BOOK REVIEW – My Grammar And I… Or Should That Be Me?

I was raised by an English teacher (my Mom). She always told to use correct English. My oldest son, fifteen, often refers to “old school” ways and things, which is why I was curious about the new Reader’s Digest Blackboard Books title “My Grammar And I… Or Should That Be Me?. The book is subtitled “Old School Ways to Improve Your English”.

MY GRAMMAR AND I… OR SHOULD THAT BE ME?

• Author:  J.A. Wines and Caroline Taggart
• Publication Date: 2009-07-09
• Hardcover: 176 pages
• Language: English
• Publisher: Readers Digest (June 25, 2009)
• US $14.95 |
• ISBN-10: 1606520261
• ISBN-13: 978-1606520260

ABOUT THE BOOK

For anyone who has ever been stumped by apostrophes or the difference between they’re their, and there, here’s a practical, humorous guide on how to avoid language pitfalls. Gain confidence as a speaker and writer with this refresher course on:

• Spelling and Confusables: Many of us confuse always and all ways, anyone and any one, everyday and every day. As a general rule, one word tends to be an adjective, while two words form the noun. Now you’ll be able to get it all right, alright?
• Parts of Speech: Once you recall that possessive pronouns never— repeat never— need an apostrophe, you’ll know that it’s correct to say, “The dog is chewing on its bone, so it’s safe to walk by him. ”
• Sentence Structure: Let us ponder the subject, or object, of “I” and “me. ” I = subject and me = object, which means I is the person doing the action and me is the person the verb is acting upon. I telephoned Jim (because I performed the action) and Jim rang me back (because Jim performed the action).
• Punctuation: Take a deep breath, because you’re about to learn where a comma goes. Historically, the comma marks a short pause, a place where you might pause for breath after reading a fragment of text aloud.
  This old joke illustrates the point: “A college professor wrote on his blackboard: a woman without her man is nothing. He then asked his students to punctuate the sentence. All of the males in the class wrote: a woman, without her man, is nothing. All of the females in the class wrote: a woman: without her, man is nothing. ”
• Elements of Style: Usually double negatives are wrong, such as “I didn’t do nothing right. ” But sometimes they’re permissible—indeed, useful—when they convey nuances of meaning. For example, “I can’t not come if you’re singing, ” might initially sound wrong. But it could mean, “I don’t want to come, but I’m obliged to if you are singing, ” or “I wouldn’t miss your singing for the world. ”

And, for those grammar know-it-alls, there are entertaining “Smart Aleck” trivia boxes, anecdotes, witticisms, and more. Clever and informative, this is the ideal gift for all English-language sticklers.

MY THOUGHTS
I received a copy of the book My Grammar And I… Or Should That Be Me?. I knew the book truly was old school when early on I saw a rule pertaining to the differences between the words principle and principal that I remember well – the principal is your pal. The book covers parts of speech, grammar and usage. The book is written in easy to understand language and contains many examples of commonly made errors. I love the chapter on punctuation because it contains a number of pages on the usage of commas. You see, my Mom (a retired English teacher) says I have comma-itis. The book doesn’t have a recommended age but in my opinion it’s appropriate for anyone in middle school or higher. This book would make a great reference book to have at home, school or office.
MORE INFO
Blackboard Books on Facebook
Reader’s Digest Trade Publishing website
The product featured was provided free of cost to me for the sole purpose of product testing and review. This post has not been monetarily compensated and is based on the views and opinions of my family and/or self. Please note that the opinions reflected in this post have not been influenced by the sponsor in any way.