Making Sense: The Glamorous Story of English Grammar

InMakingSense,DavidCrystalconfrontsthefoeofmany:grammar.OncetaughtrelentlesslytoallstudentsintheEnglish-speakingworld,grammardisappearedfrommostschoolcurricula,sothattermssuchas"preposition"and"conjunction"nowoftenconfoundchildrenandadultsalike.Explainingthenutsandboltsofgrammarpresentsaspecialchallenge,because-farmorethanisthecasewithspellingandpunctuation-thesubjectisburdenedwithacenturies-oldhistoryofeducationalpracticethatmanywillrecallasanythingbutglamorous.Oneoftheworld'sforemostauthoritiesontheEnglishlanguage,Crystalsetsouttoridgrammarofitsundeservedreputationasadryandintimidatingsubject,pointingouthowessentialgrammaristoclearandeffectivespeechandwriting.Hemovesbrisklythroughthestagesbywhichchildrenacquiregrammar,alongthewaydemystifyinggrammar'srulesandirregularitiesandshowingushowtonavigateitssnaresandpitfalls.Heoffersthefascinatinghistoryofgrammar,explaininghowithasevolvedfromthefirstgrammariansinancientGreecetoour21stcenturydigitalenvironmentofblogging,emailing,andtexting.Manyfindgrammartobeadauntingsubject,butinthisbreezy,entertainingbook,Crystalprovesthatgrammardoesn'tneedtomakeusuneasy-wecanallmakesenseofhowwemakesense.