Grammar reference books are everywhere and I must admit that it’s hard just to buy one. I have more than a dozen books about grammar on my shelf, and each one is different. I am also quite fond of grammar books written by Americans because the contents can be humorous and the explanations are clear and unambiguous.
Here is an assorted list of English and American grammar books (including books on punctuation) that I enjoy using and reading. NLB is a good source for such books and you can always order what you can’t find at NLB from Amazon.com
1. Grammar for smart people by Barry Tarshis.
2. Nitty Gritty Grammar & More Nitty Gritty Grammar by Edith H. Fine & Judith P. Josephson.
3. The deluxe transitive vampire: A handbook of grammar for the innocent, the eager and the doomed by Karen Elizabeth Gordon. (lots of ghoulish fun!)
4. The new well tempered sentence: A punctuation handbook for the innocent, the eager, and the doomed by Karen Elizabeth Gordon.
5. Grammatically correct: The writer's essential guide to punctuation, spelling, style, usage and grammar by Anne Stilman.
6. Grammar power by Jane Schwartz.
7. Polish up your punctuation and grammar: master the basics of the English language and writer with greater confidence by Marion Field.
8. English grammar for dummies by Geraldine Woods ( surprisingly helpful!)
9. English as it is broken. (Book 2 is particularly helpful especially the section entitled School Daze).
10. Oxford A-Z of grammar and punctuation.
11. English grammar FAQs: 100 questions teachers and students frequently ask by Leong Ping Alvin & Ludwig Tan (NIE) ( very useful reference book for all teachers).
12. A visual grammar of English by Lubna Alsagoff.
13. The elements of style by William Strunk and E.B. White. (The classic reference that should be in every teacher’s collection).
14. Longman dictionary of grammar & usage by Kam Chuan Aik & Kam Kai Hui (comes with an accompanying workbook too).
15. A reference grammar for students of English by RA Close.
16. Techniques and resources in teaching grammar (Teaching techniques in English as a Second Language) by Marianne Celce-Murcia & Sharon Hilles. ( A good reference book on teaching grammar).
Some books for younger children. These are useful and full of fun.
L is for Lollygag: Quirky words for a clever tongue from Chronicle Books.
Woe is I Jr.: The younger grammarphobe's guide to English in plain English
Author: Patricia T. O'Conner
The girl's like spaghetti: Why, you can't manage without apostrophes!
Eats, shoots and leaves: Why commas really do make a difference
Author: Lynne Truss (a useful picture book about punctuation)
Well, there you are. The holidays are a good time to stock up on useful books especially when the Great Singapore Sale is on. Have fun!
I like your recommendations. I am taking up a writing class and requires me to read GRAMMATICALLY CORRECT - ANNE STILMAN. I plan to keep this book after. Do you know where I can find this in Singapore - used copy is fine too. Or can I only get it from Amazon?
ReplyDeleteHi, thanks for your comment. You can get a copy of Anne Stilman's book at NLB. Why don't you borrow it and browse through it before buying a copy?
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