Linda Wong completed both her undergraduate and graduate work at the University of Oregon, leaving with a Master's
Degree in Education in curriculum and instruction.
Following several years as an elementary education teacher, she created an educational consulting firm (S-T-E-P
AHEAD, Inc.), offering adjunct graduate-level courses for teachers. For the last twenty years she has taught study
skills, spelling, grammar, writing, and reading courses in the Study Skills Department at Lane Community College.
Summary
In this new worktext, Linda Wong ensures that students focus on their grammar and sentence-writing skills by
offering clear, step-by-step instruction reinforced through numerous examples and abundant exercises for individual,
partner, or group practice. Each topic is clearly defined without overwhelming students with minute details, sophisticated
rules, or lengthy explanations.
Extensive practice sets and writing activities allow students to master and apply the skills presented in each
chapter.
Every chapter features a multi-paragraph reading accompanied by partner or small group exercises to promote
collaborative learning.
Internet activities, highlighted by marginal icons, ask students to find and incorporate information from the
Web in their writing.
Comma Sense boxes in each chapter explain comma usage, providing students with extra help.
Just So You Know sidebars offer additional explanations of difficult terms which students might encounter again
in future writing courses.
Table of Contents
Note: Chapters 2-10 conclude with Exercises, a Chapter Summary, Writing Topics, Web Site Learning Experiences,
and a Review.
1. An Introduction to the Writing Process
Benefits of a Strong Grammar Foundation
Steps in the Writing Process
Writing Paragraphs
Key Elements of Paragraph Structure
Getting Started
Web Site Learning Experiences
2. Nouns
Additional Noun Markers
Rules of Capitalization: People
Rules of Capitalization: Places
Rules of Capitalization: Things
Rules of Capitalization: Literary Works and Academic Courses
Two or More Words That Function as One Noun
Comma Sense
3. Prepositions
Pronouns as Objects of the Preposition
Prepositions with Two or More Objects
To as a Preposition or as a Part of an Infinitive
Comma Sense
4. Subjects and Verbs in Simple Sentences
Subjects in Simple Sentences
Verbs in Simple Sentences
Avoiding Fragments
Placement of Nouns in Sentences
Other Subject-Verb Patterns in Simple Sentences
Comma Sense
5. Verb Forms
Simple Verb Tenses
Present and Past Participles
Additional Verb Phrases
Comma Sense
6. Pronouns and Pronoun Agreement
Four Kinds of Personal Pronouns
Indefinite Pronouns
Compound Subjects with Either... Or, or Neither... Nor
Comma Sense
7. Modifiers
Adjectives
Adjective Patterns
Comma Sense
Adverbs
Comma Sense
8. Compound Sentences
Three Methods of Constructing Compound Sentences
Comma Sense
Run-on Sentence and Comma Splice Errors
Subject-Verb Agreement in Compound Sentences
9. Complex Sentences
Type 1 Dependent Clause: Adverb Clause with a Subordinate Conjunction
Comma Sense
Type 2 Dependent Clause: Adjective Clause with a Relative Pronoun
Comma Sense
Type 3 Dependent Clause: Noun Clause
Avoiding Fragments
10. Sentence Builders
Appositives
Combining Sentences Using Appositives
Participial Phrases
Series of Items
Comma Sense
Parallelism
Sentence Variety
Compound-Complex Sentences
Fragments
Appendix A. Punctuation Guide
Appendix B. Student Answer Key
