Always Learning

Elements of Style, The, 4/E
William Strunk, Jr.
E. B. White

ISBN-10: 020530902X
ISBN-13:  9780205309023

Publisher:  Longman
Copyright:  2000
Format:  Paper; 105 pp
Published:  07/23/1999
Status: Instock


Customers outside the U.S., click here.


Print this content

In this section:


Description

You know the authors' names. You recognize the title. You've probably used this book yourself. This is The Elements of Style, the classic style manual, now in a fourth edition.

The revisions to the new edition are purposely kept minimal in order to retain the book's unique tone, wit, and charm. A new Glossary of the grammatical terms used in the book provides a convenient reference for readers. The discussion of pronoun use is revised to reflect the contemporary concern with sexist language. In addition, there are numerous slight revisions in the book itself which implement this advice. A new Foreword by Roger Angell reminds readers that the advice of Strunk & White is as valuable today as when it was first offered.

This book has conveyed the principles of English style to millions of readers. Use the fourth edition of “the little book” to make a big impact with writing.


Features

  • How to cut deadwood out of your sentences.
  • How enliven your prose with the active voice.
  • How to put statements in the positive form.


New To This Edition

  • A new Glossary of grammatical terms.
  • A new Foreword by Roger Angell.
  • The classic principles of English style.


Table of Contents



FOREWORD.


INTRODUCTION.

I.ELEMENTARY RULES OF USAGE.

 1.Form the Possessive Singular of Nouns by Adding 's.

 2.In a Series of Three or More Terms with a Single Conjunction, Use a Comma after Each Term except the Last.

 3.Enclose Parenthetic Expressions between Commas.

 4.Place a Comma before a Conjunction Introducing an Independent Clause.

 5.Do Not Join Independent Clauses with a Comma.

 6.Do Not Break Sentences in Two.

 7.Use a Colon after an Independent Clause to Introduce a List of Particulars, an Appositive, an Amplification, or an Illustrative Question.

 8.Use a Dash to Set Off an Abrupt Break or Interruption and to Announce a Long Appositive or Summary.

 9.The Number of the Subject Determines the Number of the Verb.

10.Use the Proper Case of Pronoun.

11.A Participial Phrase at the Beginning of the Sentence Must Refer to the Grammatical Subject.

II.ELEMENTARY PRINCIPLES OF COMPOSITION.

12.Choose a Suitable Sesign and Hold to It.

13.Make the Paragraph the unit of Composition.

14.Use the Active Voice.

15.Put Statements in Positive Form.

16.Use Definite, Specific, Concrete Language.

17.Omit Needless Words.

18.Avoid a Succession of Loose Sentences.

19.Express Coordinate Ideas in Similar Form.

20.Keep Related Words Together.

21.In Summaries, Keep to One Tense.

22.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).

 1.Place Yourself in the Background.

 2.Write in a Way That Comes Naturally.

 3.Work From a Suitable Style.

 4.Write with Nouns and Verbs.

 5.Revise and Rewrite.

 6.Do Not Overwrite.

 7.Do Not Overstate.

 8.Avoid the Use of Qualifiers.

 9.Do Not Affect a Breezy Manner.

10.Use Orthodox Spelling.

11.Do Not Explain Too Much.

12.Do Not Construct Awkward Adverbs.

13.Make Sure the Reader Knows Who is Speaking.

14.Avoid Fancy Words.

15.Do Not Use Dialect Unless Your Ear Is Good.

16.Be Clear.

17.Do Not Inject Opinion.

18.Use Figures of Speech Sparingly.

19.Do Not Take Shortcuts at the Cost of Clarity.

20.Avoid Foreign Languages.

21.Prefer the Standard to the Offbeat.

Afterword.

Glossary.



Back to top

Print this content

In this section:


Author Bios

William Strunk, Jr. first used his own book, The Elements of Style, in 1919 for his English 8 course at Cornell University. The book was published in 1935 by Oliver Strunk.

E. B. White was a student in Professor Strunk's class at Cornell, and used "the little book" for himself. Commissioned by Macmillan to revise Strunk's book, White edited the 1959 and 1972 editions of The Elements of Style.


