Books by Bryan A. Garner
Garner's Modern English Usage (5th edition)
by Bryan A. Garner
Bryan Garner, the American equivalent of the Académie française, has updated his Garner's Modern English Usage. It's the 5th edition (the first was published in 1998), and it opens with an exchange at a car rental counter over the use of 'may' versus 'can.' He writes, "Experiences like that one give me hope: they show that some people still care about our language, however misplaced their concerns might occasionally be."
If you don't follow debates about language and grammar closely, the bottom line is this: language changes all the time, which makes it hard to say what's right or wrong. However, we do need some guidance. Garner's Modern English Usage is an attempt to grapple with this contradiction in a very practical way. And it is important: your ability to use language correctly shows in every text, every email, every job application or interview. So yes, you can use 'disinterested' to indicate a lack of interest, but its misuse will be noticed by some listeners, so why not avoid it? Garner goes through every usage you've ever wondered about (internet or Internet?) and many you didn't (dilemma—a choice between two unpleasant or difficult alternatives—should not be used by slipshod extension for plight or predicament), word by word.
Interviews where books by Bryan A. Garner were recommended
Grammar Books That Prove What They Preach, recommended by Lane Greene
Most grammar books say ‘do this, and that’s that.’ But who says? How do they know? Real rules are grounded in the facts of actual standard usage. Here are five grammar books that show their work, telling you not only what to do but why, and how they know. Accept nothing less.
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1
Garner's Modern English Usage (5th edition)
by Bryan A. Garner -
2
Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary
by Merriam-Webster -
3
Spunk & Bite: A Writer's Guide to Bold, Contemporary Style
by Arthur Plotnik -
4
The Blue Book of Grammar and Punctuation
by Jane Straus -
5
The Copyeditor's Handbook: A Guide for Book Publishing and Corporate Communications
by Amy Einsohn
The Best Grammar and Punctuation Books, recommended by Mark Nichol
The Best Grammar and Punctuation Books, recommended by Mark Nichol
In the age of the internet, we are all writers. Correct grammar and punctuation are key to making a good impression. Grammar geek Mark Nichol, a writer at Daily Writing Tips, picks five of the best grammar and punctuation books, and tells us why bad grammar leads to anarchy.