The land of the free and the elements of style william strunk and e. White have a vicelike grip on educated americans views about grammar and usage. Rather it proposes to give in brief space the principal requirements of plain english style. Guth, appeared in 1976, his collected essays in 1977, and poems and sketches of. The only style manual to ever appear on a bestseller list now refreshed by one of our most beloved illustrators every english writer knows strunk and whites the elements of style. The elements of style by william strunk free ebook. This brief quiz assesses student understanding of usage rule 8, regarding dashes, from strunk and whites the elements of style. And now the elements of style the most widely read and employed english style manualis available in a specially bound 50th anniversary edition that offers the titles vast audience an opportunity to own a more durable and elegantly bound edition of this timetested classic. The elements of style is an american english writing style guide. A fourth edition was published in 2000 with a foreword by whites stepson, roger angell. Many people between the ages of seventeen and seventy can recite the books mantramake every word telland still refer to their tattered grade school copy when in need of a hint on how to make a turn of phrase clearer, or a reminder on how to enliven prose with the active voice. The elements of style oliver strunk contents foreword ix introduction xiii i. Whites classic writing manual, the elements of style.
Get your kindle here, or download a free kindle reading app. Thus write, charless friend burnss poems the witchs malice this is the usage of the united states government printing office and of the oxford. This is professor strunks advice regarding this rule. Anyone who writes and edits for a living including librarians, naturally is no stranger to william strunk jr. If a virtual private party is more your thing, go here for details.
Amazon lists 12 different paperback formats, plus a half dozen or more other editions. The most important rule of style in strunk and whites elements of style is number, omit needless words. Every englishlanguage writer knows strunk and whites famous little writing manual, the elements of style. However, it is readerss or readers duty to read everything, even style critically, and henceforth rather than considering their rules and principles as rigid laws. And now the elements of stylethe most widely read and employed english style manualis available in a specially bound 50th anniversary edition that offers the titles vast audience an opportunity to own a more durable and elegantly bound edition of this timetested classic. This is also the usage of the government printing office and of the oxford university press. The result, this quiet book, has been in print for forty years. How simple they look, set down here in whites last chapter. The elements of style edition 4 by william strunk, e. It aims at providing a set of rules and tips on how to write properly, if not elegantly. Style, fourth edition by strunk and white 1999 and the elements of style the original edition by strunk without white 1920, republished september 2007. The elements of style, fourth edition is an excellent little guide for high school and collegeage students.
The reader will soon discover that these rules and principles are in the form of. In a series of three or more terms with a single conjunction, use a comma after each term except the last. The elements of style 9780205309023 william strunk, jr. The elements of style by strunk and white introduction. This is also the usage of the government printing of. A sentence should contain no unnecessary words, a paragraph no unnecessary sentences, for the same reason that a drawing should have no unnecessary lines and. This is the usage of the united states government printing office and of the oxford university press. Will felt that the reader was in serious trouble most of the time, a man floundering in a swamp, and that it was the duty of anyone attempting to write english to drain this swamp quickly and get his man up on dry ground, or at least throw him.
White published a revised copy of his former college professors little book on writing. The books mantra, make every word tell, is still on point. Pullum 1 introduction the elements of style henceforth, elements is a slender book. The elements of style illustrated by william strunk, e.
This is the elements of style, the classic style manual, now in a fourth edition. White was a student in professor strunks class at cornell, and used the little book for himself. Buy the elements of style book online at low prices in. Project gutenberg offers 61,939 free ebooks to download. Among whites other works is points of my compass 1962.
The elements of style, william i strunk e b white revised. This muchloved classic, now in its fourth edition, will forever be the goto guide when in need of a hint to make a turn of phrase clearer or a reminder. What is the best way to read strunk and whites elements. Its fairly easy to make a case that you should read it in the dark, or with your eyes closed, because its so full of incorrect, pointless or outdated advice, inconsistencies, and actual grammatical mistakes. Strunk and whites elements of style pdf get the torrents. And nowthe elements of stylethe most widely read and employed english style manualis available in a specially bound 50th anniversary edition that offers the titles vast audience an opportunity to own a more durable and elegantly bound edition of this timetested classic. Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools. From the great war to the cold war, this little book of scarcely 90. The elements of style teaches you that simple is always better. The elements of style wikisource, the free online library. In the elements of style 1918, william strunk concentrated on specific questions of usageand the cultivation of good writingwith the recommendation make every word tell. All through the elements of style one finds evidences of the authors deep sympathy for the reader. Strunk, 9780205309023, download free ebooks, download free pdf epub ebook.
John mcwhorter on strunk and whites the elements of style. Strunk and whites elements of style pdf even though useful, strunk and whites elements of style pdf for mac seems to be more aimed at users who simply forget about emptying their trash. Strunk and whites the elements of style receives frequent mention in articles about writing originating as a classroom study aid prepared by cornell english professor william strunk in 1918, this widelyused desk reference of english usage, form, and style continues to influence writers after a hundred years. Free kindle book and epub digitized and proofread by project. The book was one necessary step for me to become a better writer.
Its time to permanently shelve the elements of style. Free kindle book and epub digitized and proofread by project gutenberg. Download the elements of style by william strunk pdf free. Description of the elements of style by william strunk pdf the elements of style, fourth edition is an awesome book for anyone who writes, speaks in public or just. The elements of style is an american english writing style guide in numerous editions. White version, fourth edition but was actually the 1920 edition with the wrong cover. It is the bestknown, most influential prescriptive treatment of english grammar and usage, and often is required reading and usage in u. Other articles where the elements of style is discussed. This style manual offers practical advice on improving wri. But such forms as achilles heel, moses laws, isis temple are commonly replaced by. The elements of style was a 43page summary of, in whites words, the. Every english writer knows strunk and whites the elements of style. The book i downloaded had the cover for the strunk and e. It originally detailed eight elementary rules of usage, ten elementary principles of composition, and a few matters of form as well as a list of commonly misused words and expressions.
The unexpected harmony and partnership of strunk and whites have fulfilled their central claim successfully, namely clarity of writing still comes from concision and precision. Play sporcle s virtual live trivia to have fun, connect with people, and get your trivia on. Exceptions are the possessives of ancient proper names in es and is, the possessive jesus, and such forms as for conscience sake, for righteousness sake. I started with a book about the elements of style and how it came about. This books unique tone, wit and charm have conveyed the. The elements of style is indeed a dusty textbook 1918, but still widely in use today.
The book covers only a small portion of the field of english style, but the experience of its writer has been that once past the essentials, students profit most. The elements of style does not pretend to survey the whole field. Unfortunately im a little overwhelmed by the minor variations. Save considerably by purchasing the complete 11rule quiz set, which correlates with strunk. Description of the book the elements of style illustrated. This public document was automatically mirrored from pdfy. White greatly enlarged and revised the book for publication by macmillan in 1959.
Join a live hosted trivia game for your favorite pub trivia experience done virtually. The elements of style by william strunk pdf download. Commissioned by macmillan to revise strunks book, white edited the 1959 and 1972 editions of the elements of style. The book frames this within a triplet credited to an influential lecturer. Yet almost everything they say on that topic is wrong. Commissioned by macmillan to revise strunks book, white edited the 1959 and. Asserting that one must first know the rules to break them, this classic reference book is a musthave for any student and conscientious writer. It is one of the most influential and bestknown prescriptive treatments of english grammar and usage in the united states. Whites inexplicably beloved writing reference book, the elements of style. They can also exclude certain files, folders, and extensions to prevent the program from scanning them, as well as prioritize certain.
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