book data
4,229 ratings,
4.32
average rating, 574 reviews
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published
August 2nd 1999
(first published 1920)
by Longman
binding
Paperback, 105 pages
isbn
020530902X
(isbn13: 9780205309023)
description
Composition teachers throughout the English-speaking world have been pushing this book on their students since it was first published in 1957. Co-aut...more
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avg 4.32
editions: all | this edition
editions: all | this edition
Read in September, 2008
recommended to Elizabeth by:
Graham
I have a confession --
I like grammar books.
Now, I don't usually like the ranting of old, white men who clearly don't have better things to do with their time. Usually, I want to hurl their books about. Usually, I'm all about the clever undermining of the status quo. But I like clear writing, and with few exceptions until very recently (such as the brilliant Karen Elizabeth Gordon), this means hanging out with some of the grumpiest, most conservative, and self-righteous ...more
I like grammar books.
Now, I don't usually like the ranting of old, white men who clearly don't have better things to do with their time. Usually, I want to hurl their books about. Usually, I'm all about the clever undermining of the status quo. But I like clear writing, and with few exceptions until very recently (such as the brilliant Karen Elizabeth Gordon), this means hanging out with some of the grumpiest, most conservative, and self-righteous ...more
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18 comments
This book is good for the following things:
1. Propping up a short table leg
2. Lining a bird cage
3. Building a fire
4. Using as a coaster for cold drinks
I devoted some of my grammar thesis to criticizing this book, and it was time well spent.
1. Propping up a short table leg
2. Lining a bird cage
3. Building a fire
4. Using as a coaster for cold drinks
I devoted some of my grammar thesis to criticizing this book, and it was time well spent.
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5 comments
Read in January, 1979
recommends it for:
anyone who writes.
The gold standard. No more need be said than to quote Mr. Strunk's thoughts under the headline "Omit Needless Words":
"Vigorous writing is concise. 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 a machine no unnecessary parts. This requires not that the reader make all sentences short, or avoid all detail and treat subjects only in outline, but that every word ...more
"Vigorous writing is concise. 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 a machine no unnecessary parts. This requires not that the reader make all sentences short, or avoid all detail and treat subjects only in outline, but that every word ...more
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I never thought I would say this about a book, but every writer needs to read this book. Hell, if you plan on writing anything you should read this book. The title is very misleading. Anyone who came across it for the first time might think it was a book about "style" as an artform. For those who are worried about the pedantry of writing, this book is mostly about grammar and what can be more effective in using the English language. This needs to be in the curriculumn for high sch...more
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1 comment
Read in June, 2008
recommends it for:
Those who cherish language.
What a beautiful, slim volume of wisdom and written elegance.
I highly recommend this edition with illustrations by Maira Kalman. It has been, according to Roger Angell who writes the forward, "modestly" updated from the original, published in the WW 1 era.
Get this book. Give this book. Refer to this book over and over again.
I highly recommend this edition with illustrations by Maira Kalman. It has been, according to Roger Angell who writes the forward, "modestly" updated from the original, published in the WW 1 era.
Get this book. Give this book. Refer to this book over and over again.
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Read in January, 2009
This book was recommended to my by my former manager in Psychiatric Quality Control as a guide for effective writing. It's the best writing text I've come across yet. William Strunk and E.B. White (as in Charlotte's Web, one of Strunk's students) worked independently to produce this excellent work: Strunk wrote the original "draft" as classroom notes and after his death White arranged them for publication.
The book is composed of five chapters and a glossary. There are 22 r...more
The book is composed of five chapters and a glossary. There are 22 r...more
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Read in April, 2008
This book is a bit of a mess, ironically, but is worth reading. My natural style is... somewhat baroque. I wanted to pick up some tips on writing more clearly, since my goal is more often communication than art. The first few sections of the book are great, and the examples are quite helpful (in addition to being amusing). Nonetheless, there are many problems with this book.
Section IV, on the use of words and phrases, is comically idiosyncratic. One of my pet peeves is the instance ...more
Section IV, on the use of words and phrases, is comically idiosyncratic. One of my pet peeves is the instance ...more
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Read in March, 2008
recommended to Marco by:
Triciarecommends it for: everyone, particularly writers.
This book shows established rules of English grammar. He is opinionated in some rules, however. The "little book" will help to guide you in writing; Strunk knows exactly what a writer has to do to make writing effortless. Although style is subjective and there are no established rules for style, he reminds us that a certain combination of words can stir a reader deeply, while another combination of the same words is dull. All writers have their own style, but only some are "clearl...more
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What a classic. This book I read is a reprint from the original 1920 version.
It's a great book for writers. Let's face it, we all write emails, so we can all use it.
Here are examples of the great reminders I got from the book -
1) use active voice
not: confirmation of these reports cannot be obtained.
instead: these reports cannot be confirmed
2) omit needless words
not: he is a man who drinks often
instead: he drinks often
...more
It's a great book for writers. Let's face it, we all write emails, so we can all use it.