Backcover Copy

Some acclaim for previous editions:

"Buy it, study it, enjoy it. It's as timeless as a book can be in our age of volubility."
The New York Times

"No book in shorter space, with fewer words, will help any writer more than this persistent little volume."
The Boston Globe

"White is one of the best stylists and most lucid minds in this country. What he says and his way of saying it are equally rewarding."
The Wall Street Journal

"The book remains a nonpareil: direct, correct, and delightful."
The New Yorker

". . . Should be the daily companion of anyone who writes for a living, and for that matter, anyone who writes at all."
Greensboro (N.C.) Daily News

"This excellent book, which should go off to college with every freshman, is recognized as the best book of its kind we have."
St. Paul Dispatch – Pioneer Press

"It's hard to imagine an engineer or a manager who doesn't need to express himself in English prose as part of his job. It's also hard to imagine a writer who will not be improved by a liberal application of The Elements of Style."
Telephone Engineer & Management

Back to top

Print this content

In this section:


For First-Year Composition - Rhetoric

Pearson Passport -- Standalone Access Card -- for Composition
Pearson
©2011  |  Longman  |  Access Code Card  |  Instock
ISBN-10: 020512111X  |  ISBN-13: 9780205121113
More Info


Back to top

For Advanced Composition

Pearson Passport -- Standalone Access Card -- for Composition
Pearson
©2011  |  Longman  |  Access Code Card  |  Instock
ISBN-10: 020512111X  |  ISBN-13: 9780205121113
More Info


Back to top

For the Composition Discipline

Diagnostic and Editing Tests and Exercises for 2007 English Handbooks (for instructors only) (for Instructors), 9/E
Pearson Longman
©2007  |  Longman  |  Paper; 224 pp  |  Instock
ISBN-10: 0321415248  |  ISBN-13: 9780321415240

Show Downloadable Files
 | More Info

Longman Editing Exercises (Valuepack item only), The
Ingalls
©2000  |  Longman  |  Paper  |  Out of Stock
ISBN-10: 0205317928  |  ISBN-13: 9780205317929

Show Downloadable Files
 | More Info

Test Gen Diagnostic and Editing Tests and Exercises to accompany 2009 Handbooks, 6/E
Zimmerman
©2009  |  Longman  |  On-line Supplement  |  Live
ISBN-10: 0205655351  |  ISBN-13: 9780205655359

Show Downloadable Files
 | More Info

TestGen Computerized Test Bank for Diagnostic and Editing Tests and Exercises for 2006 English Handbooks
Pearson Longman
©2006  |  Longman  |  CD-ROM Only  |  Instock
ISBN-10: 0321364988  |  ISBN-13: 9780321364982

Show Downloadable Files
 | More Info

TestGen Computerized Test Bank for Diagnostic and Editing Tests and Exercises for 2007 English Handbooks (for Instructors), 2/E
Pearson Longman
©2007  |  Longman  |  CD-ROM Only  |  Instock
ISBN-10: 0321433238  |  ISBN-13: 9780321433237

Show Downloadable Files
 | More Info

The Pearson Editing Exercises Answer Key, 2/E
Ingalls & Moody
©2009  |  Longman  |  On-line Supplement  |  Live
ISBN-10: 0205666175  |  ISBN-13: 9780205666171

Show Downloadable Files
 | More Info

Analyzing Literature: A Guide for Students (Valuepack item only), 2/E
McGee
©2002  |  Longman  |  Paper  |  Instock
ISBN-10: 0321093380  |  ISBN-13: 9780321093387
More Info

Building Bridges: The Allyn & Bacon Student Guide to Service-Learning
Hamner
©2002  |  Longman  |  Paper; 128 pp  |  Out of Stock
ISBN-10: 0205319742  |  ISBN-13: 9780205319749
More Info

CPS RF Classroom Performance System
eInstruction
©2010  |  Longman  |  Electronic Supplement  |  Available
ISBN-10: 020577864X  |  ISBN-13: 9780205778645
More Info

Dangling Man
Bellow
©2008  |  Longman  |  Paper  |  Estimated Availability : 09/01/2006
ISBN-10: 0143039873  |  ISBN-13: 9780143039877
More Info

Essential Study Card for Grammar and Documentation
Pearson Longman
©2007  |  Longman  |  Study Card; 10 pp  |  Instock
ISBN-10: 0321463137  |  ISBN-13: 9780321463135
More Info

Guerrilla Girls' Bedside Companion to the History of Western Art, The

©2008  |  Longman  |  Paper  |  Out of Stock
ISBN-10: 014025997X  |  ISBN-13: 9780140259971
More Info

