NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • A sharp, funny grammar guide they’ll actually want to read, from Random House’s longtime copy chief and one of Twitter’s leading language gurus NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY O: The Oprah Magazine • Paste • Shelf Awareness“Essential (and delightful!)”—People We all write, all the time: books, blogs, emails. Lots and lots of emails. And we all want to write … the time: books, blogs, emails. Lots and lots of emails. And we all want to write better. Benjamin Dreyer is here to help.
As Random House’s copy chief, Dreyer has upheld the standards of the legendary publisher for more than two decades. He is beloved by authors and editors alike—not to mention his followers on social media—for deconstructing the English language with playful erudition. Now he distills everything he has learned from the myriad books he has copyedited and overseen into a useful guide not just for writers but for everyone who wants to put their best prose foot forward.
As authoritative as it is amusing, Dreyer’s English offers lessons on punctuation, from the underloved semicolon to the enigmatic en dash; the rules and nonrules of grammar, including why it’s OK to begin a sentence with “And” or “But” and to confidently split an infinitive; and why it’s best to avoid the doldrums of the Wan Intensifiers and Throat Clearers, including “very,” “rather,” “of course,” and the dreaded “actually.” Dreyer will let you know whether “alright” is all right (sometimes) and even help you brush up on your spelling—though, as he notes, “The problem with mnemonic devices is that I can never remember them.”
And yes: “Only godless savages eschew the series comma.”
Chockful of advice, insider wisdom, and fun facts, this book will prove to be invaluable to everyone who wants to shore up their writing skills, mandatory for people who spend their time editing and shaping other people’s prose, and—perhaps best of all—an utter treat for anyone who simply revels in language.
Praise for Dreyer’s English
“Playful, smart, self-conscious, and personal . . . One encounters wisdom and good sense on nearly every page of Dreyer’s English.”—The Wall Street Journal
“Destined to become a classic.”—The Millions
“Dreyer can help you . . . with tips on punctuation and spelling. . . . Even better: He’ll entertain you while he’s at it.”—Newsday
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Fabulously brilliant in every way. Dreyer is a genius–at grammar, at humor, at life, and at presenting an incredibly important thing in an engaging and irresistible way. Readers and writers and editors and lovers of words–do not miss this extraordinary “guide to grammar” (and so much more).
Dreyer’s English is my go-to guide for the editing process. Random House’s copy chief, Benjamin Dreyer, knows what’s up when it comes to sharpening prose, nailing SPAG, and making your work ready for publishing. Plus, Dreyer delivers the information with wit and a personable voice, skyrocketing the manual to first place position on my writerly non-fiction list.
Never thought I’d read a style guide cover to cover, but Benjamin Dreyer was there to prove me wrong. Great for a brush up, or to force a reconsideration of a sacred cow. Witty, smart, and (not surprisingly) well edited.
Part style guide, part corrective, part just plain entertainment, this is the book grammar nerds and casual misusers of the English language can both benefit from. Delightful and specific, with great anecdotes from Dreyer’s extensive tenure as Random House copy chief. Read it for fun and then keep it on hand for reference.
Ah, such an informative book riddled with political leftism. If you can stand the frequent jabs at the Trumps, you will learn some good editing pointers; it’s unfortunate his political leanings had to be inserted showing his inability to just deliver what he excelled at and not offend the reader. Proceed at your own level of tolerance.
I was so relieved when Benjamin Dreyer confessed. “When I started out as a copy editor, I realized that most of what I knew about grammar I knew instinctively.” I was not alone!
He won my heart by adding, “Even now I’d be hard-pressed to tell you what a nominative absolute is, I think that the word “genitive” sounds vaguely smutty, and I certainly don’t know, or care to know, how to diagram a sentence. I hope I’m not shocking you.”
We did diagram sentences in junior high….in 1965… Don’t ask me how to do that now.
In school, I often got an A for content and a C for grammar and spelling. I never did learn to touch type with accuracy, and any proficiency I had gained in spelling has disappeared.
I often said that I came out of Temple University knowing how to read intelligently. I was quite unemployable and ended up in customer service and sales.
When I got a job as a copywriter/copyeditor in promotion for a small publishing house (I had worked for a former employee and my new boss thought I had learned her skills through osmosis), I worked hard to correct my errors by reading grammar books. My coworker and I had many heated discussions about how to write; she was a grammar nerd.
Later in life, while schooling our son, my family all were writing and we would critique each other. I had become a member of the dreaded ‘grammar police’ and oversensitive to bad writing habits.
I took short-term editing jobs and people hated me. I edited a manuscript for a self-published author who appreciated my insight and gave me double our agreed on price.
Well, that was a long time ago. I had thrown out my ragged grammar books before a move. Now, I needed a refresher course. And hearing so many good things about Dreyer’s English, bought an ebook.
What a treasure! So much useful information, shared in such an entertaining way! A joy to read!
I now understand why I never know if I should use gray or grey. My history of reading British writers had me totally confused.
I am very grateful.
Sound grammar advice, sure, but this book is hilarious! My sister and I both laughed out loud, for real. Written by a true wit!
Those of us who value clear and correct use of language will love this book, quirky though it is.
Loved this book on what could have been, and usually is, very dry material. The author is low-key, perceptive and amazingly funny. If you are lover of words and grammar, this is the book for you. At last.
I’m a grammar nerd and I love this book. I’ve read it three times now and will read it again. Very useful for keeping up with current usages. And just a delightful read too!
So far (about 40%), so good. It is well-written, as one would hope. I’ve learned some things, but I’m becoming assured that my small-town English teachers taught me well.
Since I doubt that I’ll write much in my dotage, I’d recommend this for anyone planning to write the great American novel, or anyone else who wants to avoid snarky reviews of their self-published masterpiece.
I wouldn’t have thought I would enjoy a book about grammar and language, but Mr. Dreyer’s voice is charming, funny, and educational. Indeed, it’ s a little nerve-wracking writing a review for this particular tome. And I stopped myself from using an exclamation point there even though I wanted to. Desperately.
An excellent addition to my library.
Makes grammar fun!
A readable and useful reference for anyone who writes anything.
Excellent book to clarify spellings and usage and explained so cleverly.
I enjoyed this book. It’s useful and entertaining.
I enjoyed reading this book; it’s brilliantly written, certainly well-written and well-organized too. The book is one of my “must-have written references”, full of information and guidance, along with humor and wisdom. Overall, it’s fun to read and learn, and I strongly recommend to people who desire to improve their writing.
I used to think Strunk and White’s The Elements of Style was the foremost authority on style and grammar. But Dreyer knocked this one out of the park. Informative, humorous, and an all-around great read.
I think every writer should own this. Witty and instructive. A must.