Product Description

Understanding the fundamentals of grammar is the first step to impressive writing. A few of the topics covered in this DVD include: the parts of speech, common nouns and pronouns, verb tenses, conjugations, and compound sentences. The Standard Deviants provide you with a fun, effective way of learning with their unique blend of helpful study tips and comic relief. (Formerly titled English Grammar 1 DVD)

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #24495 in DVD
• Released on: 2000-04-10
• Rating: NR (Not Rated)
• Aspect ratio: 1.33:1
• Formats: Anamorphic, Color, Dolby, DVD, Full Screen, HiFi Sound, Surround Sound, THX, Widescreen, NTSC
• Original language: English
• Number of discs: 1
• Running time: 75 minutes

Amazon.com
English grammar is serious stuff, and there's only so much that can be done to make it entertaining. But the Standard Deviants, an energetic troupe of young performers whose specialty is making serious academic subjects engaging, happily dive into what they call "The Split-Infinitive World of English Grammar." The lessons on this DVD have been prepared by a panel of serious academics, but flashy graphics abound. And the performers do their best to liven up presentations of basic concepts. Nouns, verbs, adjectives, and other parts of speech are explained with some offbeat examples (for instance, a film of a lizard is used to demonstrate why "gecko" is a common noun). While introducing a section on verbals, a young woman mentions that a "funky thing" verbs can do is function as other parts of speech. Eventually all parts of speech are covered, and basic sentence structures are introduced. At the end of each set of lessons a quiz is presented, which a student can either take or skip. After proceeding through all the lessons on this DVD (which contains about two hours worth of material), a student can take the "Gram Slam," a comprehensive exam. English grammar will never be a barrel of fun, but the Standard Deviants deserve credit for making this review course as engaging as the subject is ever likely to get. --Robert J. McNamara

Customer Reviews

I beg to differ... all flash, no substance.
Good luck remembering anything you were "taught" in this program! There's no structure, no method. The stuff is just "thrown out at you" and you're supposed to absorb it somehow. The kids are cute, and some of the jokes were kinda funny, but I found myself having to watch it over and over, trying to figure out what they were trying to teach me. If you really want to learn grammar, look for something more instructional.

Good for Review of the Basics of Grammar
This DVD takes you at a rapid speed through the basics of grammar. There are three more DVDs in this series that deal with grammar and punctuation.

The DVD may be best used perhaps for a review of grammar -
to brush up on what you know.

If you're starting from scratch,
it may also been a solid introduction - getting acquainted with
the elements of grammar. If words like "adverbs" or "adjectives" sound like mystical language to you - they will be demystified here.

On the other hand, if you're struggling with conjugating irregular verbs, you'll still have to pick a good grammar book and to memorize the verbs you don't know.

And, as a matter of fact, this DVD is best used in conjunction with a good grammar book. DVD only helps to learn and memorize areas of grammar faster, but it does not replace the need to work separately on the areas that may be challenging for you.

Great use of DVD
This series is an excellent use of DVD. You can more around, take quizzes and a final exam that is pretty cool. These guys and girls (who look good) take you through the boring stuff with some flair. I recommend these to anyone needing help in Grammar.