Grammar to Get Things Done

Darren Crovitz is Professor of English and English Education and the Director of English Education at Kennesaw State University, USA.Michelle D. Devereaux is Assistant Professor of English and English Education at Kennesaw State University, USA.

• PrefaceAcknowledgmentsChapter One: IntroductionDefining GrammarGrammarUsageMechanicsA Very Short History of Grammar and Usage in the English LanguageA Very Short History of Modern Grammar InstructionApproaches to Grammar: Prescriptive, Descriptive, and RhetoricalPrescriptive and Descriptive GrammarsRhetorical GrammarHow We Address Grammar(s) in This BookWhy Definitions?Form, Function, and UseParts of Speech or Lexical Categories?The Goal For All: Metalinguistic AwarenessReferencesChapter Two: Grammar and PowerWhat is Standard English?Moralizing LanguageGrammar(s) and Power, Society, and IdentityPowerSocietyIdentityCritical Awareness and Grammar InstructionFurther ReadingReferencesChapter Three: Teaching Grammar IntentionallyGrammar as an Integrated Element of Broader DesignAuthority, Control, and Punishment (Sample Integrated Unit #1)Specific Grammar Concepts for This UnitPassive (and Active) VoiceSentence Modifiers: Absolute PhrasesWhat Counts as Intelligence (Sample Integrated Unit #2)Specific Grammar Concepts for This Unit"To Be" Verbs and Sentence FormsComplex Sentence StructuresHow to Plan for Specific Grammar IntegrationCorrection and Grammar Instruction: Using Student Work DiagnosticallyGeneral Issues and What They MeanPassage- and Paragraph-Level Patterns and What They MeanChoppyAwkward or DisorganizedVague or UnderdevelopedContext UnclearRedundantWordySentence-Level Patterns and What They MeanRun-Ons, Splices, and FragmentsAgreement IssuesWord ChoicePunctuation IssuesConclusionReferencesChapter Four: Grammatical ConceptsIntroduction: What It Is, and What It Ain'tStructure of Chapter FourLimitations of Chapter FourUnit One: Sentences and Sentence TypesThe SentenceOverviewForm and FunctionTypical Form ExercisesFocusing on Use: How Sentences are Useful in Actual CommunicationExperimenting with the SentenceScenario 1: Food FightScenario 2: Gotta Get That MoneyScenario 3: Different Kinds of BossesNon-Sentences and Their UsesOverviewFormFragments and FunctionSingle WordsPhrases and Other PhenomenaClausesFragments in UseRun-ons and FunctionRun-ons in UseTypical Form ExercisesFocusing on Use: How Non-Sentences are Useful in Actual CommunicationExperimenting with Fragments and Run-OnsScenario 1: Ghost StoriesScenario 2: Thirty Seconds of Face TimeScenario 3: Advertising Your TownScenario 4: Remixing the Mocking Run-OnSimple SentencesOverviewFormFunctionTypical Form ExercisesFocusing on Use: How Simple Sentences are Useful in Actual CommunicationExperimenting with Simple SentencesScenario 1: TestifyScenario 2: Honest and DirectScenario 3: A Real ApologyScenario 4: Ending a RelationshipCompound Sentences and ConjunctionsOverviewFormFunctionYet, For, and NorTypical Form ExercisesFocusing on Use: How Compound Sentences are Useful in Actual CommunicationExperimenting with Compound SentencesScenario 1: Justice For AllScenario 2: Science Fiction Point-CounterpointScenario 3: Making a DealScenario 4: The Ironic "Yet"Scenario 5: The Memorable Well-Balanced LineScenario 6: The Dramatic Reason or ConsequenceComplex SentencesOverviewFormFunctionTypical Form ExercisesFocusing on Use: How Complex Sentences are Useful in Actual CommunicationExperimenting with Complex SentencesScenario 1: Friday Night PlansScenario 2: Carlee’s ConcoctionsScenario 3: Spirit FridayScenario 4a: Storybook SummarizerScenario 4b: Album BlurbsCompound-Complex SentencesOverviewFormFunctionTypical Form ExercisesFocusing on Use: How Compound-Complex Sentences are Useful in Actual CommunicationExperimenting with Compound-Complex SentencesScenario 1: Junk Food in SchoolScenario 2: