Perfect Written English: All You Need to Get It Right First Time

by Chris West

This is an indispensable guide to mastering grammar and improving your writing style. Covering every aspect of good writing—from the correct way to use commas to the most persuasive structure for an argument—it gives step-by-step guidance on how to write fluently and convincingly. With helpful tips on avoiding common mistakes and practical sections on writing everything from personal webpages to corporate sales reports, this resource has all you need to make sure you get your message across elegantly and effectively.

Genres: Nonfiction, Writing, Language

176 pages, Paperback

First published February 7, 2008

About the author

I grew up in a country village north of London. As a boy I filled endless notebooks with stories - not all of them finished! As a young man I played in various (unsuccessful) bands, then worked in the City of London. I studied philosophy and economics as a 'mature' student (though I wasn't very mature). After leaving uni I went backpacking in China, and wrote a book about that adventure which came out in 1991. Since then, writing has (along with family) been at the heart of my life, though I've had other jobs, too, largely in Marketing and PR, working with small businesses. In 2008, I found an old stamp album in the attic of my parents' old house, and became fascinated by the contents and the way they seemed to mirror history. Each stamp was a tiny, rectangular time machine! In the end, I had to write a book along these lines: A History of Britain in 36 Postage Stamps was the result. I have now done the same for the USA - a fascinating journey into American history (and a great pleasure to collect the nation's stamps). I live in North Hertfordshire with my wife and daughter.

a.k.a Christopher West|6453491].

Reviews

[Chris · Rating 4 out of 5]

Does what it says on the tin. Clearly written instruction on how to write well.

[Nick Turner · Rating 1 out of 5]

This is a lively, brief and quick read. The writing assumes a motivated reader interested in practical advice for language and grammar; it doesn't feel the need for comprehensive explanations. The author goes to great lengths to keep things simple and easy. If you are learning English a textbook which explains language and grammar in detail would be a helpful accompaniment.

In the writing there is a high rate of British idioms making it suitable for readers familiar with British English. There are brief notes on American English writing. There are useful language and grammar tips. But if you don't know typical British idiomatic phrases and word usage, the examples and some of the text will be unnecessarily cryptic. The tone is uneven; later chapters dispense with the forced informality of matey idioms.

The thrust of this work is to write clearly and keep the reader interested. The emphasis is on practical communication particularly nonfiction writing. I feel that describing writing as a process of "leading" the reader is too close to rhetoric. I prefer "showing". Even in a factual work, "show don't tell" is a good principle. Too much telling, trying to "lead" the reader, can sound like lecturing.

The editing is lacklustre with typos in some of the examples and many in the main text. It's remarkable how often "hut" appears where "but" would be sensible. Occasionally, missing punctuation makes the writing obscure.

"Academic essays work well following this model, especially if the last section agrees with what the person marking the paper thinks."

Is the author cynical about his own teaching record or only other's? This could be read charitably as sympathy for student frustrations, but should cynicism be promoted in students?

In contradiction to the advice in the text, nowadays you can obtain test readers via online services. This is easy enough to do that you should strive to find new readers for each planned publication (in addition to a 'stable' of trusted readers) - each reader brings new knowledge and life experience which can help you avoid tunnel vision whereby obvious problems are missed, a perennial pitfall of dealing with experts.

There are some book references for further reading at the end. The author reluctantly names a few web sites but, inconveniently for readers, the web addresses are not given. However the next page has the address of the author's own web site with an advertisement for commercial services. After this self-serving promotion there are publisher promotions for additional self-help works by other authors.

[Heather Browning · Rating 3 out of 5]

Clear, useful tips on writing - spelling, grammar, structure and style. Much of it was stuff I already knew, but there were a few pages I bookmarked to reference again, like when to use -ise or -ize. I'll be keeping it above my desk to check when needed.

[Lumiere · Rating 3 out of 5]

Useful book, but a little bit boring and too much needless information. But everyone who wants to know english better or improve your writing skills - go reading it!