AMSCO SCHOOL PUBLICATIONS, INC.
315 Hudson Street, New York, N.Y. 10013
AMSCO
Contributing Editors
Auditi Chakravarty
Director of Language Arts
Amsco School Publications, Inc.
Bonnie Boehme
Editor
Nesbitt Graphics, Inc.
This book has been adapted from the following Amsco publications:
Building Power in Writing
By Henry I. Christ
English Alive: Complete Edition
By Harold Levine
Text and cover design: Nesbitt Graphics, Inc.
Composition: Nesbitt Graphics, Inc.
When ordering this book please specify:
Either R 798 W or GRAMMAR AND USAGE FOR BETTER WRITING
Please visit our Web site at www.amscopub.com
ISBN 1-56765-117-8
NYC Item 56765-117-7
Copyright © 2004 by Amsco School Publications, Inc.
No part of this book may be reproduced in any form without written permission from the
publisher.
Printed in the United States of America.
1 2 3 4 6 7 8 9 08 07 06 05 04
Contents
Introduction: How to Use This Book vii
Part
ONE

Review of Prepositions, Conjunctions, and Interjections 111
Part
TWO
Sentence Composition 115
Characteristics of Good Sentences 116
Comparing Sentences 117
Writing Sentences 120
Revising Sentences 121
Clear, Forceful Sentences 123
Conciseness (Economy) 123
Clarity and Specificity 126
Varying Sentences 132
Unity 145
Part
THREE
Common Usage Errors 149
Problems with Sentence Structure 150
Simple Sentences 150
Compound Sentences 151
Complex Sentences 152
Sentence Fragments 155
Run-on Sentences 164
Problems with Nouns 171
Plurals of Nouns 171
Possessives of Nouns 172
Problems with Verbs 175
Using the Correct Tense 175
Principal Parts of Verbs 177
Agreement of Subject and Verb 181
Troublesome Verb Pairs 185

The Topic Sentence 239
The Clincher Sentence 242
Developing a Paragraph with Reasons 244
Arranging the Reasons 245
Arranging the Reasons—Another Look 248
Developing a Paragraph with Examples 249
Varying Sentence Beginnings 253
Index 259
CONTENTS v

INTRODUCTION vii
How To Use This Book
Grammar and Usage for Better Writing is a basic workbook that can provide a founda-
tion for further study in English grammar and usage. It will benefit students who are learn-
ing the essentials for the first time as well as those who wish to review concepts they have
previously learned. The premise of this book is that understanding how language works
enables us to use it more effectively. This skill can enhance our personal communications,
schoolwork, and professional lives.
The workbook is organized into four major parts. The parts in turn consist of brief
lessons, each with explanations, examples, and practice to ensure that students understand
the concepts being introduced. The book is structured sequentially, with the most basic
elements—the parts of a sentence—introduced in Part One, followed by the composition
of sentences in Part Two. Part Three focuses on some common problems that people en-
counter when using English, and it places more emphasis on applying the rules. Students
who are new to grammar study should begin with Part One and work through each section
in order; more advanced students who already know the parts of speech may want to start
with Part Two and use the first section for reference.
Once writers learn the parts of sentences and how they work together to determine the
meaning and effect of a sentence, they can begin to understand what good writing is all
about. Part Four is designed to help students make the transition from crafting sentences to

.
We can also add the adverb painfully:
My sunburn itches painfully.
ADJ
.
N
.
V
.
ADV
.
If we should want to ask a question, we can begin with a verb. Here is a question made
up of the verb is, the noun sunburn, and the adjective painful.
Is sunburn painful?
V
.
N
.
ADJ
.
1
Part
ONE
Parts of Speech
Of course, we can expand this question. For example, we can add the adverb usually.
Is sunburn usually painful?
V
.
N
.

: Amelia Earhart.
Has your brother Tom found a summer job?
QUESTION
: About whom is the sentence asking something?
ANSWER
: your brother Tom.
SUBJECT
: your brother Tom.
Position of the Subject
The subject is usually found at the beginning of the sentence, but it can also appear in
other positions.
SUBJECT AT THE BEGINNING OF THE SENTENCE
:
An experienced pilot was at the controls at the time of the crash.
SUBJECT AT THE END OF THE SENTENCE
:
At the controls at the time of the crash was an experienced pilot.
4 PARTS OF SPEECH
SUBJECT WITHIN THE SENTENCE
:
At the time of the crash, an experienced pilot was at the controls.
Finding the Subject
A sure way to find the subject is to answer one or the other of these questions:
• About whom or about what is the sentence saying or asking something?
• Who or what is doing, or has done, or will do something?
Question 1:
What is the subject of the following sentence?
The score at the end of the quarter was 12–12.
Procedure:
Ask yourself: “About what is the sentence saying something?”

