It Was the Best of Sentences, It Was the Worst of Sentences: A Writer's Guide to Crafting Killer Sentences [Paperback]

In this wickedly humorous manual, language columnist June Casagrande uses grammar and syntax to show exactly what makes some sentences great—and other sentences suck.

Great writing isn’t born, it’s built—sentence by sentence. But too many writers—and writing guides—overlook this most important unit. The result? Manuscripts that will never be published and writing careers that will never begin. 
 
With chapters on “Conjunctions That Kill” and “Words Gone Wild,” this lighthearted guide is perfect for anyone who’s dead serious about writing, from aspiring novelists to nonfiction writers, conscientious students to cheeky literati. So roll up your sleeves and prepare to craft one bold, effective sentence after another. Your readers will thank you.Acknowledgments ix
 
Introduction The Sentence: The Writer’s Most Important Tool 1
 
Chapter 1  Who Cares? Making Sentences Meaningful to Your Reader 7
 
Chapter 2 Conjunctions That Kill: Subordination 15
 
Chapter 3 Movable Objects: Understanding Phrases and Clauses 29
 
Chapter 4 Size Matters: Short versus Long Sentences 36
 
Chapter 5  Words Gone Wild: Sentences That Say Nothing—or Worse 53
 
Chapter 6 Words Gone Mild: Choosing Specific Words Over Vague Ones 61
 
Chapter 7 A Frequently Overstated Case: The Truth About Adverbs 65
 
Chapter 8 Are Your Relatives Essential? Relative Clauses 72&l³n