Educators, please click here to request a desk copy.

Key Features

Personal photos and stories.  The authors write, "As teachers, we sometimes felt we were leading our students on a death march when we moved them through a traditional grammar text. So we have added a strong human dimension to this book by illustrating the grammar skills with photos and stories of interesting people from all walks of life." 

Ease of use.  The chapters are self-contained, and many begin with a one-page review that presents the basics of a given skill. Explanations are written in simple, familiar language. An inviting two-color design has been used throughout. And the book's tone is friendly and helpful. 

Abundant practice.  The book is based on the assumption that students learn best when clear explanations are followed by abundant practice. For each chapter in Part One, there are three full-page activities and five full-page tests. The last two tests are designed to resemble standardized tests and permit easy grading, including the use of Scantron sheets. 

Engaging materials.  In addition to the photos and true stories, lively and engaging examples and practice materials will help maintain student interest throughout the book. 

English Plus. This book ships with an access card to English Plus, an expanded bundle of electronic resources in our Learning Center. English Plus includes a complete ebook of English Essentials along with four exercises and two mastery tests to accompany Parts One and Two of the text.

Preparation for standardized tests.  A number of tests in the book resemble standardized tests, so students can practice a skill and become comfortable with the format in which a skill is tested. For example, click here to see one of the five tests that conclude a chapter on run-ons and comma splices. 

Inclusiveness.  In addition to full coverage of grammar, punctuation, and usage skills, the book includes a brief guide to writing; writing assignments; practice in the key skill of proofreading; and coverage of spelling, parts of speech, and dictionary use. 

Superior supplements.  Included at no charge to instructors adopting the book for class use are all of the following: an Instructor's Edition, a combined Instructor's Manual and Test Bank, a Student Answer Key, and online exercises.

This is the first edition of English Essentials. As a result, there are no changes from a previous edition. However, this text now ships with English Plus, a suite of electronic materials in our Learning Center that includes new practice exercises, mastery tests, and a complete eBook of this text.

Table of Contents

Preface to the Instructor

Introduction
   •About the Book
   •Becoming a Better Writer 
   •Writing Assignments

PART ONE: Fourteen Basic Skills
         1. Subjects and Verbs
         2. Irregular Verbs
         3. Subject-Verb Agreement
         4. Sentence Types
         5. Fragments I
         6. Fragments II
         7. Run-Ons and Comma Splices I
         8. Run-Ons and Comma Splices II
         9. The Comma
       10. The Apostrophe
       11. Quotation Marks
       12. Homonyms
       13. Capital Letters
       14. Parallelism

PART TWO: Extending the Skills
        1. Preparing a Paper
        2. Punctuation Marks
        3. Pronoun Forms
        4. Pronoun Problems
        5. Adjectives and Adverbs
        6. Misplaced and Dangling Modifiers
        7. Word Choice
        8. Numbers and Abbreviations
        9. More about Subjects and Verbs
      10. More about Subject-Verb Agreement
      11. More about Verbs
      12. Even More about Verbs
      13. More about Run-Ons and Comma Splices
      14. More about Commas
      15. More about Apostrophes
      16. More about Quotation Marks
      17. More about Homonyms
      18. More about Capital Letters

PART THREE: Proofreading

PART FOUR: Related Matters