The Elements of Style, Fourth Edition

Great book, my copy got me through high school and I gave this one as a gift.

Strunk and Whites Elements of style deals with the slippery and vague elements of the English language; turns them around and upside down and then puts them in the right place, never to be forgotten again.
Your Strunk and White is a tool, one and a quarter inch thick, five and a quarter inch wide and eight and a quarter inch long or 1.5 x 13.5 x 21 cm. How do you write a date, the one on the calendar, when should you use a colon, the double dotted one, or a comma? Strunk and White will take away your doubts and set you on solid ground. It's even entertaining reading if you have nothing else to do. Highly recommended.

As an author, I struggle with my style of writing to gain an oridance. this book was suggested to me by me Editor, and an instructor from a grammer free proof reading class I took. It has put great perspective on how I should write.

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 exhibition and not b/c it's the general rule.
3) Putting statements into positive form (something I had not considered).
4) And the entire section on "Approach to Style".

I think that for the price, you can not go wrong with this one. I have GRAMMATICALLY CORRECT by Stilman and SOLUTIONS FOR WRITERS by Stein, both of which I recommend, but if you had to choose the order in which to buy: ELEMENTS OF STYLE, SOLUTIONS FOR WRITERS (as it's not just about writing but the craft of story telling), and then GRAMMATICALLY CORRECT.

I have used this text when tutoring individual students at the undergraduate and graduate level. I have also used it extensively in my management development classses featuring writing. It is superb,clearly written with almost brazen simplicity. It is the special gift that I give to students and trainees to keep for a lifetime.


Dr. Word Merchant, Ph.D.