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English Grammar Boot Camp cover art

English Grammar Boot Camp

By: Anne Curzan, The Great Courses
Narrated by: Anne Curzan
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Summary

Grammar! For many of us, the word triggers memories of finger-wagging schoolteachers, and of wrestling with the ambiguous and complicated rules of using formal language. But what is grammar? In fact, it's the integral basis of how we speak and write.

As such, a refined awareness of grammar opens a world of possibilities for both your pleasure in the English language and your skill in using it, in both speech and the written word. As a foundation for writing, a detailed grounding in grammar and usage will hugely expand your resources for meaningful verbal expression, for navigating the subtleties of the language, and for achieving clarity of communication and stylistic power.

In English Grammar Boot Camp, linguist and popular Great Courses instructor Professor Curzan takes you on an enjoyable exploration of the essential aspects of English grammar. These 24 spirited and accessible lectures offer you a comprehensive core training - a linguistic "boot camp," by which we mean a thorough immersion in all of the key elements of English grammar and usage, in their most immediate, practical application.

Here you get a breadth of perspective and context you won't find elsewhere, leaving you with a more choices and rich verbal resources for your own use of the language. In discussing the different parts of speech, Professor Curzan directs your attention to how the element at hand evolved. Highlighting reflections from 18th- and 19th-century usage guides as well as from multiple modern commentators, she guides you in examining real-world language use in a variety of contexts, helping you develop a sophisticated frame of reference and a deep awareness of the idiosyncrasies of English.

This delightful and superbly insightful course offers you a unique opportunity to explore the linguistic riches of the English language, and to significantly deepen your mastery of grammar, usage, and style.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying reference material will be available in your Library section along with the audio.

©2016 The Great Courses (P)2016 The Teaching Company, LLC

What listeners say about English Grammar Boot Camp

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Not really a grammar boot camp

What did you like best about English Grammar Boot Camp? What did you like least?

There is much to like in this course. Professor Curzan speaks well and has an obvious passion for novel words and usage, primarily from the US. Unfortunately that passion is where most of the course's emphasis lies. The first two hours felt like an extended introduction saying "Don't be too prescriptive." The course would be better described as a series on writing style covering US grammatical novelties and common controversies, all held together with grammatical tags: traditional grammar is there, but my impression is that it is used to provide the lecture headings and often only a modest proportion of a lecture's content.

What was most disappointing about The Great Courses’s story?

The overall content, and Professor Curzan's tendency to labour a point for far too long (the lengthy section on double negatives comes to mind).

Have you listened to any of Professor Anne Curzan’s other performances? How does this one compare?

No

Could you see English Grammar Boot Camp being made into a movie or a TV series? Who would the stars be?

No

Any additional comments?

The course is understandably focused on US English. Given the heavy emphasis on new words and usage, a British English speaker could find the content disappointing.

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27 people found this helpful

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Brilliant

This book has contextualised and explained grammar to me in a more effective way than any teacher I've ever had. I recommend this course to anyone who dreaded grammar lessons as a child, or anyone who wishes to explore grammar in more depth.

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10 people found this helpful

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Very interesting and engaging

Although the lecturer is American, this didn't detract from the usefulness. Clarified some areas of English grammar and exposed a lot of myths. It was particularly interesting to see how popularity of words changes over time and new words enter the language.

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8 people found this helpful

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A good grammar book

Since English is my second language, I find English grammar audiobooks a great help in making me sound better when talking to native speakers.

What's more, this one managed not to annoy me even once ( which is not always the case with audiobooks ).

A good book, and a good performance overall

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6 people found this helpful

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Like!

It is good to hear about grammar ! Would be great to remember .

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3 people found this helpful

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Technical and Accessible

The content of this audiobook is everything I hoped it would be: an in-depth analysis of English grammar presented in a relatable manner. I have listened to it twice already and will be enjoying it again soon.

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2 people found this helpful

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mind set for language trending

the course set a very good mind set that language is changing, and we don't always have to have a "standard" usage.

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2 people found this helpful

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    2 out of 5 stars
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Insomniac?

I didn't find this course particularly interesting and pales to her previous effort which was enriched with history snd more etymology. Quite basic.

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2 people found this helpful

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Excellent

Another brilliant course from Anne Curzon. Some of the grammar explains we're complex and possibly better understood if readvabout. She has such a great attitude to getting grammar right.

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1 person found this helpful

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A comprehensive lecture on Grammar

A fun series of lectures on all things grammar. All of the lectures were informative, practical and entertaining.

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