McGraw-Hill Handbook of English Grammar and Usage, 2nd Edition: With 160 Exercises

This is an excellent book for providing essential grammar and usage rules. The text is easy to read, and it covers essential grammatical rules. I recommend it.

(If credentials matter to you in evaluating a review, I have a BA in English and a JD (Law). Although I've used several grammar resources, I find this one to be a nice addition to my library. It offers nice explanations of the rules and informative examples.)

If you have the choice, don't ever turn down a McGraw-Hill reference material. Recently, I wanted to check to see that my grammatical skills are up-to-date. I first chose a few other grammar books. They were helpful and added some additional commentary, but I really found them to be much too condensed. I recently read "The McGraw-Hill Handbook of English Grammar and Usage." I wanted to address some of my problem areas, such as who vs. whom and lie vs. lay. This book is comprehensive and provides you with actual tests, techniques, and thorough explanations that you can then apply to choose the correct answers, while extending your grammatical vocabulary at the same time. Sure, other grammar books may say the same thing, but they may not provide the same detail or clarity. Now I know: "Lie" is intransitive and "lay" is transitive. You may want to get a grammar workbook after studying this handbook to apply what you have learned. I haven't seen all of the grammar books on the market so I am sure there are some other great ones. But out of the few I've read recently, I found this one to be the most comprehensive and helpful. The language and explanations just spoke to me.

It isn't a book I read from beginning to end - but I refer to it when I have a specific question. I also like the book The Only Grammar Book You'll Ever Need by Susan Thurman. I use them both frequently.

I'm just about to start a Masters degree and because of the nature of the course I needed to brush up on my grammar principles. I mean unless you were an English major or just left school you're probably like me and don't remember what's an Adverb Clause or what's an Appositive! This book is clear and simple but also very detailed. There aren't any long complex paragraphs or endless footnote references so it's easy to follow. There are also lots of examples that I found very helpful. I would definitely recommend for adults who need a refresher or for anyone learning grammar rules for the first time.

I’m really surprised by the high ratings for this book. Yes, there’s a lot of information in this book; however, I’m afraid they’ve made it overly confusing. I’m an editor who is very familiar with the concepts and terms presented in this book, and found myself lost and confused. When I didn’t understand what it was saying I would go to an online resource (Grammar Girl or OWL) and my questions were answered clearly and immediately.

Not only is the language a little unclear, but the layout isn’t great. Half the words are bolded (they can’t all be important!) and there are no topic sentences. The book doesn’t always just simply define the term, which is incredibly frustrating.

Uses the same methods taught to me in grade school. By far the best ever! Simple, clear, and portable. All you have to do is ask yourself a quick question or two and you can find the correct form of the pronoun or modifier to use. Yippee! Had been longing to see them again. And thank you, Miss Tait!

I'm a copy editor and translator. This book is a copy editor's bible. Easy to read. Pleasant layout. Clear language.

This is a good book to have on your desk for a quick reference when you are writing. The information contained in this book is valuable to any writer, whether you are a student, casual or professional writer.

The content is too basic. I expect it to be more advance. This grammar book seems to cater to upper elementary school children.

I love this McGraw-Hill Handbook of English Grammar and Usage and have certainly added it to my editorial library. It offers just what I need - a review of Grammar 101 and how to find and correct grammatical mistakes. Each chapter is structured in a way that is predictable and reader friendly. The authors, Mark Lester and Larry Beason, use up-to-date succinct explanations to help readers understand and grasp the more complex grammatical principles. They identify errors and give plenty of tips on how to avoid making them in the first place. In part one of the text, Grammar 101, the authors not only identify the classification of a word, but they also explain how a noun, for example, functions in a sentence as a predicate nominative or as an indirect object, or how a phrase can function as a single word. I highly recommend this book for freshmen. Their taking the time to read this book will essentially help them to write grammatically correct papers. So if you want to proofread like a professional and copy edit like an expert this is the book for you!