The Elements of Style

by William Strunk Jr.

Make definite assertions. Avoid tame, colorless, hesitating, non-committal language.

Statements in positive form

Consciously or unconsciously, the reader is dissatisfied with being told only what is not; he wishes to be told what is.

Why positive sentence?

not important, trifling

Synonym of not important

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.

Concise writing,why?

owing to the fact that, since (because) in spite of the fact that, though (although) call your attention to the fact that, remind you (notify you) I was unaware of the fact that, I was unaware that (did not know) the fact that he had not succeeded, his failure the fact that I had arrived, my arrival

Never use "The fact that "

His brother, who is a member of the same firm His brother, a member of the same firm Trafalgar, which was Nelson's last battle Trafalgar, Nelson's last battle

Never use who,which

The writer who has a definite meaning to express will not take refuge in such vagueness.

bad writer

along these lines, that a writer who aims at freshness or originality had better discard it entirely.

Do not use 'along the line'

From the people comes political support or opposition; from the public comes artistic appreciation or commercial patronage.

People and public

This sounds as if the writer meant, "It will not be worth my while to write to you again."

Rude writing

Worth while. Overworked as a term of vague approval and (with not) of disapproval. Strictly applicable only to actions: "Is it worth while to telegraph?"

Use of worth while

To express habitual or repeated action, the past tense, without would, is usually sufficient, and from its brevity, more emphatic. Once a year he would visit the old mansion. Once a year he visited the old mansion.

Use of would

seize

use of ie in seize

siege

Use of ie in siege