How to Write Psychology Papers, 2/E
Parrott
©1999  |  Longman  |  Paper; 144 pp  |  Instock
ISBN-10: 0321044665  |  ISBN-13: 9780321044662
More Info

iClicker Classroom Response System
iClicker & Allyn & Bacon/Longman
©2008  |  Longman  |  Electronic Supplement  |  Available
ISBN-10: 0205594506  |  ISBN-13: 9780205594504
More Info

InterWrite PRS RF (Personal Response System)
InterWrite PRS & Allyn & Bacon/Longman
©2005  |  Longman  |  Electronic Supplement  |  Available
ISBN-10: 0205436951  |  ISBN-13: 9780205436958
More Info

Listening is an Act of Love
Isay
©2009  |  Longman  |  Paper  |  Instock
ISBN-10: 0143114344  |  ISBN-13: 9780143114345
More Info

Literacy Library Series: Academic Literacy, 2/E
Neeley
©2005  |  Longman  |  Paper; 216 pp  |  Instock
ISBN-10: 0321183193  |  ISBN-13: 9780321183194
More Info

Literacy Library Series: Workplace Literacy, 2/E
Spilka
©2003  |  Longman  |  Paper  |  Instock
ISBN-10: 0321127374  |  ISBN-13: 9780321127372
More Info

Longman Composition Study Site (Open Access)
Pearson Longman
©2007  |  Longman  |  Website  |  Live
ISBN-10: 0205518281  |  ISBN-13: 9780205518289
More Info

Longman Researcher's Journal, The (Valuepack item only)
Markus
©2002  |  Longman  |  Paper  |  Instock
ISBN-10: 0321095308  |  ISBN-13: 9780321095305
More Info

Merriam Websters College Dictionary with CD-ROM, 11/E
Cicero
©2007  |  Longman  |  Paper Bound w/CD-ROM  |  Instock
ISBN-10: 0877798095  |  ISBN-13: 9780877798095
More Info

Model Research Papers from Across the Disciplines, 5/E
Lester
©1999  |  Longman  |  Paper  |  Instock
ISBN-10: 032104603X  |  ISBN-13: 9780321046031
More Info

Mousetrap and Other Plays
Christie
©2006  |  Longman  |  Paper  |  Estimated Availability : 09/01/2000
ISBN-10: 0451201140  |  ISBN-13: 9780451201140
More Info

MySearchLab -- Standalone Access Card
Pearson
©2010  |  Longman  |  Access Code Card  |  Instock
ISBN-10: 0205699413  |  ISBN-13: 9780205699414
More Info

O Pioneers!
Cather
©1991  |  Longman  |  Paper  |  Estimated Availability : 08/31/2005
ISBN-10: 0321413873  |  ISBN-13: 9780321413871
More Info

Oxford American Desk Dictionary & Thesaurus
OXFORD
©2003  |  Longman  |  Paper  |  Instock
ISBN-10: 0425180689  |  ISBN-13: 9780425180686
More Info

Oxford Essential Thesaurus
NONE
©2003  |  Longman  |  Paper  |  Instock
ISBN-10: 0425164217  |  ISBN-13: 9780425164211
More Info

Oxford New Desk Dictionary and Thesaurus
OXFORD UNIVERSITY PRESS
©2009  |  Longman  |  Paper  |  Instock
ISBN-10: 0425228622  |  ISBN-13: 9780425228623
More Info

Pearson Guide to the 2009 MLA Handbook Updates
Pearson
©2010  |  Longman  |  Paper; 16 pp  |  Instock
ISBN-10: 0205777732  |  ISBN-13: 9780205777730
More Info

Public Literacy, 2/E
Ervin
©2003  |  Longman  |  Paper  |  Instock
ISBN-10: 0321129989  |  ISBN-13: 9780321129987
More Info

Real Visual: A Guide to Composing and Analyzing with Images (Valuepack item only)
Anderson, Cooper, Lupton & Meeks
©2007  |  Longman  |  CD-ROM Only  |  Instock
ISBN-10: 0321423089  |  ISBN-13: 9780321423085
More Info

SHADOW OF THE WIND

©2005  |  Longman  |  Paper  |  Instock
ISBN-10: 0143034901  |  ISBN-13: 9780143034902
More Info

Soloist, The
Lopez
©2009  |  Longman  |  Paper  |  Estimated Availability : 09/01/2008
ISBN-10: 042522600X  |  ISBN-13: 9780425226001
More Info

Study Card for Grammar and Documentation
Pearson Longman
©2005  |  Longman  |  Study Card; 0 pp  |  Instock
ISBN-10: 0321292030  |  ISBN-13: 9780321292032
More Info

