By learning more about grammar, we begin to understand how words combine to form sentences. The rules and mechanics of grammar are also essential to ensuring that we are pervaying the intended meaning, as we explore the sense and contexts of literature. In these books, you'll find introductions that should start you on your way to understanding the rules and mechanics of grammar.
by Paul J. Hopper. W.W. Norton & Company. From the publisher: "Recognizing that the goal of the grammar course is to improve students’ grasp of American English grammar, and not to make students into linguists, Paul Hopper has written a streamlined, concise textbook. He avoids getting caught up in details that are interesting to linguists but confusing to students, keeping his steady focus on presenting material as briefly and as clearly as possible."More »by Patricia T. O'Conner. Riverhead Trade. From the publisher: "Charming, amusing, sensible, modern, this book is a gift of clarity and good humor. Most of us don't know a gerund from a gerbil and don't care, but we like to speak and write as though we did. Grammar is mysterious to each of us in a different way. Some very smart people mess up pronouns, and there are brilliant souls who can't spell."More »by Hilary Hillier. Palgrave. From the publisher: "This book is intended for anyone studying the way the English Language is used in "real" texts. Hillier presents a series of principled and fully-explicated research studies, selecting linguistic frameworks as appropriate from discourse, grammar, phonetics and phonology, and demonstrating their application to texts ranging from literary narrative to informal talk. It shows what might be done..."More »by Michael A.K. Halliday and Christian Matthiessen. Oxford University Press. From the publisher: "In this extensively revised third edition, Halliday and Matthiessen retain the organization and topical coverage of the earlier editions, while incorporating a considerable amount of new material. They give greater emphasis to the systemic perspective, in which grammaticalization is understood in the context of an overall model of language."More »by Elly Van Gelderen. John Benjamins Publishing Company. From the publisher: "This Introduction provides a lively and clearly written textbook. It introduces basic concepts of grammar in a format which inspires the reader to use linguistic arguments. The style of the book is engaging and examples from poetry, jokes, and puns illustrate grammatical concepts. The focus is on syntactic analysis and evidence."More »by Sidney Greenbaum and Gerald Nelson. Prentice Hall. From the publisher: "English language and its usage have become extremely emotive issues in recent years... 'An Introduction to English Grammar' is an invaluable guide to the study of English language in an accessible format. Beginning with an introduction chapter on the nature of grammar and on the varieties of English, Sidney Greenbaum moves on to provide an outline description of English grammar."More »by Koenraad Kuiper and W. Scott Allan. Natures Pub. From the publisher: "An Introduction to English Language is designed as a coursebook for students and teachers of English and introductory linguistics, which presupposes no prior knowledge of the sounds, words, sentences and meanings of English. Believing that the best way to learn is through listening and doing, the authors have packed this lively book full of worked examples and exercises drawn from a range of discourses..."More »by Rodney Huddleston. Cambridge University Press. From the publisher: "Written for students without knowledge of linguistics and unfamiliar with "traditional" grammar, this text concentrates on providing a much needed foundation in Standard English in preparation for more advanced work in theoretical linguistics."More »by J. Schmidt. Addison-Wesley Longman. From the publisher: "This innovative text is a through communication-based introduction to English grammar. Each lesson starts with a dialog or a reading passage which introduces grammar in context. The four language skills areas (listening, speaking, reading, and writing) are developed through a variety of exercises and activities..."More »10. Flash Review for Introduction to English Grammar
by Blanche Ellsworth, John A. Higgins and Janice Wiggins-Clarke. Longman Publishing Group. From the publisher: "With Flash Review on your side, studying grammar is a snap! Designed by veteran educators, tested by real students for clarity and brevity, Flash Review for Introduction to Grammar uses crisp, to-the-point language and easy-to-remember summaries to lead you through every key concept and definition--and help you get primed for your exams, fast!"
