"This book - a detailed explanation and defense of standard American English - contains more than 700 pages of crisp, authoritative guidance on hundreds of questions of grammar and usage. A Dictionary of Modern American Usage treats all these topics and more: basic grammar, as well as advanced nuances; word preferences and shades of meaning; punctuation; idiomatic phrases; spelling; and effective style."--BOOK JACKET. "In an age of linguistic uncertainty, this book gives surefooted guidance on the direct, precise, and robust use of the English language. And although the book is scholarly, it is leavened with a dry wit. It is at once entertaining and educational."--BOOK JACKET. "DMAU is the most up-to-date and comprehensive guide to issues that writers continually confront. It's essential for seasoned and aspiring writers, teachers, scholars and students, professional editors, proofreaders, businesspeople, advertising and public-relations writers, and technical and scientific writers."--BOOK JACKET.