Strunk and Whites The Elements of Style

Strunk and Whites The Elements of Style Strunk and Whites The Elements of Style Strunk and Whites The Elements of Style By Maeve Maddox 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 widely-used desk reference of English usage, form, and style continues to influence writers after a hundred years. After Strunk died in 1946, essayist E.B. White was asked to augment and edit the guide for a wider audience. When White died in 1985, Elements was in its Third Edition. The current Fourth Edition has been, according to Whites stepson Roger Angell, modestly updated to include references to word processors and to acknowledge feminist concerns about pronoun usage. Elements has grown from Strunks original 43 pages to 105, but is still a compact, no-frills handbook for the writer in a hurry for answers to common questions. The guide is arranged in five sections: I. Elementary Rules of Usage II. Elementary Principles of Composition III. A Few Matters of Form IV. Words and Expressions Commonly Misused V. An Approach to Style The first four sections are easily skimmed, and the index will lead you quickly to the point of grammar you want. A 60-word glossary defines such basic terms as gerund and linking verb. The fifth section, An Approach to Style, provides a useful reminder that there is more to producing distinctive prose than just getting the grammar right: There is no satisfactory explanation of style, no infallible guide to good writing, no assurance that a person who thinks clearly will be able to write clearly, no key that unlocks the door, no inflexible rule by which writers may shape their course, According to White, style is a mystery, an entity that arises from the sum of an individuals writing: Style is an increment in writing. When we speak of Fitzgeralds style, we dont mean his command of the relative pronoun, we mean the sound his words make on paper. The Elements of Style deserves its long popularity as a concise guide to correct usage. It can equip a writer with the elements, but style must arise from the personality and mental furnishings of the writer. A searchable version of Elements (Third Edition) can be found at Bartleby.com. You can also find the book on Amazon.com Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Book Reviews category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:10 Rules for Writing Numbers and NumeralsList of Greek Words in the English LanguageComma After Introductory Phrases