Chapters in this book

1. Frontmatter i
2. Contents v
3. Annotated Contents viii
4. Key to Symbols xi
5. Introduction xii
6. Chapter Format xiv
7. A. Noun, Number, and Determiner
8. 1. Curious capitalisation 1
9. 2. Nouns with changing countability 5
10. 3. Quantities that do not add up 8
11. 4. Collective divisions? 11
12. 5. The singular elements of a compound 13
13. 6. Possessing a choice 16
14. 7. Determining an order 19
15. 8. The strong and the weak determiner 21
16. 9. Approximate coordination 23
17. 10. We, meaning me or you or us 26
18. 11. The individual pronoun problem 28
19. 12. A specifically indefinite reference 31
20. 13. This rule requires a second mention 35
21. 14. Are some proper nouns more definite than others? 37
22. 15. Can’t we just omit articles? 39
23. Understanding 1–15 43
24. B. Verbs (Tense, Mood, and Modals)
25. 16. Conversion: When words switch classes 47
26. 17. The missing object of the transitive 52
27. 18. The verb with various forms 55
28. 19. Doubling up on regular verb forms 58
29. 20. A present reading of a past action 60
30. 21. Presenting the future in the past 63
31. 22. The peculiar perfect progressive 65
32. 23. Reporting on backshifting 68
33. 24. Conditions for conditionals 70
34. 25. In an unreal mood 73
35. 26. Passives should be actively used 75
36. 27. It doesn’t seem active, but it doesn’t look passive 78
37. 28. ‘-ing’ terpreting 81
38. 29. Masquerading as modals 84
39. 30. The possibilities of may 87
40. 31. Shall I or will I? 89
41. 32. Does do double up? 91
42. Understanding 16–32 93
43. C. Prepositions, Adjectives, and Adverbs
44. 33. Ending the preposition debate 97
45. 34. Attributing a position to an adjective 103
46. 35. Getting adjectives in order 106
47. 36. Quite ungradable adjectives 108
48. 37. Adverbs disguised as adjectives 111
49. 38. Time adverbs that appear everywhere 114
50. 39. When an adverb has a negative influence 116
51. 40. To boldly split the infinitive 119
52. Understanding 33–40 123
53. D. Subject, Clauses, and Questions
54. 41. The topic is the subject 125
55. 42. Although they look like main clauses . . . 129
56. 43. When discussing dangling . . . 131
57. 44. Subject and verb switching 134
58. 45. A positive clause, a positive tag 136
59. 46. You know how to respond to this question, do you? 138
60. 47. Unanswered questions 141
61. 48. A word with no meaning 144
62. 49. The sentence that makes you wait 147
63. 50. Expanding on the contraction 149
64. Understanding 41–50 151
65. Answers 155
66. Appendix 157
67. Glossary 159
68. Subject Index 161