Here are examples of the great reminders I got from the book -
1) use active voice
not: confirmation of these reports cannot be obtained.
instead: these reports cannot be confirmed
2) omit needless words
not: he is a man who drinks often
instead: he drinks often
...more
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(1 person liked it)
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Read in August, 2006
Accept no substitute for the 3rd edition of this exceptional work. The 4th edition includes "improvements" (hah!) by some ghost writer who seems to think that the singular "they" is acceptable. Here, E. B. White expands on Strunk's earlier work, and produces a compact and effective writing and style guide, explaining some of the best and least known errors that creep into everyone's writing. Know the difference between nauseous and nauseated? Imply and infer? Tortuous an...more
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1 comment
Read in January, 2004
This book condenses most of the must-know for starting writers. While writing more about it would be to break its rules (and that's seventeen words too many), this book is especially valuable for technical and scientific writers.
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Read in January, 2003
recommends it for:
Everyone
This is the oft-cited classic. If you haven't read it, read it. I know that seems an overly strong recommendation, but the value of this book's guidelines can't be understated.
Elements of Style contains the most valuable advice for any writer: “Omit needless words. Vigorous writing is concise. A sentence should contain no unnecessary words, a paragraph no unnecssary sentences.”
Also, the chapter “Words and Expressions Commonly Misused” is not only helpful, but funny.
Elements of Style contains the most valuable advice for any writer: “Omit needless words. Vigorous writing is concise. A sentence should contain no unnecessary words, a paragraph no unnecssary sentences.”
Also, the chapter “Words and Expressions Commonly Misused” is not only helpful, but funny.
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A gem. Illustrated with gems. Even my son, who cannot restrain himself from littering the page with inappropriately-placed commas, liked this book.
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1 comment
The Elements of Style is considered the Bible of English grammar and style by many. After reading this book, I can see why.
I actually owned this book back in college, but I only used it as a reference; I didn't read it cover to cover. I now wish I had. At 85 pages, it is one of the shortest books I have ever read.
The book is divided into five parts: elementary rules of usage, elementary principles of composition, a few matters of form, words and expressions commonly misu...more
I actually owned this book back in college, but I only used it as a reference; I didn't read it cover to cover. I now wish I had. At 85 pages, it is one of the shortest books I have ever read.
The book is divided into five parts: elementary rules of usage, elementary principles of composition, a few matters of form, words and expressions commonly misu...more
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Read in September, 2008
THE ELEMENTS OF STYLE is a great little pocket reference for all writers (creative, essay, or nonfiction).
What is most amazing is how it consolidates a wealth of information into accessible, bite-size chapters that are easy to search on and then easy to comprehend.
The sections that I have found the most helpful are:
1) Verb Subject Agreement for the exceptions, "one of" and "each and every".
2) Why using the Active Voice is better through exh...more
What is most amazing is how it consolidates a wealth of information into accessible, bite-size chapters that are easy to search on and then easy to comprehend.
The sections that I have found the most helpful are:
1) Verb Subject Agreement for the exceptions, "one of" and "each and every".
2) Why using the Active Voice is better through exh...more
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Read in March, 2008
I swear these were the slowest 80 pages I've ever read. My God, this book is dry. I'm not saying I couldn't benefit from the info this book contains (yes, I know eliminating the not and going positive would be more concise -- like I said, I could use the help). I'm saying I only remember snippets because my mind went numb and blank. Hopefully, my subconscious captured some useful info (like maybe I'm not supposed to use hopefully -- if only I had been awake when I read that).
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"Vigorous writing is concise. 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 a machine no unnecessary parts. This requires not that the writer make all his sentences short, or that he avoid all detail and treat his subjects only in outline, but that every word tell."
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Everyone thinks of this as a book for writers, but today, most of us are. We write to communicate through email, memos & letters. Everyone can benefit by reading this book. It looks quite short & slim, but that is deceiving, like Kern & Ritchie's book on C. They fit a LOT into a small package & it takes practice & referral to get the basics down.
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Read in January, 2005
recommended to Todd by:
Rev. David Petersen
This is in my view a seriously overrated book. While the author holds up elements of writing such as being concise and clear, the result is a "style" of writing that is stilted, flat and vanilla. I much prefer Benjamin Yagoda's The Sound on the Page.
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Read in March, 1992
I thought I'd just take a moment to say this book is stupid. It doesn't contain any of the grammatical errors/ rules that I would tend to forget, and only includes a bunch of ones I already know. It is overrated.
I would like to know why it is so successful, and has inspired so many spinoffs. If you type "the elements of style" you get this whole list of versions of the same idea, all purporting to strip a field down to its barest essentials- of design, of fonts, of java (a...more
I would like to know why it is so successful, and has inspired so many spinoffs. If you type "the elements of style" you get this whole list of versions of the same idea, all purporting to strip a field down to its barest essentials- of design, of fonts, of java (a...more
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