The Oxford Guide to English Grammar is a systematic account of grammatical forms and the way they are used in modern standard English. It is designed for learners at intermediate and advanced levels and for teachers, and is equally suitable for quick reference to details or for the more leisured study of grammatical topics. The emphasis is on meaning in the choice of grammatical pattern, and on the use of patterns in texts and in conversations.

Plain English is an essential tool for effective communication. Information transmitted in letters, documents, reports, contracts, and forms is clearer and more understandable when presented in straightforward terms. The Oxford Guide to Plain English provides authoritative guidance on how towrite plain English using easy-to-follow guidelines which cover straightforward language, sentence length, active and passive verbs, punctuation, grammar, planning, and good organization.This handy guide will be invaluable to writers of all levels. It provides essential guidelines that will allow readers to develop their writing style, grammar, and punctuation. The book also offers help in understanding official jargon and legalese giving the plain English alternatives.This guide gives hundreds of real examples and shows 'before and after' versions of texts of different kinds which will help readers to look critically at their own writing. Helpfully organized into 21 short chapters, each covering a different aspect of writing. Clearly laid out, and easy to use,the Oxford Guide to Plain English is the best guide to writing clear and helpful documents.

Covers written and spoken British and American English and reviews grammar, usage, punctuation, and phonetics

For those seeking advice on spelling, punctuation, grammar, pronunciation, or difficult and misused words - help is at hand! The Oxford Guide to English Usage sets out, clearly and directly, everything you need to know to speak and write better English. This fully revised and updated edition is a complete theme-by-theme guide to good English, pointing out pitfalls and how to avoid them. Quotations from authors ranging from Virginia Woolf to Malcolm Bradbury illustrate points of usage, and special sections cover clichés and varieties of English throughout the world.

Outlines--largely without jargon--an approach for therapists to help families alter self-destructive routines. Incorporates elements of family therapy, script theory, and recent findings in attachment research into a systemic attachment concept, "The secure family base," from which individuals can feel safe enough to explore and improvise new scripts. Annotation copyright by Book News, Inc., Portland, OR

This volume explores both historical and current issues in English usage guides or style manuals. Chapters look at how and why these guides are compiled, and by whom; what sort of advice they contain; how they differ from grammars and dictionaries; and how attitudes to usage have changed.