Talk Talk
Boyle
©2009  |  Longman  |  Paper  |  Estimated Availability : 06/01/2007
ISBN-10: 0143112155  |  ISBN-13: 9780143112150
More Info

Using Portfolios
McClelland
©2001  |  Longman  |  Paper  |  Instock
ISBN-10: 0321084128  |  ISBN-13: 9780321084125
More Info

What Every Multilingual Student Should Know About Writing for College
Kennedy & Bruce
©2013  |  Longman  |  Paper; 128 pp  |  Estimated Availability : 02/03/2012
ISBN-10: 0205230083  |  ISBN-13: 9780205230082
More Info

What Every Student Needs to Know about Researching Online, 2/E
Munger & Campbell
©2013  |  Longman  |  Paper  |  Estimated Availability : 01/18/2012
ISBN-10: 0205856462  |  ISBN-13: 9780205856466
More Info

What Every Student Should Know About Avoiding Plagiarism
Stern
©2007  |  Longman  |  Paper; 80 pp  |  Instock
ISBN-10: 0321446895  |  ISBN-13: 9780321446893
More Info

What Every Student Should Know About Citing Sources with APA Documentation: Updated for APA Sixth Edition, 2/E
Anderson, Carrell & Widdifield
©2010  |  Longman  |  Paper; 80 pp  |  Instock
ISBN-10: 0205795811  |  ISBN-13: 9780205795819
More Info

What Every Student Should Know About Citing Sources with MLA Documentation, Update Edition
Greer
©2010  |  Longman  |  Paper  |  Instock
ISBN-10: 0205715117  |  ISBN-13: 9780205715114
More Info

What Every Student Should Know About Creating Portfolios
Eyman
©2008  |  Longman  |  Paper; 48 pp  |  Instock
ISBN-10: 0205572502  |  ISBN-13: 9780205572502
More Info

What Every Student Should Know About Practicing Peer Review
Trim
©2007  |  Longman  |  Paper  |  Instock
ISBN-10: 0321448480  |  ISBN-13: 9780321448484
More Info

What Every Student Should Know About Preparing Effective Oral Presentations
Cox
©2007  |  Longman  |  Paper; 96 pp  |  Instock
ISBN-10: 0205505457  |  ISBN-13: 9780205505456
More Info

What Every Student Should Know About Procrastination
Hoffman
©2008  |  Longman  |  Paper; 64 pp  |  Instock
ISBN-10: 0205582117  |  ISBN-13: 9780205582112
More Info

What Every Student Should Know About Reading a Novel
Bonilla
©2013  |  Longman  |  Paper  |  Instock
ISBN-10: 020587052X  |  ISBN-13: 9780205870523
More Info

What Every Student Should Know About Researching Online
Munger & Campbell
©2007  |  Longman  |  Paper  |  Instock
ISBN-10: 0321445317  |  ISBN-13: 9780321445315
More Info

What Every Student Should Know About Study Skills
Pearson Longman
©2007  |  Longman  |  Paper; 72 pp  |  Instock
ISBN-10: 0321447360  |  ISBN-13: 9780321447364
More Info

What Every Student Should Know About Using a Handbook
Murray
©2009  |  Longman  |  Paper; 80 pp  |  Instock
ISBN-10: 0205563848  |  ISBN-13: 9780205563845
More Info


Back to top

Log in to the Instructor Resource Center

Login name: 

  Password: 

Forgot login/password?  |  Need to redeem an access code?

        

Instructor Resource Center File Download

This work is protected by local and international copyright laws and is provided solely for the use of instructors in teaching their courses and assessing student learning. Dissemination or sale of any part of this work (including on the World Wide Web) will destroy the integrity of the work and is not permitted. The work and materials from this site should never be made available to students except by instructors using the accompanying text in their classes. All recipients of this work are expected to abide by these restrictions and to honor the intended pedagogical purposes and the needs of other instructors who rely on these materials.

Cancel     I accept, proceed with download

Print this content

Pearson Higher Education offers special pricing when you choose to package your text with other student resources. If you're interested in creating a cost-saving package for your students, browse our available packages below, or contact your Pearson Higher Education representative to create your own package.

