This book teaches the rules of grammar, syntax, and writing in a clear and systematic way. It also serves a workbook, with plenty of exercises to help students identify and remedy their weak points. In the short term, this book will help middle and high school students perform better on standardized admissions tests, such as the SSAT and SAT. More importantly, it provides a strong foundation that will improve students' communication skills throughout their lives. Book I, "Structure," covers the different parts of speech and their roles in sentences. Students will learn how to diagram...

Etymology is the study of word origins and development. It provides one of the easiest and most effective ways to build vocabulary, because knowledge of some common roots and prefixes makes possible the figuring out of new word meanings. English is compounded of several languages, primarily Anglo-Saxon (Germanic) and Latin. Historically, the Angles and Saxon tribes occupied Britain after expelling the Celts to Ireland. Beginning in the first century BCE, Julius Caesar's legions conquered and occupied Britain, and Roman troops remained until the fifth century. Their Latin influence persists...

This first book in a series, English Structure, covers the different parts of speech and their roles in sentences. Students will learn how to diagram sentences, a task which graphically makes evident common errors such as writing sentence fragments, confusing the pronouns OIO and OmeO, and using adjectives when adverbs are appropriate. Not all students will need this volume. Those who have read widely and well, or who already achieved a good grasp of grammar, may prefer to proceed directly to the next volume, Usage.