Giraffe Posted May 2, 2011 Share Posted May 2, 2011 Here's the deal: I moved many, many times as a young child, not settling down in one school district (much less one school) until I was in the 7th grade. Even then, I still moved every 2-3 years until I graduated from high school (military brat). To give you an idea of the amount of moving, I went to three different schools in second grade. Ugh. I never had a formal grammar course. I don't know the definition of gerund. I wouldn't recognize one if it beat me up in an alley. I don't know what the "past present" verb tense looks like. Don't get me started on participles - no clue. Yet I scored 710 on the SAT for verbal and something in the 700s in the verbal section when I took the GRE back in the Dark Ages (1990-something). I feel like I need to go back and study grammar, as I'm considering returning to school for the long-awaited MA in English (and yes, I know I need to retake the GRE). DH says I don't - that my test scores show I know what I'm doing without knowing how to diagram a sentence or define a gerund (what IS a gerund, anyway?!). (Please don't take my writing here or anywhere else on the board as an example of my formal academic writing style. Here I just talk with the keyboard, I'm not writing formally.) What says the Hive? I'm going to a HS bookfair Friday and have a chance to pick up a grammar course, possibly, but I don't want to do it if my money is better spent elsewhere (like on DD's stuff!). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mazakaal Posted May 2, 2011 Share Posted May 2, 2011 Well, I lived in the same house until I graduated from high school, stayed in the same school district for all 13years of my education, and got a 690 on the verbal portion of the SAT, and I didn't know what a gerund was or any of the other technical grammar terms, so don't feel too bad. I've been learning all that along with ds through Analytical Grammar. It's not cheap, but it is effective. There may be another program that's geared more towards adults. Maybe someone else will give some good suggestions, but you could look into AG and see if it would work for you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Halftime Hope Posted May 2, 2011 Share Posted May 2, 2011 A good grammar book with a lot of bang for the buck would be the Abeka 10th grade grammar workbook and the TM to go with it. It is quite in depth and will have enough grammar to get you through anything you'd need unless you were to study linguistics. I find that having plenty of exercises to cement concepts is very helpful to me, and that's why I prefer a workbook as opposed to a grammar handbook that give the rule and one example, then moves on. One caveat, Abeka has a fair amount of CC in their examples, so don't buy it if that would offend you. hth Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mom2denj Posted May 2, 2011 Share Posted May 2, 2011 I have learned quite a bit right alongside my dc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dobela Posted May 2, 2011 Share Posted May 2, 2011 I was an excellent grammar student. I loved it. I could still get excited about diagramming. But since I have had no occassion since high school to identify a gerund I wouldn't have any idea how to find it today. Pretty much all of my college English classes were about literature. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Mungo Posted May 2, 2011 Share Posted May 2, 2011 If you want to brush up on grammar, then I agree with the pp who recommended Analytical Grammar. I think it is a great program. A gerund is a verb that is acting as a noun. Ex: "kids, don't forget we are going to swimming today!" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elegantlion Posted May 2, 2011 Share Posted May 2, 2011 In lieu of an actual course, you could pick up a handbook and work through it. Grammar is my nemesis and I've picked up quite a few very cheaply at thrift stores. My collection includes: Writer's Inc Harbrace College Handbook Transitive Vampire (a fun gothic grammar reference) The Art of Styling Sentences Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jean in Newcastle Posted May 2, 2011 Share Posted May 2, 2011 Go to the library and get a GRE study guide. See what the topics are. It's been too long for me to remember if any grammar was in there but that should help you. Look at the course requirements for the MA in English. Again - look to see if grammar is even taught. If you keep a good verb-subject agreement etc. usually you don't need formal grammar study for writing good papers or for dissecting literature. I've found that I needed grammar the most when studying foreign languages at a higher level. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Mungo Posted May 2, 2011 Share Posted May 2, 2011 Transitive Vampire (a fun gothic grammar reference) I love this book!! :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Teachin'Mine Posted May 2, 2011 Share Posted May 2, 2011 IMO grammar is taught for the purpose of speaking and writing well. You obviously already speak and write well and know proper grammar even if you don't know the specific terms. The SAT (GRE?) doesn't ask you to identify a gerund, they ask which of the sentences is grammatically correct. Unless you want to learn the terms, I don't see why you need a grammar text. It is helpful to know the terms when learning a foreign language. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Giraffe Posted May 2, 2011 Author Share Posted May 2, 2011 Thank you everyone. I am learning a foreign language and honestly that is where I have felt most the lack of formal grammar instruction. I will look at the GRE study guides. DH just took it so I should have something lying around ;). I'm nervous and excited - and want to do well. :willy_nilly: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carol in Cal. Posted May 2, 2011 Share Posted May 2, 2011 You could start with the Rod and Staff handbook. It's thorough and complete but short and sparse, too, and pretty inexpensive. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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