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Strictly English: The Correct Way to Write . . . and Why It Matters
"Be in no the beer was drunk but the man drank the beer." A master English stylist shows how it's done.
Simon Heffer's incisive and amusingly despairing emails to colleagues at the the Daily Telegraph about grammatical mistakes and stylistic slips have found their way on to the internet and have attracted a growing band of ardent fans over recent years. Now he makes an impassioned case for an end to the sloppiness that has become a hallmark of everyday speech and writing, and shows how accuracy and clarity are within the grasp of anyone who is prepared to take the time to master a few simple rules. If you wince when you see "different than" in print, or are offended by people who think that "infer" and "imply" mean the same thing, then this book will provide reassurance that you are not alone. If you have a suspicion that it is wrong to say "the car collided with the tree" but are not quite sure why, then it will set you straight. And if you believe that precise and elegant English really does matter, then it will prove required reading.
Simon Heffer's incisive and amusingly despairing emails to colleagues at the the Daily Telegraph about grammatical mistakes and stylistic slips have found their way on to the internet and have attracted a growing band of ardent fans over recent years. Now he makes an impassioned case for an end to the sloppiness that has become a hallmark of everyday speech and writing, and shows how accuracy and clarity are within the grasp of anyone who is prepared to take the time to master a few simple rules. If you wince when you see "different than" in print, or are offended by people who think that "infer" and "imply" mean the same thing, then this book will provide reassurance that you are not alone. If you have a suspicion that it is wrong to say "the car collided with the tree" but are not quite sure why, then it will set you straight. And if you believe that precise and elegant English really does matter, then it will prove required reading.
322 pages, Paperback
First published May 6, 1996
38 people are currently reading
238 people want to read
About the author
Simon Heffer
34 books39 followersSimon James Heffer is an English historian, journalist, author and political commentator.
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
January 24, 2020
This book is all right for those interested in improving their written/spoken English since the author's written in his authoritative style with good references. He mentioned Lewis's "Studies in Words", Gowers's "The Complete Plain Words" and Partridge's "Usage and Abusage" many times, therefore, I think I must find my copies kept somewhere to read and consult as soon as I can.
Please don't be intimidated by the first three chapters (Part 1) since they may be boring to some but, I think, we can resume reading them later as the essential foundations. I enjoyed reading Part 2, especially from Chapter 5 onwards [my note: Hugely entertaining, illuminating and rewarding] in the topics as follows:
-What do you mean?
-It's not what you think
-Mistaken identity
-An extra syllable
-Getting difficult
-Changing roles
-Branching out
-Dishonesty
as well as Chapters 6, 8 and 9.
My resolution: I must find Kingsley Amis's "The King's English" to read as soon as I can buy/borrow a copy.
At last this book informed me (p. 201) on a Thai term (เมียเก็บ /mia geb/) I found while reading in various novels years ago and wondered if it's translated from English. In fact, the original one is French, that is, demimonde; then 'kept woman' (https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/kept_w...) which has, presumably, long been literally translated into Thai, that is, a woman who has been kept (for some reason). In the meantime, while reading Maugham's The Razor's Edge (Vintage, 2000), I found this exemplary sentence using this noun, '. . . The vendeuse told me she was the smartest kept woman in Paris, so I made up my mind I'd get to know her. . . .' (p. 179)
My First Review:
This book should be quite interesting in terms of correct, preferable English writing as used in public media. Moreover, I've found this amazing, witty and precise definition of "Grammar" by Dr Samuel Johnson in his A Dictionary of the English Language (1755) as follows:
The science of speaking correctly; the art which teaches the relations of words to each other.
That's it! Therefore, that's one of the reasons why we need to study English grammar well and apply in our speaking and writing effectively.
Please don't be intimidated by the first three chapters (Part 1) since they may be boring to some but, I think, we can resume reading them later as the essential foundations. I enjoyed reading Part 2, especially from Chapter 5 onwards [my note: Hugely entertaining, illuminating and rewarding] in the topics as follows:
-What do you mean?
-It's not what you think
-Mistaken identity
-An extra syllable
-Getting difficult
-Changing roles
-Branching out
-Dishonesty
as well as Chapters 6, 8 and 9.
My resolution: I must find Kingsley Amis's "The King's English" to read as soon as I can buy/borrow a copy.
