Grammar Manual for a Native English Speaker?

[Clopin]

I'm looking specifically for an exhaustive and in depth guide to English grammar, writing, and grammatical terminology/nomenclature which would be suitable for a native speaker to learn from. I think I'm going to attend college next year, and while I believe my writing is probably already on par with most high school graduates, I've also never written an essay before and I haven't actually sat down in a school for just under a decade. Generally I want to be able to explain precisely why something is grammatically incorrect in every instance and I want to be fully cognizant of the terminology and technical words and phrases used in describing English grammar.

I'll probably order more than one such book so any recommendations for various reference editions, manuals, guides or rulebooks you want to throw at me, of varying styles or weightiness, would be much appreciated.

I could take a course on academic writing in college, but this will be much cheaper and since I have to sit an exam in order to actually make it into the school in the first place I think it makes more sense to go in this order.

[Calidore]

If it helps, one of the standard texts required for editing/proofreading jobs is the current edition of The Chicago Manual of Style.

[Clopin]

Yes... this looks to be just the ticket. I'll probably get that, a thousand pages too.

[Pompey Bum]

That's exciting news, Clopin. I hope it works out for you. You are certainly an inspired young man, and any college ought to be proud to have you. For an exhaustive review of English grammar and syntax (including metalinguistic terms), you may be better off taking a course. (I think there are free online courses called MOOCs). English is a complicated language that takes time to master. I'm not discouraging you from doing something like that, but you should accompany it with a faster, down-and-dirty assault on practical grammar and punctuation. Check out a very useful book called Woe is I by New York Times Book Review editor Patricia O'Conner. It's the fastest way I know to get savvy enough at the lingo (from a technical perspective) to kick ash (damned censor) on admissions essays; and It would will take a hell of a lot less time than a teaching yourself from a grammar or a taking a course. As I remember, though, O'Conner intentionally avoids technical terms, so you should probably pursue a class, too. As for a current grammar, someone else will have to advise you (it's been a long time). Maybe Lykren can help. He just got into Berkeley, didn't he?

[Clopin]

The Great Courses series lists quite a few (probably entry level) which touch on English grammar and usage, they cost money but I can steal them with torrents >: D

[Pompey Bum]

I think Open Culture may have some. I can't vouch for the quality, but you should look into it. Do you have an Ipad? I think there's a free free-university app that connects to major world universities. I forget its name, though. Does anyone know what I mean?

[YesNo]

For what it's worth, I think your writing is fine as it is, Clopin, based on your posts.

Not that I would know. I was in my thirties when I finished getting an undergraduate degree having taken about ten years off as well. Since I was studying mathematics, the writing style I had to imitate was different from what a literature major would have tried to imitate. They should teach you how they want you to write once you get there.

[Pompey Bum]

I remembered the name of the app: it's called iTunes U. I've never used it, but I heard good things about it a few years ago. You may want to see if there's an English grammar course. There are also English grammar apps, but think they are mostly for kid. But hey, the grammar doesn't care. :)

[Whifflingpin]

Fowler's "English Usage" was a standard for a long time, and may still be.

[Pompey Bum]

It still is, but the rules are somewhat different on our side of the briny deep. Or does Canada go with Mother England? (I know Clopin sometimes raves of labour and aeroplanes :)).

[Clopin]

Labour yes, but it's airplanes here as well. I think British English is usually more acceptable than American if you have to go entirely with one or the other.

[Pompey Bum]

In that case (depending on where you plan to apply), you may find Fowler more useful than The Chicago Manual of Style. But both are going to be a bit theotetical. English is constantly in flux, and one of the nice things about the less formal books on grammar is that they tell you the parts of the manuals that you can ignore (and in fact, that you should ignore). That seems unfair, but if you don't treat grammar as an art as opposed to a science, it will drive you to distraction.