Part I: Building a Firm Foundation: Grammar Basics 5

Chapter 1: Finding the Right Verb at the Right Time 7

Chapter 2: Got a Match? Pairing Subjects and Verbs Correctly 23

Chapter 3: Who Is She, and What Is It? Pronoun Basics 39

Chapter 4: Having It All: Writing Complete Sentences 53

Part II: Mastering Mechanics 71

Chapter 5: Pausing to Consider the Comma 73

Chapter 6: A Hook That Can Catch You: Apostrophes 87

Chapter 7: "Let Me Speak!" Quotation Marks 97

Chapter 8: Hitting the Big Time: Capital Letters 107

Part III: Applying Proper Grammar in Tricky Situations 117

Chapter 9: Choosing the Best Pronoun: Case, Number, and Clarity 119

Chapter 10: Tensing Up: Choosing the Right Verb for Tricky Sentences 143

Chapter 11: Are You and Your Verbs in the Right Mood? 157

Chapter 12: Writing for Electronic Media 165

Part IV: Upping the Interest: Describing and Comparing 175

Chapter 13: Writing Good or Well: Adjectives and Adverbs 177

Chapter 14: Going on Location: Placing Descriptions Correctly 187

Chapter 15: For Better or Worse: Forming Comparisons 201

Part V: Improving Your Writing Style 219

Chapter 16: Staying on Track: Parallel Writing 221

Chapter 17: The Writing Diet: Adding Spice and Cutting Fat from Your Sentences 237

Chapter 18: Steering Clear of Tricky Word Traps 247

Part VI: The Part of Tens 259

Chapter 19: Ten Overcorrections 261

Chapter 20: Ten Errors to Avoid at All Costs 265

Appendix: Grabbing Grammar Goofs 269

Index 299