Sometimes it's better to start small, with a sentence. Every English teacher has experienced it: students staring at an empty page, seemingly paralyzed by a writing assignment. When this happens, it may be time to back off from the Big Idea approach to the art of reading and writing, and zero in on a single sentence. In this book, a master teacher offers a complete guide to a sentence-level approach. Helping students recognize the techniques that make sentences great is the first step, and there are plenty of examples here from YA novels, TV shows, and song lyrics as well as the novels, poetry, and nonfiction pieces that form the canon of middle and high school reading lists. Lesson plans include activities to introduce the featured element of style; questions to guide students in their analysis; and writing prompts and activities to spark students' interest and creativity. With this Little-to-Big strategy, students move quickly from analysis of the words between two periods to the universe of ideas of which that sentence is a part. They may even be eager to write their own

Sentence.: A Period-to-Period Guide to Building Better Readers and Writers

Reference

Woods, Geraldine

Writing, Research & Publishing Guides

W.W.Norton&Company

Review\n"[A] delightfully readable examination of the foundation of literary architecture for writers and language enthusiasts alike." 
― Poets & Writers\n"Using hundreds of examples from writers as diverse as Bruce Springsteen and Virginia Woolf, Geraldine Woods articulates the precise ways in which a writer can send a sentence spinning." 
― Mary Norris, author of Between You & Me: Confessions of a Comma Queen\n"Geraldine Woods breaks down twenty-five of the greatest sentences in the history of the written word and obsesses over them in a way that writers and nonwriters can appreciate." 
― David Mandel, Emmy-winning executive producer of Veep\n"Finally, someone who appreciates the engine of a fine sentence and isn’t afraid to tinker with all the parts!" 
― Brenda Miller, author of An Earlier Life and coauthor of Tell it Slant: Creating, Refining, and Publishing Creative Nonfiction\n"Have you ever needed a book without knowing it, until it’s in your hands? 25 Great Sentences is that book. You’ll savor it. You’ll pick it up again and again." 
― John Allman, winner of the Pushcart Prize and Helen Bull Prize for poetry, author of Loew’s Triboro and Clio’s Children\n"This delightful book surprises on nearly every page." 
― Richard Cytowic, New York Journal of Books\n"The premise of taking 25 ‘great’ sentences to study might have been limiting, but the author...explores each sentence in context, giving pertinent details and insight, and uses numerous notable sentences from other sources to illustrate similar techniques...Woods is engaging and entertaining, a self-described ‘language enthusiast’, and her dry wit lifts both the book and the reader’s spirits." 
― Chartered Institute of Editing and Proofreading\n"This handy, practical guide prompts would-be writers to think critically about how to create effective and meaningful sentences." 
― Publishers Weekly\n"[A]n upbeat, informative guide for writers and readers." 
― Kirkus Reviews\n"An inherently fascinating read for anyone with an interest in the English language and storytelling...very highly recommended, especially for community, college, and university library Grammar, Rhetoric, and Linguistics Reference collections." 
― Midwest Book Review\nA guide to the artistry that lifts a sentence from good to great. 
We all know the basic structure of a sentence: a subject/verb pair expressing a complete thought and ending with proper punctuation. But that classroom definition doesn’t begin to describe the ways in which these elements can combine to resonate with us as we read, to make us stop and think, laugh or cry. 
In 25 Great Sentences and How They Got That Way, master teacher Geraldine Woods unpacks powerful examples of what she instead prefers to define as “the smallest element differentiating one writer’s style from another’s, a literary universe in a grain of sand.” And that universe is very large: the hundreds of memorable sentences gathered here come from sources as wide-ranging as Edith Wharton and Yogi Berra, Toni Morrison and Yoda, T. S. Eliot and Groucho Marx. 
Culled from fiction, nonfiction, drama, poetry, song lyrics, speeches, and even ads, these exemplary sentences are celebrated for the distinctive features―whether of structure, diction, connection/comparison, sound, or extremes―that underlie their beauty, resonance, and creativity. With dry humor and an infectious enjoyment that makes her own sentences a pleasure to read, Woods shows us the craft that goes into the construction of a memorable sentence. Each chapter finishes with an enticing array of exercises for those who want to test their skill at a particular one of the featured twenty-five techniques, such as onomatopoeia (in the Sound section) or parallelism (in the Structure section). 
This is a book that will be treasured by word nerds and language enthusiasts, writers who want to hone their craft, literature lovers, and readers of everything from song lyrics and speeches to novels and poetry.\nAbou

25 Great Sentences and How They Got That Way

Words, Language & Grammar

Book by Ward, Lesley J., Woods, Geraldine

English Grammar For Dummies

Ward, Lesley J.

