Foreword

Introduction

I. ELEMENTARY RULES OF USAGE

Form the possessive singular of nouns by adding's

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

Enclose parenthetic expressions between commas

Place a comma before a conjunction introducing an independent clause

Do not join independent clauses with a comma

Do not break sentences in two

Use a colon after an independent clause to introduce a list of particulars, an appositive, an amplification, or an illustrative quotation

Use a dash to set off an abrupt break or interruption and to announce a long appositive or summary

The number of the subject determines the number of the verb

Use the proper case of pronoun

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

II. ELEMENTARY PRINCIPLES OF COMPOSITION

Choose a suitable design and hold to it

Make the paragraph the unit of composition

Use the active voice

Put statements in positive form

Use definite, specific, concrete language

Omit needless words

Avoid a succession of loose sentences

Express coordinate ideas in similar form

Keep related words together

In summaries, keep to one tense

Place the emphatic words of a sentence at the end

III. A FEW MATTERS OF FORM

IV. WORDS AND EXPRESSIONS COMMONLY MISUSED

V. AN APPROACH TO STYLE (With a List of Reminders)

Place yourself in the background

Write in a way that comes naturally

Work from a suitable design

Write with nouns and verbs

Revise and rewrite

Do not overwrite

Do not overstate

Avoid the use of qualifiers

Do not affect a breezy manner

Use orthodox spelling

Do not explain too much

Do not construct awkward adverbs

Make sure the reader knows who is speaking

Avoid fancy words

Do not use dialect unless your ear is good

Be clear

Do not inject opinion

Use figures of speech sparingly

Do not take shortcuts at the cost of clarity

Avoid foreign languages

Prefer the standard to the offbeat

Afterword

Glossary

Index