Word Savvy
Word Savvy: Use the Right Word Every Time, All the Time by Nancy Ragno Writer’s Digest Books, 2011 ISBN-13: 978-1-59963-303-9 ISBN-10: 1-59963-303-5 $14.00 paperback, 224 pages Buy the Book! Read…
Word Savvy: Use the Right Word Every Time, All the Time
by Nancy Ragno
Writer's Digest Books, 2011
ISBN-13: 978-1-59963-303-9
ISBN-10: 1-59963-303-5
$14.00 paperback, 224 pages
Read an Excerpt!
Learn how to attack wrong-word problems in your writing.
Online Exclusive
Download 3 free bookmarks with 10 nouns, adjectives, and verbs everyone should know.
About the Book
Build your word know-how—and stand out. The right words help you make a good impression—smart, professional, and trustworthy. Poor word choices can make coworkers, teachers, friends, or editors think you’re unprofessional, uneducated, or lazy. It’s critical that you learn the best methods for preventing wrong-word problems and catching errors in your writing.
Word Savvy teaches you simple, easy ways to confidently avoid mistakes and ensure your success.
- Distinguish between confusing word pairs: What’s the difference between accept and except or sight, cite, and site?
- Confidently use commonly misused words: What do nonplussed, quay, gourmand, and ambivalent really mean?
- Get rid of mistakes in your speech and writing: Did you know diligency isn’t a word?
- Apply the rules (and exceptions) for tricky singulars and plurals: What’s the plural of addendum?
- Learn how to keep up with buzzwords and how to tell when the buzz wears off: What are the best strategies for staying on top of popular jargon—and avoiding irritating your coworkers with words that are past their prime?
- Plus, identify the keywords that will make your résumé stand out: What industry-related words and powerful verbs will get your résumé past the automated scanning software?
No matter what kind of writing you do in your day-to-day life, Word Savvy gives you the strategies so that you can recognize, remember, and use the right word—every time.
About the Author
Nancy Ragno is co-author of the language arts series, World of Language and its predecessors, Silver Burdett & Ginn English and Silver Burdett English. She earned her M.A. at New York University and is a former teacher, lecturer, and textbook editor. In addition to her textbook series, she has written plays, biographies, and nonfiction for the middle grades and parts of numerous programs in language arts, reading, literature, speech, spelling, and social studies for major publishers. Her biography is included in Marquis’ Who’s Who.
Originally from Philadelphia, she currently resides in Knoxville, Tennessee, where you may often find her at Close Encounter Village in the Knoxville Zoo, where she works as a volunteer, explaining bio-facts to visitors and assisting with their “close up and personal” encounters with birds and small animals. Her interests include organic gardening, wildlife research, and playing the bassoon. During her college years, she was first-chair bassoonist of the Harrisburg Symphony Orchestra, and she maintains her interest in music and support of local musical organizations, with special emphasis on the Knoxville Symphony Orchestra.
Visit www.wordsavvy-therightword.com for more about choosing the right word.
Table of Contents
Introduction
01 Avoid the No. 1 Mistake of Today’s Writers
02 Attacking the Wrong-Word Problem
03 Master 76 Commonly Confused Word Pairs
04 Conquer 52 Commonly Misused Words
05 Purge 25 No-No’s From Your Speech & Writing
06 Use Tricky Singulars & Plurals With Assurance
07 Some Surprising Ways Errors Occur
08 How to Catch Wrong-Word Errors
09 Talk the Talk: Keeping Abreast of Buzzwords