Whiffleball GuidelinesScenario 3: Youth Court JudgeScenario 4: Who’s the WinnerActive and Passive VoiceOverviewFormVerb FormFunctionTypical Form ExercisesFocusing on Use: How Active Voice is Useful in Actual CommunicationFocusing on Use: How Passive Voice is Useful in Actual CommunicationAvoiding blame or guiltEmphasizing a different subject for a particular reasonNews reportingDistancing the doer intentionally for political reasonsExperimenting with Passive VoiceScenario 1: Grandpa’s (Formerly) Fine RideScenario 2: Party Post-MortemScenario 3: Fixing HeadlinesScenario 4: Apology or Non-Apology?Unit Two: ClausesDependent ClausesOverviewFormFunctionAdverbial ClausesDependent Clause RelationshipsPunctuating Adverbial ClausesAdjectival ClausesPunctuating Adjectival ClausesNominal ClausesSubjectsObjects of the Preposition**A Quick Refresher: Definitions of Direct Objects and Subject Complements**Subject ComplementsDirect ObjectsTypical Form ExercisesFocusing on Use: How Dependent Clauses are Useful in Actual CommunicationExperimenting with Dependent ClausesSpecific Function: ConcessionScenario 1a: Lucas Needs HelpScenario 1b: Pleading For LeniencySpecific Function: ContrastScenario 2a: You’re Wearing That?!Scenario 2b: Adopting a RoleSpecific Function: ReasonScenario 3: Let’s Make a DealSpecific Function: ConditionScenario 4: No More BankrollingUnit Three: PhrasesAppositive PhrasesOverviewForm and FunctionPunctuation and AppositivesTypical Form ExercisesFocusing on Use: How Appositive Phrases are Useful in Actual CommunicationExperimenting with Appositive PhrasesScenario 1: Exposing the TruthScenario 2: Condensing the DetailsScenario 3: Piling on the DescriptionParticipial PhrasesOverviewFormFunctionPunctuation and Participial PhrasesTypical Form ExercisesFocusing on Use: How Participials are Useful in Actual CommunicationImplicationSpecificityCausationExperimenting with Participial PhrasesScenario 1: Game DesignerScenario 2: Stage DirectorScenario 3: The Impact of ExperienceScenario 4a: Helping People Make the Connection, Part 1Scenario 4b: Helping People Make the Connection, Part 2Absolute PhrasesOverviewFormWhat to RememberFunctionExplaining a Cause or ConditionAdding Detail or a Focal PointTypical Form ExercisesFocusing on Use: How Absolute Phrases are Useful in Actual CommunicationExperimenting with Absolute PhrasesScenario 1: Game DesignerScenario 2: Encounter with Fame (A Celebrity, Politician, or Athlete)Scenario 3: Moment of GrowthGerundsOverviewFormFunctionTypical Form ExercisesFocusing on Use: How Gerunds are Useful in Actual CommunicationExperimenting with GerundsScenario 1: Xtreme AdventuresScenario 2: Viral Meme CreationScenario 3: Helping the NoobsInfinitivesOverviewFormDangling InfinitivesFunctionInfinitives as AdjectivesInfinitives as AdverbsInfinitives as NounsTypical Form ExercisesFocusing on Use: How Infinitives are Useful in Actual CommunicationExperimenting with InfinitivesScenario 1: Sometimes Tentative is GoodScenario 2: The Villain’s SpeechScenario 3: The Artist InsidePrepositionsOverviewFormThe Prepositional PhraseCommon PrepositionsFunctionAdverbially and AdjectivallyPrepositions or Subordinating Conjunctions?Never End a Sentence With a Preposition…Typical Form ExercisesFocusing on Use: How Prepositions are Useful in Actual CommunicationExperimenting with PrepositionsScenario 1a: The Secret PartyScenario 1b: The Virtual Reality ChallengeScenario 2: How to Respond?Scenario 3: The Suggestive TitleUnit Four: Lexical CategoriesNounsOverviewFormFunctionSubjectsObjects of the PrepositionDirect ObjectsIndirect ObjectsObject ComplementsSubject ComplementsTypical Form ExercisesFocusing on Use: How Nouns are Useful in Actual CommunicationNominalizationNoun VersatilityAdjectives Acting as NounsVerbs Acting as NounsExperimenting with NounsScenario 1: Titles That PopScenario 2: The Power of SummaryScenario 