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TO:
My family and friends, who accepted, without apparent resentment and with barely audible complaint, my complete self-isolation during the many months in which I totally and shamefully neglected them while working on the revision of this book.
Especially: Mary; Margie Baldinger and the kids; Debbie and Allen Hubbert; Milton Lewis; Karen and Bob Kopfstein; Leonard Vogel, one of America's great painters, and Shirley; gourmet cooks David and Janice Potts; Seymour and Nan Prog; Ruth and Leo; Dave and Jan Hopkins; Carol and Marvin Colter; Bob Finnerty, my chess opponent, who says that winning is all that counts; Doris Garcia; Eleanor and Robert Poitou; Mary El and Dick Gayman—
Walter Garcia, Len Grandy, Don Jenkins; Sally Landsburg; Ted and Margaret Snyder; Jean Bryan; Rhoda and Ralph Duenewald; George and Phyllis Juric; Bob and Monica Myers, Tony and Kathy Garcia, Jean Kachaturian; Margie Lopez and Jo Watson—
Myrtle and Ace, Donny and Estelle, Helen and Ben, Judy and Bob, Doris and Muriel, Danny and Mary; in memoriam, Max and Frances—
Larry Scher, Chuck Nichamin, Sue Sullivan, Rosemary and Debbie Greenman, Alice Hessing, Dave and Lynn Bisset, Danny Hernandez, John Arcadi and Peggy Arcadi, Norm Ashley, Aaron Breitbart—
Lorin and Gloria Warner, Marty and Ros Chodos, Mahlon and Gwen Woirhaye, Leon and Kay East, Marijane and Paul Paulsen, Helen and Russ Hurford, Elior and Sally Kinarthy—
Carolyn Russell, Rod Sciborski, Vera Laushkin, John Hahn, Liz Johnson, Leonora Davila, Jim Hawley, Jerry Lenington, Jay Loughran, Susan Obler, Marilyn Houseman, Rita Scott, Chris Hamilton, Joan Nay, Mary Lewis, Virginia Sandoval, Hazel Haas—
The staff and all my students at Rio Hondo College—
My editor at Doubleday, Jean Anne Vincent, who so patiently and cheerfully goaded, prodded, pushed, wheedled, and cajoled me into finishing on time.
Also: I wish to thank Karen Kopfstein and Peggy Chulack for their promptness and care in typing the manuscript.
Whittier, California
January 1978
A thirty-sentence test of your ability to use words correctly. Is your English average, above average, or nearly perfect?
2．Random Notes on Modern Usage
Grammatical usage is becoming more liberal every day—is your speech neither affected nor illiterate? Simple rules for fifteen important expressions.
Grammar follows the speech habits of educated people—how does your grammar measure up in your use of nine common expressions?
There is no reason for being overprecise in your speech—but do you also avoid barbarisms and illiterate expressions?
Nine more expressions of which you must be careful.
6．Do You Always Use the Proper Word?
A twenty-five sentence check on your increasing linguistic ability.
7．Some Interesting Derivations
How words come from the names of people and places.
You can eliminate all your spelling difficulties—provided you know the tricks.
Proof that you are becoming a better speller.
10．Another Check on Your Spelling
Further tests to nail home the correct spellings of common but difficult words.