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Emoticons. Gifs. Instagram photos. Selfies. Snapchat. With these and so many other visual ways to communicate, you might think that grammar is as extinct as a dodo bird. You’d be wrong. In fact, texts, tweets, social media posts, and online comments have actually increased the amount of writing people do each day. Plus, pen-and-paper writing is still around. When writing is involved, grammar is involved, too.

In English Grammar For Dummies, 3rd Edition, I address all your grammar questions about written and spoken language, including a few you didn’t know you had. I do so without loading you up with obscure terminology, defining terms only when you need them to understand what you’re supposed to do as well as why you’re supposed to do it. In this book, I also explain which rules of formal English you can ignore – sometimes or even all the time. The goal of English Grammar For Dummies, 3rd Edition, is to ensure that the language you use conveys your ideas accurately and makes a good impression on your reader or listener.

This book also has another, very practical purpose. Those who express themselves in proper English have a better shot at getting a job, keeping it, and moving into high-salary positions. If you're at a desk and not getting paid (in other words, you’re in school), you also need good grammar. No matter what subject you're studying, teachers favor proper English. So do the designers of standardized tests. The SAT – that loveable exam facing college applicants – contains a substantial writing section, as does the ACT (another fun hurdle of the college-admissions process). Whether you’re aiming for a great job or a good grade, English Grammar For Dummies, 3rd Edition, will help you reach your goal.

Foolish Assumptions

I wrote the third edition of English Grammar For Dummies with a specific person in mind. I assume that you, the reader, already speak English to some extent and that you want to speak it better. I also assume that you’re a busy person with better things to do than worry about the pronouns in your profile for a dating app. (Though perhaps you should. One survey revealed that men who use the word whom in their profiles attract more “clicks” than those who don’t.)

This book is for you if you want

❯❯ Better grades

❯❯ Skill in communicating exactly what you mean

❯❯ A higher-paying or higher-status job

❯❯ Speech and writing that presents you as an educated, intelligent person

❯❯ A good score on the SAT, the ACT, and other standardized exams

❯❯ The ability to create polished reports and presentations at work or at school

❯❯ Texts, tweets, and posts that get the job done within tight word-limits

❯❯ Stronger skills in English as a second language

Icons Used in This Book

Wherever you see this icon, you’ll find helpful strategies for understanding the structure of the sentence or for choosing the correct word form.

Not every grammar point has a built-in trap, but some do. This icon tells you how to avoid common mistakes as you construct a sentence.

Think you know how to find the subject in a sentence or choose the correct verb tense? Take the pop quizzes located throughout this book to find out what you know and what you may want to learn.

Are you hoping to spend some time behind ivy-covered walls? To put it another way: Are you aiming for college? Then you should pay special attention to the information next to this icon because college-admissions testers love this material.

This icon identifies key grammar points to deposit in your memory bank.

Beyond the Book

Need crucial information, fast? Check out the English Grammar For Dummies Cheat Sheet. Simply go to www.dummies.com and type “English Grammar For Dummies Cheat Sheet” in the Search box.

Where to Go from Here

Every reader is different, and you don’t want to waste time in a chapter that explains something you already know or will never use. Of course, you’re welcome to read every single word I’ve written. If you do, you’ll be my favorite person. But realistically, I know that you want to dip into English Grammar For Dummies, 3rd Edition, as efficiently as possible. Try these strategies:

❯❯ Look through the Contents at a Glance at the beginning of the book so you have an idea what’s where. If you see something that has often puzzled you – commas or verb tense or something else – put that section on your “to read” list.

❯❯ Now get more specific. Zero in on the sections you may need in the detailed Table of Contents, which follows the Contents at a Glance. Again, choose whatever you like.

❯❯ Check out the last section of Chapter 1, where I present some grammar questions and the chapters that answer them. Read the chapters that correspond to the questions that stump you.

❯❯ Also keep an eye out for pop quizzes. Try the questions, and if you know the answers, skip that section. If you make a mistake, spend some quality time in that chapter.

❯❯ You can also ignore everything in the preceding bullets and simply flip through the book. If something catches your eye, stop. Read, learn, and have fun!