3: A Primer for BeginnersAction VerbsOverviewForm and FunctionTypical Form ExercisesFocusing on Use: How Action Verbs are Useful in Actual CommunicationVerbs for Precision and ConnotationAtypical Verbs and Their PossibilitiesProper Nouns Used as VerbsExperimenting with Action VerbsScenario 1: Communicating the IntangiblesScenario 2: Degrees of Exaggeration and UnderstatementScenario 3: Meme HuntingScenario 4: Energetic Film TitlesScenario 5a: Sports WritingScenario 5b: Reporting on a Sporting EventScenario 5c: Researching Sports Reporting LanguageOther VerbsOverviewFormActive Verbs: Transitive and IntransitiveTransitive Verbs and Direct ObjectsTransitive Verbs and Indirect ObjectsIntransitive VerbsLinking VerbsModals (one type of Helping Verb)FunctionTypical Form ExercisesFocusing on Use: How Verbs are Useful in Actual CommunicationExperimenting with Other VerbsScenario 1: Remixing SlogansScenario 2: Careful with AdviceScenario 3: Softening the CriticismAdjectivesOverviewFormComparative and Superlative Forms of Adjectives (Gradable Adjectives)Funner, or More Fun?FunctionSubject ComplementsObject ComplementsTypical Form ExercisesFocusing on Use: How Adjectives are Useful in Actual CommunicationMoving from Adjectives to Participles (Academic Language)Converting Adjectives to Action VerbsGetting More PreciseProper Nouns as AdjectivesExperimenting with AdjectivesScenario 1: Wild WaterScenario 2: Family StyleScenario 3: Saucy BusinessAdverbsOverviewForm and FunctionAdverbs of MannerAdverbs of PlaceAdverbs of FrequencyAdverbs of TimeAdverbs of PurposeAdverbs of ConditionModifying More Than VerbsTypical Form ExercisesFocusing on Use: How Adverbs are Useful in Actual CommunicationExperimenting with AdverbsScenario 1: Science Lab with ChetScenario 2: Refining Your Career InterestsScenario 3: Kebe is So MysteriousScenario 4: It’s OverPronounsOverviewFormPersonal PronounsIts and It’s, Me and IDemonstrative PronounsReciprocal PronounsInterrogative PronounsIndefinite PronounsReflexive PronounsRelative PronounsThe Trouble with WhomFunctionTypical Form ExercisesFocusing on Use: How Pronouns are Useful in Actual CommunicationRepetition, Tone, and VoiceDeterminersExperimenting with PronounsScenario 1: Bringing the People TogetherScenario 2: Updating the CreedScenario 3: Shaping the SceneUnit Five: PunctuationColonsOverviewForm and FunctionColon Function #1Colon Function #2Typical Form ExercisesFocusing on Use: How Colons are Useful in Actual CommunicationExperimenting with ColonsScenario 1: The Power of ListsScenario 2: Defining a TermScenario 3: The Final ReasonSemicolonsOverviewForm and FunctionSemicolon Function #1Semicolon Function #2Semicolon Function #3Typical Form ExercisesFocusing on Use: How Semicolons are Useful in Actual CommunicationExperimenting with SemicolonsScenario 1: Deep Dive Into DetailScenario 2: Defending Your HonorScenario 3: Elaborating on an IdeaScenario 4: Analyzing Political PosturingDashesOverviewFormDashes and ParenthesesDashes and DialogueDashes vs HyphensFunctionTypical Form ExercisesFocusing on Use: How Dashes are Useful in Actual CommunicationExperimenting with DashesScenario 1: Recreating the MomentScenario 2: It’s All in the DetailsScenario 3: Defending DonnieHyphensOverviewFormFunctionModifying NounsConnecting NumbersDescribing AgeJoining Words to Create a New ConceptAdding AffixesHyphen CaveatsTypical Form ExercisesFocusing on Use: How Hyphens are Useful in Actual CommunicationExperimenting with HyphensScenario 1: Harry Hates HyphensScenario 2: Destroying Some StereotypesScenario 3: Gaming LingoCommasOverviewForm and FunctionSpecific Comma FunctionsReferencesAppendixInnate UnderstandingsSuffixesGrammar RantsLanguage and PowerLanguage and Society/Language and IdentityGrammar(s) of Their WorldsOpen and Closed Word ClassesAnalyzing Grammar in ChunksPunctuationMore Thematic UnitsReferences