At last this book informed me (p. 201) on a Thai term (เมียเก็บ /mia geb/) I found while reading in various novels years ago and wondered if it's translated from English. In fact, the original one is French, that is, demimonde; then 'kept woman' (https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/kept_w...) which has, presumably, long been literally translated into Thai, that is, a woman who has been kept (for some reason). In the meantime, while reading Maugham's The Razor's Edge (Vintage, 2000), I found this exemplary sentence using this noun, '. . . The vendeuse told me she was the smartest kept woman in Paris, so I made up my mind I'd get to know her. . . .' (p. 179)
My First Review:
This book should be quite interesting in terms of correct, preferable English writing as used in public media. Moreover, I've found this amazing, witty and precise definition of "Grammar" by Dr Samuel Johnson in his A Dictionary of the English Language (1755) as follows:
The science of speaking correctly; the art which teaches the relations of words to each other.
That's it! Therefore, that's one of the reasons why we need to study English grammar well and apply in our speaking and writing effectively.
February 25, 2012
I take comfort that this book is aimed at English speakers educated in Britain. And that the author holds George Orwell in the greatest esteem, as I do. Wow, I have a much lower opinion of my writing now and my depressing enthusiasm for hyperbole and Americanisms....for which I can cheerfully blame my Canadian public education.
I learned a lot, particularly about these words: decimate, the abuse of literally, transpire and complimentary, orphan, curmudgeon, pristine, onto doesn't exist but on to does, I will probably not ever truly grasp forgo vs forego. I didn't appreciate stationary/stationery or whisky/whiskey before either.
He also greatly admires the prose of Barbara Pym. Short sharp sentences and killer nouns. Be sparse with adjectives.
I learned a lot, particularly about these words: decimate, the abuse of literally, transpire and complimentary, orphan, curmudgeon, pristine, onto doesn't exist but on to does, I will probably not ever truly grasp forgo vs forego. I didn't appreciate stationary/stationery or whisky/whiskey before either.
He also greatly admires the prose of Barbara Pym. Short sharp sentences and killer nouns. Be sparse with adjectives.
September 5, 2012
He'd already wound me up by the end of the preface. I don't take issue with what he's trying to do, but with the examples he uses and his justifications - claiming to have 'logic' on his side when all he really means is 'it sounds right/wrong to me'.
Nine tenths of what he has to say is common sense and perfectly reasonable - but that last tenth is just the ravings of a snob. He uses the word "logical" to defend whatever he has decided is important, but rarely bothers to define just why the usage he condemns is illogical or unclear - it basically boils down to "I don't like it".
Oh and he's confirmed that the Telegraph really isn't written for people like me.
Nine tenths of what he has to say is common sense and perfectly reasonable - but that last tenth is just the ravings of a snob. He uses the word "logical" to defend whatever he has decided is important, but rarely bothers to define just why the usage he condemns is illogical or unclear - it basically boils down to "I don't like it".
Oh and he's confirmed that the Telegraph really isn't written for people like me.
March 31, 2016
A fairly succinct run through grammar and style. I am all for clarity and precision in language and agree that grammar is important, but I deplore the snobbishness brought to bear on the subject. This book lacks charm, but I suppose it does what it says on the tin. Useful and important, but annoying.
August 16, 2013
Possibly the most amusing grammar and style guide I've read. Strunk & White rarely made me laugh out loud.
Good reference book for writers. Do keep in mind it is British English which has some significant differences from American English.
Good reference book for writers. Do keep in mind it is British English which has some significant differences from American English.
January 11, 2017
I like books on writing and I like grammar, but I found the writer's tone to be rather annoying and pompous. Not my favorite.
December 18, 2023
This was a very informative book that had many parts that piqued my interest. I took notes on several parts and this is another book that definitely would serve as a book of reference.
I was interested in the attention the author drew to the subjunctive which is deployed far more often in Spanish and is unavoidable. In modern English, it's there but I'm not sure if we really raise an eyebrow if it isn't used properly.
This is an example of a conjecture of something that isn't going to happen:
If he did that next week he would be a standout.
Another way of saying the same thing would be the use of the subjunctive like this:
Were he to do that next week, he would be a standout.
The writer showed common uses of the subjunctive (this form of 'be' was what I thought used to be ebonics):
Though I be prejudiced, I feel my wife is beautiful.
And:
Till Age snow white hairs on thee (where is the verb here?)
He speaks of not switching tenses in order to preserve the logical sequence:
'The leader of the party said that he had ordered a review and Mr Smith would repay the money immediately'. Such tenses must remain consistent even if the facts seems illogical "I looked into the mirror and saw that I was bald' (being bald would hardly change and isn't the intent of the speaker to convey that it had changed).
I like the examples of the 'fused participle' with sentences such as "I dislike my best friend's violating my privacy."
I was shocked by the preposition here. One says “I went into the room”, “I got into trouble” and “I walked into the wood” but “I walked in to a lamp-post”. The choice to be made in selecting what sort of preposition to use is based on a simple criterion: does the action described result in the subject’s ending up within the object? If it does, then use into. If it does not, use in to.
