Since its initial publication in 1993, this entertaining grammar book has helped thousands of middle school teachers teach even the most reluctant learners using lessons that de-emphasize rote learning and treat the parts of speech as building blocks for crazy writing assignments. Prompts include using at least 10 prepositional phrases from a list to write a scene from the new vegetable horror novel Squash Cemetery, and using lively verbs to write the monologue of a soda can telling his miserable life story to a psychologist. This new edition offers quirky quizzes to check student progress, even more writing ideas, and a guide to Internet enrichment activities, including "Stupid Roadside Attractions," in which students research goofy tourist traps in America and use vivid adjectives to describe the six that they think are the stupidest.