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It was the best of sentences, it was the worst of sentences : a writer's guide to crafting killer sentences /

By: Casagrande, June.
Publisher: Berkeley, Ca. : Ten Speed Press, c2010Description: ix, 214 p. ; 18 cm.ISBN: 9781580087407; 158008740X.Subject(s): English language -- Sentences -- Problems, exercises, etc | English language -- Grammar | English language -- Writing | Creative writingDDC classification: 808.042
Contents:
The sentence : the writer's most important tool -- Who cares? Making sentences meaningful to your readers -- Conjunctions that kill : subordination -- Movable objects : understanding phrases and clauses -- Size matters : short versus long sentences -- Words gone wild : sentences that say nothing -- Words gone mild : choosing specific words over vague ones -- A frequently overstated case : the truth about adverbs -- Are your relatives essential? Relative clauses -- Antique desk suitable for lady with thick legs and large drawers : prepositional phrases -- Danger danger : participles and other danglers -- The writing was ignored by the reader : passives -- You will have been conjugating : other matters of tense -- The being and the doing are the killing of your writing : nominalizations -- The the : not-so-definite definite articles -- The writer and his father lamented his ineptitude : unclear antecedents -- To know them is to hate them : faulty and funky parallels -- Taking the punk out of punctuation : the problem with semicolons and parentheses -- You don't say : descriptive quotation attributions -- Trimming the fat : expressions that weigh down your sentences -- The major overhaul : streamlining even the most problematic sentences -- On breaking the 'rules" : knowing when to can the canons.
Item type Current location Call number Copy number Status Date due Barcode Item holds
Standard Loan Main Lending Collection 808.042 CAS (Browse shelf) 1 Available 0063782
Total holds: 0

Enhanced descriptions from Syndetics:

In this wickedly humorous manual, language columnist June Casagrande uses grammar and syntax to show exactly what makes some sentences great--and other sentences suck.

Great writing isn't born, it's built--sentence by sentence. But too many writers--and writing guides--overlook this most important unit. The result? Manuscripts that will never be published and writing careers that will never begin.

With chapters on "Conjunctions That Kill" and "Words Gone Wild," this lighthearted guide is perfect for anyone who's dead serious about writing, from aspiring novelists to nonfiction writers, conscientious students to cheeky literati. So roll up your sleeves and prepare to craft one bold, effective sentence after another. Your readers will thank you.

Includes index.

The sentence : the writer's most important tool -- Who cares? Making sentences meaningful to your readers -- Conjunctions that kill : subordination -- Movable objects : understanding phrases and clauses -- Size matters : short versus long sentences -- Words gone wild : sentences that say nothing -- Words gone mild : choosing specific words over vague ones -- A frequently overstated case : the truth about adverbs -- Are your relatives essential? Relative clauses -- Antique desk suitable for lady with thick legs and large drawers : prepositional phrases -- Danger danger : participles and other danglers -- The writing was ignored by the reader : passives -- You will have been conjugating : other matters of tense -- The being and the doing are the killing of your writing : nominalizations -- The the : not-so-definite definite articles -- The writer and his father lamented his ineptitude : unclear antecedents -- To know them is to hate them : faulty and funky parallels -- Taking the punk out of punctuation : the problem with semicolons and parentheses -- You don't say : descriptive quotation attributions -- Trimming the fat : expressions that weigh down your sentences -- The major overhaul : streamlining even the most problematic sentences -- On breaking the 'rules" : knowing when to can the canons.

Table of contents provided by Syndetics

  • Acknowledgments (p. ix)
  • Introduction: The Sentence: The Writer's Most Important Tool (p. 1)
  • Chapter 1 Who Cares? Making Sentences Meaningful to Your Reader (p. 7)
  • Chapter 2 Conjunctions that Kill: Subordination (p. 15)
  • Chapter 3 Movable Objects: Understanding Phrases and Clauses (p. 29)
  • Chapter 4 Size Matters: Short versus Long Sentences (p. 36)
  • Chapter 5 Words Gone Wild: Sentences that Say Nothing-or Worse (p. 53)
  • Chapter 6 Words Gone Mild: Choosing Specific Words Over Vague Ones (p. 61)
  • Chapter 7 A Frequently Overstated Case: The Truth about Adverbs (p. 65)
  • Chapter 8 Are Your Relatives Essential? Relative Clauses (p. 72)
  • Chapter 9 Antique Desk Suitable for Lady with Thick Legs and Large Drawers: Prepositional Phrases (p. 80)
  • Chapter 10 Dangler Danger: Participles and Other Danglers (p. 85)
  • Chapter 11 The Writing was Ignored by the Reader: Passives (p. 90)
  • Chapter 12 You Will Have Been Conjugating: Other Matters of Tense (p. 98)
  • Chapter 13 The Being and The Doing are The Killing of Your Writing: Nominalizations (p. 107)
  • Chapter 14 The The: Not-so-Definite Definite Articles (p. 112)
  • Chapter 15 The Writer and His Father Lamented his Ineptitude: Unclear Antecedents (p. 116)
  • Chapter 16 To know Them is to Hating Them: Faulty and Funky Parallels (p. 122)
  • Chapter 17 Taking The Punk out of Punctuation: The Problem with Semicolons and Parentheses (p. 125)
  • Chapter 18 You Don't Say: Descriptive Quotation Attributions (p. 131)
  • Chapter 19 Trimming The Fat: Expressions That Weigh Down Your Sentences (p. 134)
  • Chapter 20 The Major Overhaul: Streamlining Even the Most Problematic Sentences (p. 149)
  • Chapter 21 On Breaking the "Rules": Knowing When to can the Canons (p. 164)
  • Appendix 1 Grammar for Writers (p. 167)
  • Appendix 2 Punctuation Basics for Writers (p. 191)
  • Appendix 3 The Deadliest Catches: The Most Incriminating Errors and How to Avoid Them (p. 204)
  • About the Author (p. 208)
  • Index (p. 209)

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