Truth About English Grammar

Geoff Pullum is the author of Linguistics: Why It Matters. He has taught linguistics and English grammar for decades on both sides of the Atlantic, and is a coauthor (with Rodney Huddleston) of The Cambridge Grammar of the English Language.  In addition to many academic articles and books, he has published satirical and humorous writing on language and linguistics.

“Who isn’t curious about how English works? About how it conveys subtle shades of meaning, or delights us with good style, or flaunts both mathematical elegance and human quirkiness? Geoffrey K. Pullum is not just an erudite scientist of English but one of its best living writers. With clarity and verve, he explains a new understanding of the language which is more sensible and satisfying than the traditional folklore most of us were taught.”Steven Pinker, Harvard University, author of The Language Instinct and The Sense of Style“The Truth will set you free – from the tangled web of traditional misinformation and superstition. Geoffrey K. Pullum's book transported this language nerd back to English class, this time for the pleasure of learning a grammar system that makes sense.”Jan Freeman, former Boston Globe language columnist“Geoffrey K. Pullum may be iconoclastic, but he's also sensible and companionable here. He's boiled down years of study into this edifying and entertaining treatment of grammar. Whoever you may be, whatever your background, you'll search in vain for a page in this book that doesn't teach you something. I'm sure he was joshing when he said to me, about the time he was completing the manuscript, ‘Bryan, if they have any questions after reading it, they should write to you or I.’ In principle, I agree: you're welcome to write to him or me. If you do, feel free to be accusative.”Bryan A. Garner, author of Garner’s Modern English Usage“We who learned the traditional schoolroom grammar are uneasily aware that much of it is creaky and a good deal is rubbish. Happily, Geoffrey K. Pullum, the distinguished linguist, gives us The Truth About English Grammar, a lucid guide that conforms to modern linguistic understanding. Read only his chapter on passive constructions and you will be the better for it.”John E. McIntyre, former copy desk chief of The Baltimore Sun “Pullum’s readable, lively book fills an important need and does so elegantly and efficiently. The need is for a work that explains the principles of English grammar for the intelligent and interested layperson.”Ben Yagoda, University of Delaware“stimulating … this will give grammarians much to ponder.”Publishers Weekly“Pullum is an engaging and friendly writer, always on the side of the ordinary Joe against the nitpickers. A particular delight is how he shows that many 'rules' beloved of self-appointed grammar constables were simply made up quite recently by irritable ink-stained wretches”Steven Poole, The Guardian“Pullum offers a rigorous definition, spells out the basic principles — and, as often as not, explains why the traditional grammars don’t get it right.”Washington Examiner“a useful, sensible, and humorous guide to contemporary English usage … Pullum provides copious examples to help make sense of English’s rich and enduring heritage.”C. Machado, Choice Reviews

• PrefaceNotation Guide 1 Introduction2 Clauses, sentences, and phrases3 Types of words4 Types of clause5 Nouns and their phrases6 Determinatives7 Verbs8 Adjectives9 Adverbs10 Prepositions11 Coordinators12 Subordinators13 Interjections14 Content clauses15 Tenseless subordinate clauses16 Passive clauses17 Relative clauses18 Mythical grammar errors19 Spelling and punctuation20 Style Further ReadingGlossaryIndex