The Infographic Guide to Grammar

July 1, 2020
Maybe it's ironic to explain grammatical principles with images instead of wor[ds, but who cares? It works here, marvelously. In 50 infographic spreads, Kern explains the basics of grammar, with an emphasis on common usage rules that can be bent and mistakes that should be avoided, all to help speakers and writers communicate more clearly. Chapters cover parts of speech, sentences, punctuation?the usual contents of a grammar guide. The layout is where The Infographic Guide to Grammar stands out: there is a chart that displays the twelve verb tenses, a subject-verb agreement cheat sheet, and a table of commonly misused phrases (and the corrected versions), to name a few. Kern also points out that they/their is an acceptable singular possessive and that the serial comma is optional, and clarifies the difference between it's/its, affect/effect, lie/lay, and many more. With its clear presentation and abundance of helpful tips, this would be an excellent addition to collections that serve English-language learners, high-school and college students, and writers of all stripes looking to improve their style.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2020, American Library Association.)