One Day in the Life of the English Language: A Microcosmic Usage Handbook

Description

Generations of student writers have been subjected to usage handbooks that proclaim, "This is the correct form. Learn it"--books that lay out a grammar, but don't inspire students to use it. By contrast, this antihandbook handbook, presenting some three hundred sentences drawn from the printed works of a single, typical day in the life of the langu

Frank L. Cioffi is professor of English at Baruch College, City University of New York, and has taught writing at Princeton and Indiana universities and at Bard and Scripps colleges. He is the author of The Imaginative Argument: A Practical Manifesto for Writers (Princeton), among other books.

One of Choice's Outstanding Academic Titles for 2016 "This little volume has several things going for it: it's compact, bound in the style of an industrial manual, so it can take a lot of punishment."--Mary Norris, Times Literary Supplement "Cioffi effectively employs a fast-paced narrative style that readers will find entertaining and insightful."--Teaching Matters Monthly "The work is accessible, fun to read, and packed with helpful information on almost every page. It will appeal to a wide audience--not only those who love grammar but also those who do not."--Library Journal "For readers at any level who are seeking to improve their written English, One Day in the Life of the English Language helps to make grammar relatable and rewarding... A creative alternative for students of all ages."--Sarah Powell, Reference Reviews "Cioffi has created a different kind of grammar handbook, one that not only lays out the 'rules' of Standard English but also makes readers more sensitive to language and so better able to communicate ideas... He used the material in this book in a freshman composition course, to good effect, and readers will find that this clever book sharpens their awareness."--Choice