The Elements of Style (1918) (edit title/settings)

Ridiculously Simplified Synopsis edit see section history

Summary edit see section history

Quotes edit see section history

• “Omit needless words!”

• “Chapter II, Rule 12, A sonnet is built on a fourteen-line frame, each line containing five feet. Hence, sonneteers knows exactly where they are headed, although they may not know how to get there. Most forms of composition are less clearly defined, more flexible, but all have skeletons to which the writer will bring the flesh and blood. The more clearly the writer perceives the shape, the better are the chances of success.”

• “Chapter V, Reminder 1, A careful and honest writer does not need to worry about style. As you become proficient in the use of language, your style will emerge, because you yourself will emerge, and when this happens you will find it increasingly easy to break through the barriers that separate you from other minds, other hearts—which is, of course, the purpose of writing, as well as its principal reward.”

• “Chapter V, Reminder 1, Fortunately, the act of composition, or creation, disciplines the mind; writing is one way to go about thinking, and the practice and habit of writing not only drain the mind but supply it, too.”

• “The approach to style is by way of plainness, simplicity, orderliness, sincerity.”

• “Writing is, for most, laborious and slow.”

• “Chapter V, Reminder 5, Remember, it is no sign of weakness or defeat that your manuscript ends up in need of major surgery. This is a common occurrence in all writing, and among the best writers.”

• “Chapter V, Reminder 6, It is always a good idea to reread your writing later and ruthlessly delete the excess.”

• “Chapter V, Reminder 16, Clarity is not the prize in writing, nor is it always the principal mark of good style. There are occasions when obscurity serves a literary yearning, if not a literary purpose, and there are writers whose mien is more overcast than clear. But since writing is communication, clarity can only be a virtue.”

• Popular Highlights from Kindle Customers

• Place a comma before and or but introducing an independent clause.

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• If a parenthetic expression is preceded by a conjunction, place the first comma before the conjunction, not after it.

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• Restrictive relative clauses are not set off by commas.

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• and, is the least specific of connectives. Used between independent clauses, it indicates only that a relation exists between them without defining that relation.

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• If two or more clauses, grammatically complete and not joined by a conjunction, are to form a single compound sentence, the proper mark of punctuation is a semicolon.

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• If the interruption to the flow of the sentence is but slight, the writer may safely omit the commas. But whether the interruption be slight or considerable, he must never omit one comma and leave the other.

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• The abbreviations etc. and jr. are always preceded by a comma, and except at the end of a sentence, followed by one.

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• Make the paragraph the unit of composition: one paragraph to each topic.

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• Do not join independent clauses by a comma.

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First Sentence edit see section history

Table of Contents edit see section history

Themes & Symbolism edit see section history

• Clear, understandable thinking: Describe this theme.
• Clear, understandable writing

Series & Lists edit see section history

Preceded by The Autobiography of Alice B. Toklas, and followed by An American Dilemma: The Negro Problem and Modern Democracy (Black and African-American Studies) Volume 2.

Preceded by Democracy and Leadership, and followed by The Machiavellians: Defenders of Freedom.

Authors & Contributors edit see section history

1. William Strunk (Author)
2. E. B. White (Author)

Other Contributors:

1. Maira Kalman (Illustrator)

First Edition edit see section history

Classification edit see section history

• Library of Congress: Add the Library of Congress Classification.
• Dewey: 808.042

Subjects edit see section history

• Books › Reference › Words & Language › Grammar
• Books › Reference › Writing › Writing Skills
• Books › Reference › Words & Language › Reference
• Books › Reference › Words & Language › Vocabulary
• Books › Reference › Words & Language › Study & Teaching
• Books › Reference › Writing › Technical

More Books Like This edit see section history