Horologicon (or book of hours) contains the most extraordinary words in the English language, arranged according to what...