The Grammar Guidebook: A Complete Reference Tool for Young Writers, Aspiring Rhetoricians, and Anyone Else Who Needs to Understand How English Works (Second Edition, Revised) (Grammar for the Well-Trained Mind)

Book excerpt: On its own or as a supplement to the Grammar for the Well-Trained Mind program, this complete compendium of grammar rules and examples will become an indispensable guide to writing—throughout high school, into college, and beyond. With a new name, but the same, thorough, clearly-outlined rules of English Grammar, The Grammar Guidebook is the second edition to The Comprehensive Handbook of Rules. Originally designed to accompany the Grammar for the Well-Trained Mind program, this Grammar Guidebook stands on its own, assembling into one handy reference work all of the principles that govern the English language—from basic definitions (“A noun is the name of a person, place, thing, or idea”) through advanced sentence structure and analysis. Each rule is illustrated with examples drawn from great literature, along with classic and contemporary works of science, history, and mathematics. Grammar for the Well-Trained Mind is an innovative program that combines the three essential elements of language learning: understanding and memorizing rules (prescriptive teaching), repeated exposure to examples of how those rules are used (descriptive instruction), and practice using those rules in exercises and in writing (practical experience). Each year, parents and teachers go through the dialogue, rules, and examples in the Core Instructor Text; students follow along in the Student Workbook. This repetition solidifies the concepts, definitions, and examples in the student’s mind. There are four Student Workbooks, one for each year. Each Student Workbook contains the same rules and examples—but four completely different sets of exercises and assignments, allowing students to develop a wide-ranging knowledge of how the rules and examples are put to use in writing. Each Student Workbook comes with its own Key, providing not only answers, but also explanations for the parent/instructor, and guidance as to when the answers might be ambiguous (as, in English, they often are). All of the rules covered, along with the repeated examples for each, are assembled for ongoing reference in The Grammar Guidebook. Use Grammar for the Well-Trained Mind to teach English grammar thoroughly, effectively, and with confidence—no matter what your background or experience!