Encyclopedias & Subject Guides

John Wiley&Sons

Yes, you can pass the AP English Literature and Composition exam with ease! Just brush the dust off your thinking cap and get a little help from AP English Literature and Composition For Dummies. It gets you up to speed on all the topics and themes of the AP exam in a focused, step-by-step manner. 
Beginning with an exam overview and ways to get the most out of an AP English class, this book has it all: long- and short-range planning advice, detailed chapters that discuss the four main literary genres, and two full-length practice exams — complete with detailed answer explanations and scoring guides. It helps you perfect the skills you need to get your best possible score. Two bonus appendixes provide a full list of teacher-recommended titles to choose from for the open-ended essay, as well as a quick grammar review to address the fundamentals of superior essay writing. Discover how to: <ul>
<li>Get familiar with the exam format and the types of questions you’ll face</li> <li>Figure out what the questions are really asking</li> <li>Maximize your score on multiple-choice questions</li> <li>Write effectively and eloquently about poetry, prose, and drama</li> <li>Prepare for paired passages and craft a clever open-ended essay</li> <li>Annotate poetry and prose like an expert</li> </ul>
Passing the AP English Literature and Composition exam doesn’t have to be torture. Get AP English Literature and Composition For Dummies and find out how easy it can be.

AP English Literature & Composition For Dummies

Literature & Fiction

For Dummies

Gearing up for the AP English Language and Composition test? AP English Language &amp; Composition For Dummies is packed with all the resources and help you need to do your very best. In this AP study guide, you’ll find winning test-taking tips, multiple-choice strategies, and essay guidelines, as well as great advice on optimizing your study time and hitting the top of your game on test day. 
This user-friendly guide helps you prepare without perspiration by developing a pre-test plan, organizing your study time, and getting the most out or your AP course. You’ll learn how to assemble your writer’s toolkit, expand your vocabulary, analyze sentences and paragraphs, understand rhetorical approaches, perfect your grammar, and paint pictures with words. Two full-length practice exams help you build your confidence, get comfortable with test formats, identify your strengths and weaknesses, and focus your studies. Discover how to: <ul>
<li>Create and follow a pretest plan</li> <li>Understand everything you must know about the exam</li> <li>Develop a multiple-choice strategy</li> <li>Speed up your essay writing</li> <li>Find painless ways to become a better writer</li> <li>Avoid mistakes that will lower your score</li> <li>Interpret non-fiction writing</li> <li>Write about graphs and charts</li> <li>Make the most of practice exams to maximize your final score</li> </ul>
You work hard to perform at the college level. AP English Language and Composition For Dummies gives you the support, confidence, and test-taking know-how you need to demonstrate your ability when it matters most.

AP English Language and Composition For Dummies

Test Preparation

College & High School

Gearing up for the AP English Language and Composition test? AP English Language & Composition For Dummies is packed with all the resources and help you need to do your very best. In this AP study guide, you'll find winning test-taking tips, multiple-choice strategies, and essay guidelines, as well as great advice on optimizing your study time and hitting the top of your game on test day. This user-friendly guide helps you prepare without perspiration by developing a pre-test plan, organizing your study time, and getting the most out or your AP course. You'll learn how to assemble your writer's toolkit, expand your vocabulary, analyze sentences and paragraphs, understand rhetorical approaches, perfect your grammar, and paint pictures with words. Two full-length practice exams help you build your confidence, get comfortable with test formats, identify your strengths and weaknesses, and focus your studies. Discover how to: <ul> <li>Create and follow a pretest plan</li> <li>Understand everything you must know about the exam</li> <li>Develop a multiple-choice strategy</li> <li>Speed up your essay writing</li> <li>Find painless ways to become a better writer</li> <li>Avoid mistakes that will lower your score</li> <li>Interpret non-fiction writing</li> <li>Write about graphs and charts</li> <li>Make the most of practice exams to maximize your final score</li> </ul> You work hard to perform at the college level. AP English Language and Composition For Dummies gives you the support, confidence, and test-taking know-how you need to demonstrate your ability when it matters most.

