The Elements of Style: Classic Edition (2018)电子书

Preface

Foreword: WHY ENGLISH GRAMMAR MATTERS

The Nine Parts of Speech

Three Essentials of Effective Writing

George Orwell’s Advice to Writers

A Writer’s Recipe for Success

Chapter 1: ELEMENTARY RULES OF USAGE

Rule 1. Form the possessive singular of nouns by adding ’s.

Rule 2. In a series of three or more terms with a single conjunction, use a comma after each term except the last.

Rule 3. Enclose parenthetic expressions between commas.

Rule 4. Place a comma before a conjunction introducing a coordinate clause.

Rule 5. Do not join independent clauses by a comma.

Rule 6. Do not break sentences in two.

Rule 7. A participial phrase at the beginning of a sentence must refer to the grammatical subject.

Chapter 2: ELEMENTARY PRINCIPLES OF COMPOSITION

Rule 8. Make the paragraph the unit of composition.

Rule 9. Begin each paragraph with a topic sentence.

Rule 10. Use the active voice.

Rule 11. Put statements in positive form.

Rule 12. Use definite, specific, concrete language.

Rule 13. Omit needless words.

Rule 14. Avoid a succession of loose sentences.

Rule 15. Express coordinate ideas in similar form.

Rule 16. Keep related words together.

Rule 17. In summaries, keep to one tense.

Rule 18. Place the emphatic words of a sentence at the end.

Chapter 3: BASIC RULES OF CAPITALIZATION

Rule 19. “First Word” Capitalization Rules.

Rule 20. Capitalize Proper Nouns.

Rule 21. Capitalize Days, Months, and Historic Eras.

Rule 22. When to Capitalize Landmarks.

Rule 23. When to Capitalize the Names of Seasons.

Rule 24. Capitalize “Personified” Nouns.

Rule 25. Capitalize Cardinal Points (Sometimes).

Rule 26. Capitalize Most Words in Titles.

Rule 27. When to Capitalize Roman Numerals.

Rule 28. Capitalize Trademarks and Service Marks.

Rule 29. When to Capitalize Relative Words.

Rule 30. Capitalize Some Religious Titles and Terms.

Rule 31. When to Capitalize Political Titles.

Rule 32. When to Capitalize Educational Titles.

Rule 33. When to Capitalize Job Titles.

Chapter 4: A FEW MATTERS OF FORM

Headings

Numerals

Parentheses

Hyphenation

Quotations

References

Chapter 5: WORDS AND EXPRESSIONS OFTEN MISUSED

Chapter 6: SPELLING

Chapter 7: STYLE RULES FOR BETTER WRITING

You can start a sentence with a conjunction.

You can split infinitives.

You can end a sentence with a preposition.

Consider your audience.

Write short paragraphs.

Write concise sentences.

Be consistent with style.

Write with a word, not with a phrase.

Don't double up terms.

Place modifiers next to the word modified.

Place long conditions after the main clause.

Avoid intruding words.

A person is a who, not a that.

Which and that are not interchangeable.

Often, that can be omitted.

Avoid this is because, that is the result of.

Make sure subjects and verbs agree.

Avoid confusing adjectives and adverbs.

Avoid the false subjects it is, there is/are, etc.

Chapter 8: STUDY GUIDE

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