Best book for crash course in english grammar?

[LittleOldLady]

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Anyway there is a new job position at work that requires me to grammar nazi skills. I've never had schooling in English grammar due to moving around so often. I basically just wing it. I'm proficient at the language and have no problem spelling. I have problems with things like comma usage, colons, when to use apostrophes, or when to underline, do I put magazine article names in italics, pointing out what the subject is, etc.

So should I just go find an ACT book, or is there something better? I can memorize easily for the test, but I'd rather get a book that is designed well so I can learn this permanently. I don't want to forget it all again, which is what happened last time when I had to study this for the ACT.

(braces for people correcting the grammar in this post)

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You are asking for several different kinds of information here. For questions of grammar and syntax, any handbook (like Harbrace) will do. There are numerous ones out on the market; it's a matter of preference as to which presentation you find more appealing. Strunk and White aims to teach how to write with elegance and effectiveness--it's the oldie but goodie in the field. However, the stuff about underlining and italics varies according to the policies of the particular publisher/academic field. Popular styles for such things include University of Chicago Press, APA, MLA, NYTimes. Each of thise entities puts out a manual explaining its particular style. There is no one universally agreed-upon authority for such matters, and British style(s) differ(s) in noticeable ways from American. Also, you didn't indicate your field, but if you are in the sciences (pure or applied), technical conventions (for example, use of numerals and abbreviations) differ from non-technical. In that case, you will need one of the numerous tech writing handbooks.

Sorry to say, being a true grammar nazi is a tad complicated.

Or, since I am a grammar nazi extraordinaire, you can pay me to fix your writing. Others have for the past 40 years....

[codewarrior]

I recommend <u>The St. Martin's Handbook</u> . This is a grammar bible for everything from day-to-day speach, to business letters and reports, to you-name-it.