Petaluma Junior High School English Teacher Publishes Best Little Grammar Book Ever

Do you have trouble minding your Ps and Qs? Appalled at the general lack of grammatical knowledge of co-workers and kids? Well, here's an answer to all of our needs in the grammar, pronunciation and spelling department of our sloppy generation.

The Best Little Grammar Book Ever is set to appear on the market in May, thanks to the exemplary authoring skills of Petaluma Junior High School's Head of English Department, writer and editor Arlene Miller.

Who better to produce a clever little book covering all of the words that most commonly trip the best of us up in our communications? Don't be fooled by spell check, it is not a substitute for a sound grasp of good, solid grammar.

Personally, I can't wait to get my hands on a copy. For my select readers who do keep me in line with an 'editorial' eye on random acts of grammatical error-making here within the posts of Sonoma Country Life, close contact with Arlene's new grammar-sharpening tool should keep me in line.

As to the origins of the term 'mind your ps and qs, I prefer the version of printers placing individual letters on a typeset to print a page of text. Letters were frequently reversed, making it all too easy to transpose lowercase p's and q's while setting the type. 

As a trainee reporter in the wilds of rural Cambridgeshire, England back in the mid 80s, I will never forget a trip to the type set room and print works on press day as a traditional initiation into the world of newspapers.

According to the New York Times, today's college graduates form a large portion of American corporations spending billions of dollars on remedial training in grammar and spelling.  

Every household and office should have a copy of The Best Little Grammar Book Ever. Rather like the timely revival of Emily Post's 17th Edition Book of Etiquette that I spotted on a friend's kitchen counter the other day. Now that is an excellent tool to torture the teens. One subject matter per week, mind you. We wouldn't want to overwhelm, now, would we?

Comments

[Lindsey]

I should get a copy for my class. I hope there's a big section on 'your' and 'you're'. No more 'your welcome' responses, hopefully!

[Frank Simpson]

For those of us suffering from CRS (Can't Remember S..T) post a reminder blog when it comes out. If it helps me with "who" & "whom" it will be worth the price.

As to the current state of "education" in this country, I read somewhere that they no longer teach handwriting in many schools. A skill no longer needed in this texting world...?

On the typesetter front--Barb used to be a typesetter. Guess that reveals our age...;-)

[Frances]

Do you think that spelling goes AWOL with age as well as handwriting? My handwriting has definitely declined with excessive use of a keyboard. I have been thinking about taking a handwriting class to revive some style for the old-fashioned Thank-You cards and occasional post-it notes! Though even the notes section on the I Phone has cut the amount of lists I have stuffed into jacket pockets, my purse, the dashboard of the car. I figure if I keep one running list on the phone, if I miss something off it, it stays there until it is eventually taken notice of.

[Frances]

I wonder how confusing an American written grammar book would be in a classroom in England, Lindsey? Perhaps you could collaborate with Arlene on a British version?!

[Arlene]

Thanks for the great article! Yes, Who and whom are covered, as is your and you're! A British version would be great!!!

[Frances]

Do Let us know when your book releases, Arlene, I am looking forward to adding it to the writer's essentials on my Sonoma country desk!

[Arlene]

The book should be available through online retailers around May 1, but you can order it from my website now -- bigwords101.com

I will be sending the copies out in mid to late April, but you can preorder now. Thanks for the publicity!!! Book launch party May 1 at Petaluma Copperfield's at 1:30!