William Strunk Jr. > Quotes

“It is, of course, equally correct to write each of these as two sentences, replacing the semicolons with periods.”
― William Strunk Jr., The Elements of Style, Fourth Edition

“When the subject is the same for both clauses and is expressed only once, a comma is useful if the connective is but. When the connective is and, the comma should be omitted if the relation between the two statements is close or immediate.”
― William Strunk Jr., The Elements of Style, Fourth Edition

“the clauses introduced by which, when, and where are nonrestrictive; they do not limit or define, they merely add something.”
― William Strunk Jr., The Elements of Style, Fourth Edition

“Nonrestrictive relative clauses are parenthetic, as are similar clauses introduced by conjunctions indicating time or place. Commas are therefore needed. A nonrestrictive clause is one that does not serve to identify or define the antecedent noun.”
― William Strunk Jr., The Elements of Style, Fourth Edition

“Restrictive clauses, by contrast, are not parenthetic and are not set off by commas.”
― William Strunk Jr., The Elements of Style, Fourth Edition

“Do not join independent clauses with a comma. 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.”
― William Strunk Jr., The Elements of Style, Fourth Edition

“Place a comma before a conjunction introducing an independent clause.”
― William Strunk Jr., The Elements of Style, Fourth Edition

“In a series of three or more terms with a single conjunction, use a comma after each term except the last.”
― William Strunk Jr., The Elements of Style, Fourth Edition

“Note that if the second clause is preceded by an adverb, such as accordingly, besides, then, therefore, or thus, and not by a conjunction, the semicolon is still required.”
― William Strunk Jr., The Elements of Style, Fourth Edition

“No comma, however, should separate a noun from a restrictive term of identification.”
― William Strunk Jr., The Elements of Style, Fourth Edition