AP English Language and Composition for Dummies

The fun and easy way to improve your grammar Enhancing your speaking and writing skills helps in everyday situations, such as writing a paper for school, giving a presentation to a company's bigwigs, or communicating effectively with family and friends. English Grammar For Dummies, 2nd Edition gives you the latest techniques for improving your efficiency with English grammar and punctuation. <ul>
<li>Teaches the rules of verbs, adjectives, and adverbs; prepositions, propositions, and pronoun pronouncements; punctuation; possessives; and proofreading skills for all communication</li> <li>Geraldine Woods is the author of English Grammar Workbook For Dummies, College Admission Essays For Dummies, Research Papers For Dummies, SAT I For Dummies, 6th Edition, AP English Literature For Dummies, and AP English Language For Dummies
</li> </ul>
For speakers and writers of all skill levels, English Grammar For Dummies, 2nd Edition provides easy-to-follow, practical information for improving your command of English grammar.

For students competing for the decreasing pool of college scholarships, writing a stellar entrance essay can make all the difference. With discrete explanations of vital grammar rules, common usage errors, and the other key concepts people need to refer to most often, Grammar Essentials For Dummies provides crucial information to help students communicate accurately and effectively. This guide is also a perfect reference for parents who need to review critical grammar concepts as they help students with homework assignments or college entrance essays, as well as for adult learners headed back into the classroom and people learning English as a next language. The Essentials For Dummies Series Dummies is proud to present our new series, The Essentials For Dummies. Now students who are prepping for exams, preparing to study new material, or who just need a refresher can have a concise, easy-to-understand review guide that covers an entire course by concentrating solely on the most important concepts. From algebra and chemistry to grammar and Spanish, our expert authors focus on the skills students most need to succeed in a subject.

Grammar Essentials For Dummies

This new edition of The SAT For Dummies gives you the information you need to focus on those areas that are most problematic and to ensure that you achieve the best possible score. Whether you're struggling with math, reading, or writing essays, this updated guide offers advice for tackling the toughest questions, as well as hints and tips for making the most of the time available to complete each section. 
<ul>
<li>Features four full-length practice tests (two more than prior editions) with detailed answers and explanations</li> <li>Provides reviews of foundational concepts for every section, from identifying root words and the correct use of commas to solving math word problems and using the quadratic formula</li> <li>Includes complete explanations for every question type and practice problems for every section of the test</li> </ul>
The SAT For Dummies gives you the edge you need to successfully achieve the highest score possible!

SAT For Dummies

Get some good grammar practice-and start speaking and writingwell Good grammar is important, whether you want to advance yourcareer, boost your GPA, or increase your SAT or ACT score. Practiceis the key to improving your grammar skills, and that's what thisworkbook is all about. Honing speaking and writing skills throughcontinued practice translates into everyday situations, such aswriting papers, giving presentations, and communicating effectivelyin the workplace or classroom.
In English Grammar Workbook For Dummies you'll findhundreds of fun problems to help build your grammar muscles. Justturn to a topic you need help with-from punctuation and pronouns topossessives and parallel structure-and get out your pencil. Withjust a little practice every day, you'll be speaking correctly,writing confidently, and getting the recognition you deserve atwork or at school.
<ul>
<li>Hundreds of practice exercises and helpful explanations</li>
<li>Explanations mirror teaching methods and classroomprotocols</li>
<li>Focused, modular content presented in step-by-step lessons</li>
</ul>
English Grammar Workbook For Dummies will empower you tostructure sentences correctly, make subject and verbs agree, anduse tricky punctuation marks such as commas, semicolons, andapostrophes without fear.

English Grammar Workbook For Dummies, 2nd Edition

See the best price to sell, buy, or rent books by Woods, Geraldine. BookScouter helps to compare book prices from 25+ online bookstores and 30+ buyback vendors with a single search.

Books by Woods, Geraldine

See the best price to sell, buy, or rent books by Woods, Geraldine. BookScouter helps to compare book prices from 25+ online bookstores and 30+ buyback vendors with a single search.

Sentence.: A Period-to-Period Guide to Building Better Readers and Writers

25 Great Sentences and How They Got That Way

English Grammar For Dummies

AP English Literature & Composition For Dummies

AP English Language and Composition For Dummies

AP English Language and Composition for Dummies

English Grammar For Dummies

Grammar Essentials For Dummies

SAT For Dummies

English Grammar Workbook For Dummies, 2nd Edition