Grammar A-Z

Course Details

Are you editing a website (or is it "Web site"?) and don't know if you should add that a new page for it is "underway," "under way," or "under weigh"? Are you writing a manual or brochure and want to tell readers that if they'd like more information, they should "log onto" your Web site, or "log on to," or "logon to"? Do you lose sleep wondering if your participles are dangling in public? Or that your constructions might not be parallel? Or that your subjunctive clauses have become too dependent? Do you want to know what all of these terms mean?

Learn about these and more (and whether the government can really collect on your syntax -- and what that means) in a seminar that deconstructs grammar and the myths about grammar, and how much of what we call "grammar" is actually "style": a suggested or mandated preference of spelling and word usage over another.

In this seminar, you can expect to learn such things as:

• "Rules" of grammar vs. common misunderstandings about word usage and sentence structure
• Popular styleguides, dictionaries, grammar websites, and more
• The main parts of speech and their functions -- and how a verb is different from a predicate, a noun is different from a subject, and so forth
• Why some words are more loaded than others with nuances and negative connotations, and how to pick the best words and phrases
• How to be on the lookout for redundancies, needless wording, and even contradictory wording
• How to detect and avoid jargon and other hackneyed phrases
• How to understand your audiences (readers, viewers, listeners) -- and whether grammar and spelling really matter anymore to them in today's world of abbreviation-dependent SMS text messaging, all-lower-cased emails, rap/hip-hop lyrics, and so forth

Instructor Bio

Gary North's Courses

Gary North is a longtime news editor, copy editor, writer and reporter who has worked for such chains as Knight-Ridder, Gannett, Belo and MediaNews Group plus numerous independent publications and websites as well as affiliates of CBS and PBS. He's also worked as a public information officer and in public relations departments of various nonprofits plus for-profits including Southern California Edison. He is a former president of the Los Angeles Newspaper Guild and currently works as a senior copy editor and features copy chief at Variety and Daily Variety.

Testimonials

Gary is an extremely knowledgeable instructor and role model. He is easy to approach with questions and encourages comments, explaining topics and answering questions thoroughly. -- Candice Ota

"I feel lucky to have taken this course. I learned a lot about the craft of editing. I'm a stronger editor now and I look forward to applying all the things I learned in this class in the near future." -- Tim Crowley

"Gary was an exceptional instructor. In addition to being insightful and passionate about the field, he was always courteous to everyone in class. I was especially impressed with the efforts he made to email us supplemental material, and his willingness to help his students outside of the course." -- Andrew Wisot

"The class had valuable information that I hadn't been able to acquire elsewhere. All the handouts were relevant and useful, and included an extensive list of online resources for employable copy editors that I'll start using immediately." -- Lynette M. Smith

"Gary was very knowledgeable, articulate, easy to follow, and perhaps most important, he really respected the craft and communicated the importance of doing the job well." -- Odin Ozdil

"Gary went that extra mile to make sure we all got what we needed from the class. He offered to help each of us in the future and I fully plan to take him up on that." -- Gail Wichert

"Gary was fantastic. He asked each of us about our goals as it pertained to the class, and if he sensed an interest in a particular topic, he delved into further detail. He handled questions and class participation with agility and patience." -- Christine Podbielski

"Gary is a wonderful teacher, and his instruction helped me to refocus my work habits and provided an excellent reminder that copy editing can be fun." -- Joyce Pennell

"I learned so many valuable skills that I will carry with me throughout my career. Gary's enthusiasm for copy editing and kind demeanor made every class a pleasure." -- Angela Salazar

"I am grateful to have been a part of a course as informative as this one, and I would gladly take another course." -- Patricia Lawrence

"Before I took this class I respected copy editors. Now I worship the ground they walk on. Gary has such vast knowledge and he was so enthusiastic about sharing it. I especially enjoyed and learned from all his anecdotes. This was an excellent course." -- Lee Alexander

"I got much more than I expected out of the course. Gary is a wonderful teacher and is very knowledgeable and passionate about his work!" -- Julia Kataoka

"Gary's insights into copy editing were both entertaining and informative. The time flew by." -- Tom Owens