Sharp Writing: Building Better Writing Skills (Kaplan Sharp Series)

Kaplan's "Sharp Writing" is a practical overview of grammar and usage, but is quite basic. If you are looking for a book that will provide you with more "Style" advice than grammar, I would recommend Style: Toward Clarity and Grace (Chicago Guides to Writing, Editing, and Publishing). I would recommend the Kaplan book for anyone looking for quick refresher or short reference work.

The first section of the book provides an overview and refresher on the different grammatical categories, strucure/usage, puncution, tone, etc. The chapters in the first section cover very basic items such as "what is a noun" or "what is a verb" to a bit more complex topics such as "intransitive verbs," phrase/clause interaction, the passive voice (and its uses), and appositives. Each chapter uses the "Building Block Method" wherein Kaplan...Read more

After being out of school for ten years I've had a lot of anxiety about returning to get my degree. I bought this book to help me refresh on the basics of English. It's exactly what I needed. It covers everything in a very understandable way and the quizes (with answers at the end of every chapter) really help you to apply and remember the info. I love this book and would recommend it to anyone wanting to improve their english skills.