While modern tools like Grammarly offer automated fixes, Shertzer’s book is valued for building "grammatical intuition"—the ability to understand why a sentence works. The Elements of Grammar: Shertzer, Margaret D. - Amazon.com
: Practical advice on expressing numbers, using signs and symbols, and incorporating foreign words and phrases. Why Professionals Use the Shertzer Guide
: A critical section on "words often confused" (like affect vs. effect ) and frequently misspelled words.
is a concise, highly practical guide to the fundamental rules of English usage. First published in 1986, it was designed as a companion to the legendary The Elements of Style by Strunk and White, offering a similarly streamlined approach to mastering the mechanics of writing. Core Coverage and Key Chapters
: In-depth coverage of parts of the sentence and parts of speech.
: Definitive rules for commas, semicolons, and when to use uppercase letters.
The book serves as a "how-to" manual for clear and professional communication, moving from basic sentence building to advanced stylistic nuances. Key topics include: