The Elements of Style, Fourth Edition

One of the most incorrectly used punctuation marks is the comma. This small, 85 page book, is an excellent reference for novice or grammarian. Teachers can take the simple exercises and teach their students -- and students can look-up the rules. Without form and structure, language degenerates. Dictionaries, quickly become out of date, as the next generation adds their own words. That is a reason to keep your dictionary current, by the way. However the basic structure of English grammar doesn't change simply because it is misunderstood.

Please note: there are more commas than necessary in the above paragraph... a reason to read the book is to correct all of the errors I put into that paragraph.

This book is now on special order only. I have a copy somewhere in my garage, but gave up looking for it and bought a new copy. I do not regret one single penny.

If you write, or read (or talk) then this book is a must.


A short book every writer should read once a year.   December 16, 1996
 32 out of 32 found this review helpful

Many books about writing are huge, but "The Elements of Style," the best of them, is extremely short: 92 pages,including index. Read them all. Briefly and vigorously, Strunk and White will tell you, for example, when to use (and not to use) commas, which words to avoid, how to divide paragraphs, and generally how to pare your writing down to essentials. Many professional writers advise reading Strunk and White cover-to-cover once a year. If you do any regular writing, of letters or anything else, then follow that advice.


Deservedly a classic   November 29, 2001
 29 out of 37 found this review helpful

The fact is, the vast majority of so-called book doctors are garbage. An exception would be Strunk and White's classic Elements of Style. It was originally written during WWI by William Strunk who was then a professor at Cornell, and it has since been updated by E.B.White, one of his former pupils. Strunk's strategy was to edit down the complexities of English grammar into those few basic elements which would help people to improve their writing skills. His central rule is simple: "Omit needless words". Indeed......Unfortunatley, the book sometimes seems a little old-fashioned when it includes grammatical terms such as "nonrestrictive clauses" which one doesn't need to know. Also, the book assumes you have a decent working knowledge of basic grammer. It gives advice on word choice, appropriate use of different syntactical constructions and similar topics. The final chapter added by E.B.White is a list of twenty-one guidelines for clear and good writing which are very helpful. The suggestions range from keeping the audience in mind to hints on the choice of effective vocabulary.


The Best   December 29, 2000
 27 out of 29 found this review helpful

I was looking for a book with basic rules of english grammar to improve the presentation in my recent report and forthcoming thesis. Something that had all in one place, was concise, to the point and no novel-likeness. Strunk & White was the prescription. It has everything a writer needs in terms of language and some aspects of style and presentation. It speaks of the obvious but precious gems which people tend to forget over time. I am impressed with the organisation of the book. What I was really looking for was, Elements of usage and An approach to Style. I recommend this for students planning to write reports, thesis, term papers or any sort of writing that needs to be crisp and clear.The Fine Art of Technical Writing by Carol Rosenblum Perry would be an excellent along with the "little" book for students. It's a necessity if you are in the academia, it's a great aid otherwise.


Great Little Book   May 10, 2004
 24 out of 24 found this review helpful

A pithy little handbook that gives rules and examples to help you avoid the most common mistakes in writing, plus some smart advice on the finer points by a renowned essayist and children's writer. It is by far the single most useful book on writing. But it is not the last word. For those who wish to go further, I recommend these books in addition to Strunk & White: The Prentice Hall Handbook for Writers, for a review of basic grammar and syntax; Style: Ten Lessons in Clarity and Grace, by Joseph M. Williams, for more detailed advice on constructing paragraphs; The Oxford Essential Guide to Writing, by Thomas Kane, for more general advice; and Garner's Modern American Usage, for intelligent, detailed, and up-to-date guidance on diction. All these books belong on the shelf of every serious writer.

(By the way, I agree with the previous reviewer that the third edition is slightly preferable to the current one.)