A Grammar Book for You and I (Oops, Me):
All the Grammar You Need to Succeed in Life
by C. Edward Good

A Grammar Book for You and I (Oops, Me): All the Grammar You Need to Succeed in Life

Ok, what's the Great Lakes Geek doing reading a grammar book? That's not tech or science.

No but it is important to speak and write properly when you need to. In this day of short message services, texting to BFFs and a preference for speed rather than grammar in e-mail, proper grammar can make you stand out.

And improper grammar can brand you as uneducated. (Yes, I know I started that sentence with a conjunction, but it's allowed. Read the book!)

The good sisters at St. Margaret Mary gave me a very good start in grammar but with relaxed societal expectations, built-in spelling and grammar checkers and eagle-eyed editors at Inside Business Magazine I felt that I had lost some of my grammar chops.

This book is very thorough (430 pages!) - too thorough for someone like me who just wanted some of my tricky grammar issues clarified. So I scanned a lot of it and read carefully when the author discussed some of my problem areas.

I was reminded that affect is (usually) a verb and effect is (usually) a noun.

I learned that making a singular noun that ends in s possessive requires an apostrophe and another s. So 'My boss's dog' is correct. Plural words ending in s just get an apostrophe to show possession as in 'The dogs' bones' when referring to more than one dog.

I was reminded when to use which and when to use that.

I confirmed that "You and me went to the movies" not "You and I' because you use the objective case when two pronouns are linked by and or or.

And so on. (Yes, that's a fragment)

The author is an attorney in DC who teaches other attorneys how to write and speak properly. (insert your own joke here)

If it's been a while since you brushed up on your grammar and/or you have been a little lazy in your speech and writing, this book can give you a quick refresher. Not to mention, keeping your participles from dangling.

What are you reading?  Let us know at dan@greatlakesgeek.com