I also liked the closing paragraph to section 2 which looked at a piece of writing that was perceived to be too protracted, lacking variation in tone which creates a sense of monotony. It concluded that it was like a private language, which slang tends to promote which serves to put up a barrier against outside readers.
Grammar. The purpose is that there's a general agreement on how language works. This allows precision, eliminates almost all ambiguities and is easily comprehensible. He speaks about the unnecessity of having great grammar, excellent orthography and using words correctly if one is verbose.
The author spoke about measured language, reminding those seeking to be good writers to avoid using adjectives thoughtlessly, sensationalist language for ordinary events since it robs the power of that adjective when there are other events that occur that we know to be far more drastic. This happens with clichés (soar, crash, launch, emerge) were quoted as examples and indeed often seen in tabloid reporting.
In order to get better, we should read from writers who have mastered a good style of writing. The author mentions George Orwell, Aldous Huxley, Graham Greene, Samuel Butler and Charles Dickens as being great writers.
This word in the glossary stood out to me for some reason and I decided to note it down since I enjoy when it's deployed in speech.
Tmesis - Separation of parts of a word or compound word, by another word or words (abso-bloody-lutely).
Zeugma is where, typically, one verb has two objects without its being repeated; it sometimes is deployed with humorous effect, the verb being used in one instance abstractly and in the other concretely. “He lost his nerve, and then his money” or “she packed a change of clothes and a hell of a punch” exemplify this.
Overall, a great book and a highly recommended read.
I was interested in the attention the author drew to the subjunctive which is deployed far more often in Spanish and is unavoidable. In modern English, it's there but I'm not sure if we really raise an eyebrow if it isn't used properly.
This is an example of a conjecture of something that isn't going to happen:
If he did that next week he would be a standout.
Another way of saying the same thing would be the use of the subjunctive like this:
Were he to do that next week, he would be a standout.
The writer showed common uses of the subjunctive (this form of 'be' was what I thought used to be ebonics):
Though I be prejudiced, I feel my wife is beautiful.
And:
Till Age snow white hairs on thee (where is the verb here?)
He speaks of not switching tenses in order to preserve the logical sequence:
'The leader of the party said that he had ordered a review and Mr Smith would repay the money immediately'. Such tenses must remain consistent even if the facts seems illogical "I looked into the mirror and saw that I was bald' (being bald would hardly change and isn't the intent of the speaker to convey that it had changed).
I like the examples of the 'fused participle' with sentences such as "I dislike my best friend's violating my privacy."
I was shocked by the preposition here. One says “I went into the room”, “I got into trouble” and “I walked into the wood” but “I walked in to a lamp-post”. The choice to be made in selecting what sort of preposition to use is based on a simple criterion: does the action described result in the subject’s ending up within the object? If it does, then use into. If it does not, use in to.
I also liked the closing paragraph to section 2 which looked at a piece of writing that was perceived to be too protracted, lacking variation in tone which creates a sense of monotony. It concluded that it was like a private language, which slang tends to promote which serves to put up a barrier against outside readers.
Grammar. The purpose is that there's a general agreement on how language works. This allows precision, eliminates almost all ambiguities and is easily comprehensible. He speaks about the unnecessity of having great grammar, excellent orthography and using words correctly if one is verbose.
The author spoke about measured language, reminding those seeking to be good writers to avoid using adjectives thoughtlessly, sensationalist language for ordinary events since it robs the power of that adjective when there are other events that occur that we know to be far more drastic. This happens with clichés (soar, crash, launch, emerge) were quoted as examples and indeed often seen in tabloid reporting.
In order to get better, we should read from writers who have mastered a good style of writing. The author mentions George Orwell, Aldous Huxley, Graham Greene, Samuel Butler and Charles Dickens as being great writers.
This word in the glossary stood out to me for some reason and I decided to note it down since I enjoy when it's deployed in speech.
Tmesis - Separation of parts of a word or compound word, by another word or words (abso-bloody-lutely).
Zeugma is where, typically, one verb has two objects without its being repeated; it sometimes is deployed with humorous effect, the verb being used in one instance abstractly and in the other concretely. “He lost his nerve, and then his money” or “she packed a change of clothes and a hell of a punch” exemplify this.
Overall, a great book and a highly recommended read.
November 11, 2024
i hate this fucking guy
May 31, 2014
A definite contender to replace the King's English as your reference work on grammar. Concise, of course, and not covering all that the brothers Fowler do, but just as logical. Exemplifies his own standards.
Loved it.
Loved it.
Read
August 6, 2011If you believe in accurate and elegant English - this is the book for you! A little pedantic at times, but worth the read. Not exactly bedtime reading though ...
August 21, 2012
An organised book gives the concepts of grammar and pin point the common errors people used to make in their conversation as well.....
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews