[...]... being judged, use formal English UsiniJ the RiiJht EniJlish at the RiiJht Time Which type of English do you speak? Friendspeak, conversational English, or formal English? Probably all of them (See preceding section for more information.) If you're like most people, you switch from one to another without thinking, dozens of times each day Chances are, the third type of English formal English - is the... on his nose, gave English Grammar For Dummies to you for Arbor Day and you're stuck with it But you're not playing a heavy-metal CD at high volume and surfing the Internet, so you must be reading the book Therefore, you've at least acknowledged that you have something to think about, and I'm betting that it's formal English. ) All the grammar lessons in this book deal with formal English, because that's... common errors along with their corrections Finally, I suggest ways (apart from English Grammar For Dummies) to improve your ear for proper English Icons Used in This Book Wherever you see this icon, you'll find helpful strategies for understanding the structure of the sentence or for choosing the correct word form Not every grammar trick has a built-in trap, but some do This icon tells you how to avoid... conversation Formal English shows that you've trotted out your best behavior in his or her honor You may also speak or write in formal English when you have more power, importance, and/or status than the other person The goal of using formal English is to impress, to create a tone of dignity, or to provide a suitable role model for someone who is still learning Situations that call for formal English include:... written in formal English, is your best bet Nell/in9- on Computer Grammar Checkers Is Not Enou9-" Your best friend - the one who's greasing the steps to the cafeteria while you're reading English Grammar For Dummies - may tell you that learning proper grammar in the third millennium is irrelevant because computer grammar checkers make human knowledge obsolete Your friend is wrong about the grammar programs,... reason to learn some grammar terms - to understand why a particular word or phrase is correct or incorrect Functional grammar makes up the bulk of English Grammar For Dummies Functional grammar tells you how words behave when they are doing their jobs properly Functional grammar guides you to the right expression - the _ _ _ Chapter 1: I Already Know How to Talk Why Should I Study Grammar? one that fits... pickier) points of grammar, the ones that separate regular people from Official Grammarians If you understand the information in this section, you'll have a fine time finding mistakes in the daily paper Here's a more specific gUide to navigating English Grammar For Dummies Part 1: The Parts of Speech and Parts of the Sentence This part explains how to distinguish between the three Englishes - the breezy... Eng"shGmmmarForDummies~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Introduction A few years ago, a magazine sponsored a contest for the comment most likely to end a conversation The winning entry? I teach English grammar Just throw that line out at a party Everyone around you will clam up or start saying whom Why does grammar make everyone nervous? As an English teacher, I have to take part of the blame Some of us make a big deal out of grammar. .. Assumptions I wrote English Grammar For Dummies with a specific person in mind I assume that you, the reader, already speak English to some extent and that you want to speak it better I also assume that you're a busy person with better things to do than worry about who and whom You want to speak and write well, but you don't want to get a doctorate in English Grammar (Smart move Doctorates in English probably... conversational English Although not quite friendspeak, conversational English includes some friendliness Conversational English doesn't stray too far from your English class rules, but it does break some For example, it says that you can relax, but not completely, and it's the tone of most everyday speech, especially between equals Conversational English is - no shock here - usually for conversations, not for . Wiley, the Wiley Publishing logo, For Dummies, the Dummies Man logo, A Reference for the Rest of Us!, The Dummies Way, Dummies Daily, The Fun and Easy Way, Dummies. com, and related trade dress are trademarks or registered trademarks of John Wiley.