(The subject tells about what the sentence is asking something.)
THE SUBJECT 5
EXERCISE 1.
Write the subject in the space provided.
Sample:
The apples in the fruit bowl were all sour.
The apples in the fruit bowl
1. Next to the hardware store is a ski shop.
2. Will your father drive us to the game?
3. Is the noise from the next room bothering you?
4. Our math teacher coaches the bowling team.
5. The bowling team is coached by our math teacher.
Simple Subject and Complete Subject
When a subject consists of more than one word, the main
word in that subject is called the simple subject.
The seats on the bus are very comfortable.
SIMPLE SUBJECT
: seats
The simple subject and the words that describe it are to-
gether known as the complete subject.
COMPLETE SUBJECT
: The seats on the bus
Question:
Does a simple subject ever consist of more than one word?
Answer:
Yes, especially if it is a name. For example:
The late Amelia Earhart was a pioneer in aviation.
COMPLETE SUBJECT
: The late Amelia Earhart
SIMPLE SUBJECT

Prices are higher.
subject
What Is the Predicate?
The predicate is the part of the sentence that tells or asks
something about the subject.
Prices .
predicate
You can easily find the subject and the predicate of a sentence by asking two simple
questions:
Prices are higher.
QUESTION
1: About what is the sentence telling something?
ANSWER
: Prices.
The subject is Prices.
QUESTION
2: What is the sentence saying about Prices?
ANSWER
: Prices are higher.
The predicate is
My sister Karen is waiting for us.
QUESTION
1: About whom is the sentence telling something?
ANSWER
: My sister Karen.
The subject is My sister Karen.
are higher.
are higher
Lesson
2

P. S. P.
EXERCISE 1.
First draw a single line under the complete subject of the sentence.
Then, above the double line at the right, write the predicate.
Samples:
SUBJECT PREDICATE
The temperature dropped suddenly.
Has the plane landed?
Under the tree lay many rotting apples.
Under the tree lay
Has . . . landed
dropped suddenly
next to the stadium?
Next to the stadium is
is next to the stadium.
Was angry.
is waiting for us.
8 PARTS OF SPEECH
1. Has our teacher recovered from the flu?
2. Behind the wheel was my sister Maria.
3. How comfortable these new seats are!
4. Finally, the suspect surrendered to the
police.
5. A flock of seagulls landed on the beach.
EXERCISE 2.
Complete the sentence by adding a predicate.
Samples:
The apple
A speck of dust
1. The onion soup

Answer:
Yes, often. A verb may consist of one to four words:
SENTENCE VERB
no questions. have
you any questions? Do . . . have
We John all week. have been calling
His phone . may have been disconnected
may have been disconnected
have been calling
haveDo
They have
no sense?Have
often visits exhibits at the natural history museum.
dropped rapidly.
10 PARTS OF SPEECH
Lesson
3
Verbs
EXERCISE 1.
Find the verb and write it in the blank space.
Samples:
Ben was at the door.
They must have been treated badly.
1. Mindy has a lot of friends.
2. The water is boiling in the microwave.
3. I should have listened to you.
4. He must have been pushed by someone
in the crowd.
5. Did the light bother you?
EXERCISE 2.

12 PARTS OF SPEECH
3. Has it been coming on time lately? S.S.
P.
V.
4. For some time, light rain has been S.S.
falling.
P.
V.
5. It must have been raining since dawn. S.S.
P.
V.
6. In my pocket was the missing glove. S.S.
P.
V.
7. Fuel bills have been increasing S.S.
every year.
P.
V.
8. The cold weather has been affecting S.S.
the spring crops.
P.
V.
9. Does your remote control need fresh S.S.
batteries?
P.
V.
10. Someone must have taken my books S.S.
by mistake.
P.
V.

P
14 PARTS OF SPEECH
What Is a Linking Verb?
In the preceding sentence, the verb is has little meaning of its own. Its main function is
to link (connect) Jordan with angry. For this reason, we call is a linking verb.
A linking verb links (connects) the subject with a word in the
predicate that describes or identifies the subject.
m
iiiij
x
The road
L.V.
(Slippery describes the subject road.)
m
iiiij
x
Ama
L.V.
(Captain identifies the subject Ama.)
What Are Some Common Linking Verbs?
1. The most frequently used linking verb is be, whose forms include the following:
am, are, is, was, were.
Of course, verb phrases ending in be, being, and been are also linking verbs:
will be, would be, are being, have been, could have been, etc.
2. In addition, each of the following verbs can be either an action verb or a linking
verb, depending on the way it is used.
VERB USED AS ACTION VERB USED AS LINKING VERB
m
iiiiij
x

was slippery.
m
iii
i
iij
x
taste I tasted the soup. The soup tasted delicious.
m
iii
i
iij
x
turn She turned the page. The weather turned cold.
How Can a Linking Verb Be Recognized?
If a verb can be replaced with some form of the verb be, it is a linking verb.
Question 1:
Is feels a linking verb in the following sentence?
Jordan feels angry.
Answer:
We can replace feels with is (a form of the verb be).
Jordan is angry.
Therefore, feels, in the above sentence, is a linking verb.
Question 2:
Is feels a linking verb in the following sentence?
The patient feels pain.
Answer:
In this sentence, we cannot replace feels with is.
Therefore, feels here is not a linking verb. It is an action verb.
Summary: An action verb expresses action, either physical or mental.
A linking verb connects the subject with a word in the predicate that

A main verb may have as many as three helping verbs.
ONE HELPING VERB
: Anne has mailed the letters.
H.V. M.V.
TWO HELPING VERBS
: The letters have been mailed.
H.V. H.V. M.V.
THREE HELPING VERBS
: They should have been mailed earlier.
H.V. H.V. H.V. M.V.
What Is a Verb Phrase?
When a verb consists of one or more helping verbs plus a
main verb, it is called a verb phrase.
16 PARTS OF SPEECH
HELPING VERB
(
S
)+
MAIN VERB
=
VERB PHRASE
has + mailed = has mailed
have been + mailed = have been mailed
should have been + mailed = should have been mailed
Which Verbs Can Be Used as Helping Verbs?
Below is a list of verbs commonly used as helping verbs (note that be, which we stud-
ied earlier as a linking verb, page 14, can also be a helping verb):
be, am, are, is, can, could
was, were, being, been
have, has, had will, would