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    Elements of Style
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    Elements of Style
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    Elements of Style
    Ebook58 pages43 minutes

    Elements of Style

    By William Strunk

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    About this ebook

    The Elements of Style (1918), by William Strunk, Jr., and E.B. White, is an American English writing style guide. It is the best-known, most influential prescriptive treatment of English grammar and usage, and often is required reading and usage in U.S. high school and university composition classes. This edition of The Elements of Style details eight elementary rules of usage, ten elementary principles of composition, "a few matters of form," and a list of commonly misused words and expressions.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherStart Publishing LLC
    Release dateDec 10, 2012
    ISBN9781625585004

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    Reviews for Elements of Style

    4/5

    2,441 ratings89 reviews

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    • 2/5
      I'm one of those English majors who threw around "Strunk and White" knowingly, but had never read the book. So I decided to remedy that just a few years after graduation. As an English major, I think most of the knowledge in this book is things we learned in class, and therefore seems common sense to us. There is some interesting advice, but the rules I was the most unclear about were actually the ones that didn't have detailed explanations accompanying them, so that turned me off.
    • 5/5
      I am surprised that anyone would give this book a one-star rating, and yet some people have done that. I have no arguments with them, as we each have our own view of the books we read.For me, this is a brilliant book. I did not think that it would take me ten days to read 97 pages, but it did. The writing style is simple, and not a word is wasted. It was well worth the time I took to read the book carefully. The rules have been laid out in a simple manner, and the examples are clear. I like this book so much, that I ordered two paperback copies, one for my son and one for me. It is good to have this book as a handy reference. Prof Strunk seems to have been a man of exceptional clarity of thought, and this is reflected in the manner in which he has laid out the book, and given the examples. Mr White's section is a very useful addition. It adds to the value of the book. It is an essential guide to any aspiring writer.
    • 5/5
      To seem effortless in one's writing, practice and attention to detail make for perfection.
    • 5/5
      One of two books I keep in my laptop case. Not exhaustive, but very handy.
    • 5/5
      Indispensable.
    • 3/5
      This style manual offers practical advice on improving writing skills. Throughout, the emphasis is on promoting a plain English style. This little book can help you communicate more effectively by showing you how to enliven your sentences.
    • 5/5
      Great style guide for non fiction and fiction. Tart rules for everything written.
    • 5/5
      A unique book worth memorizing
    • 5/5
      Really a wonderful guide. It's not just a guide, though! I actually read it front to back and the voice of these men blends and instructs with sharp wit and dry humor. There are one-liners here on writing that are priceless!
    • 4/5
      A short, concise, and practical reference for those who want to improve their writing skills.
    • 5/5
      Always good to recap occasionally and give this a reread.
    • 4/5
      Nearly a century on it remains an excellent guide to clear communication, though time has rendered the tone prescriptive enough to make you want to commit the occasional atrocity to the language just to annoy the long dead author.
    • 3/5
      Great book, however I disagree with their opposition to the use of singular "they".
    • 4/5
      This is a must to read if not to own and reference. The updated version gives further insight and explanation, but overall the information remains valid for writers in the modern day. I refer to this when needed or when instructing writing.
    • 4/5
      I first read this before starting a creative writing & English course at university in 2009 and read it again at the end of my degree when I decided to become a proofreader (& later a copy-editor too).Some criticize this for being dated. In some respects it is. For example, one instruction is to write "some one" not "someone". This confused me at first, but further study of English style from more modern sources helped me define what rules were out of date in this book.Thus, my final verdict is that this is a good investment - even Stephen King has used it and recommends that all aspiring authors invest in a copy. A good story written with bad style is not really a good story after all.Amongst other things, this book guides you with writing well-structured sentences, advises how and when to use punctuation, and lists certain words that should be avoided for the sake of good form.The first time I read this I found it hard going, but it appeared much more straightforward upon a second reading. Bearing this in mind, a more modern book on style may be a better first choice for someone wanting to improve their form, but once they learn the basics then reading this should be worth their while.
    • 5/5
      I got this book over a year ago, and refer to it again and again. And again. While not a thick book, this book is essential in being able to write properly, even if you just want to write an email. And one of the best things about it (to me), is its explantions on commas and apostrophes, and all those nebulous areas of grammar.
    • 5/5
      This may have been the first book I read on style. I read it from cover to cover and I'm sure it helped me get through essays.
    • 4/5
      I read more criticism than support of "The Elements of Style", and most of the complaints are valid. Regardless of its faults it should not be ignored or forgotten. While not always technically correct its advice is brief, direct, and positive. Don't take it too seriously and it can't hurt you.

      If you write, read it.
    • 2/5
      It has some good advice on writing and some terrible lies about grammar.
    • 4/5
      Every writer should read this. It's short and sweet, but you'll still get something out of it in addition to the joy of checking it off of your To Read list.
    • 5/5
      How did I ever get out of high school without having to read this book? At any rate, it is small enough that no student, ever, should be allowed to graduate without having read it!And, surprisingly, it is quite readable. Who knew? the 4th edition has been updated to reflect modern slang and other 'with-it-isms' students should be on the lookout for. Oops. Just ended that sentence with a preposition. Tsk, tsk.
    • 5/5
      So I read this about 5 or 6 times and then CLEP'ed English comp 1. Great book that simply explains the things you need to know to communicate well in writing. :)
    • 5/5
      A bit intense on grammar vocabulary, but beyond that, an invaluable handbook.
    • 4/5
      This is still the best short guide to English grammar and usage, although you could argue with a few points.
    • 3/5
      A fairly boring read - the book is just a long list of grammar and style suggestions - but a decent reference to check every now and then. That said, if you already know what to look for, a google search is likely more effective. Therefore, a quick read through of this sort of book may be useful to know what questions to ask.
    • 5/5
      Classic book on usage, composition, form and style, it's less than 100 pages and is a miracle of lucidity and succinctness. Most memorable rule? Easy: 13. Omit needless words.
    • 3/5
      Not as good as blurb suggests.
    • 3/5
      This is a great pocket style guide almost. It covers all of the basics and is good for looking up quick writing references. It is not nearly complete so it is only good for general information.
    • 5/5
      The Bible of writing. In fact, more Library Thing members have this Bible than the King James Bible. I checked.
    • 3/5
      This is a great pocket style guide almost. It covers all of the basics and is good for looking up quick writing references. It is not nearly complete so it is only good for general information.