Package ISBN-10: 0205195482 | ISBN-13: 9780205195480
©2008 | Not Yet Published
Suggested retail price: $78.39  

This package contains:

Strunk & White | ©2000 | Longman | Paper; 105 pp
Hult & Huckin | ©2008 | Longman | Spiral Bound; 640 pp


Package ISBN-10: 0205031781 | ISBN-13: 9780205031788
©2010 | Instock
Suggested retail price: $73.19  Buy from myPearsonStore

This package contains:

Strunk & White | ©2000 | Longman | Paper; 105 pp
Gorrell | ©2010 | Longman | Paper; 592 pp


Package ISBN-10: 0205708978 | ISBN-13: 9780205708970
©2009 | Not Yet Published
Suggested retail price: $78.39  

This package contains:

Strunk & White | ©2000 | Longman | Paper; 105 pp
Hult & Huckin | ©2009 | Longman | Kit/Package/ShrinkWrap; 640 pp


Package ISBN-10: 0205590446 | ISBN-13: 9780205590445
©2008 | Out of Stock
Suggested retail price: $99.68  Buy from myPearsonStore

This package contains:

Strunk & White | ©2000 | Pearson | Paper; 105 pp
Friedlander & Lee | ©2008 | Pearson | Paper; 352 pp


Package ISBN-10: 0205399436 | ISBN-13: 9780205399437
©2002 | Instock
Suggested retail price: $56.49  Buy from myPearsonStore

This package contains:

Strunk & White | ©2000 | Pearson | Paper; 105 pp
Letteri | ©2002 | Pearson | Paper; 260 pp


Package ISBN-10: 0205176259 | ISBN-13: 9780205176250
©2010 | Not Yet Published
Suggested retail price: $38.69  

This package contains:

Strunk & White | ©2000 | Longman | Paper; 105 pp
Tosh | ©2010 | Longman | Paper; 368 pp


Package ISBN-10: 0205586392 | ISBN-13: 9780205586394
©2007 | Instock (Additional assembly time required)
Suggested retail price: $40.16  Buy from myPearsonStore

This package contains:

Strunk & White | ©2000 | Longman | Paper; 105 pp
Gilyard, Holdstein & Schuster | ©2007 | Longman | Paper; 672 pp


Package ISBN-10: 0321334930 | ISBN-13: 9780321334930
©2003 | Instock
Suggested retail price: $145.09  Buy from myPearsonStore

This package contains:

Strunk & White | ©2000 | Longman | Paper; 105 pp
O'Sullivan, Rassel & Berner | ©2008 | Longman | Paper; 512 pp


Package ISBN-10: 0205019498 | ISBN-13: 9780205019496
©2011 | Instock
Suggested retail price: $39.19  Buy from myPearsonStore

This package contains:

Strunk & White | ©2000 | Longman | Paper; 105 pp
DiYanni | ©2011 | Longman | Paper; 384 pp


Package ISBN-10: 020584393X | ISBN-13: 9780205843930
©2012 | Instock
Suggested retail price: $47.19  Buy from myPearsonStore

This package contains:

Strunk & White | ©2000 | Longman | Paper; 105 pp
Marius & Page | ©2012 | Longman | Paper; 240 pp


Package ISBN-10: 0205183123 | ISBN-13: 9780205183128
©2010 | Instock
Suggested retail price: $62.00  Buy from myPearsonStore

This package contains:

Strunk & White | ©2000 | Longman | Paper; 105 pp
Kolln & Gray | ©2010 | Longman | Paper; 320 pp


Package ISBN-10: 0205819117 | ISBN-13: 9780205819119
©2009 | Instock
Suggested retail price: $66.65  Buy from myPearsonStore

This package contains:

Strunk & White | ©2000 | Longman | Paper; 105 pp
Wilhoit | ©2009 | Longman | Paper; 352 pp
Strode & Wood | ©2008 | Longman | Paper; 256 pp


Package ISBN-10: 0205765025 | ISBN-13: 9780205765027
©2010 | Instock (Additional assembly time required)
Suggested retail price: $117.76  Buy from myPearsonStore

This package contains:

Strunk & White | ©2000 | Pearson | Paper; 105 pp
Gridley | ©2010 | Pearson | Paper; 320 pp
Gridley | ©2010 | Pearson | CD-ROM Only
Pearson | ©2010 | Pearson | Access Code Card


Package ISBN-10: 0205057454 | ISBN-13: 9780205057450
©2010 | Instock (Additional assembly time required)
Suggested retail price: $44.03  Buy from myPearsonStore

This package contains:

Strunk & White | ©2000 | Pearson | Paper; 105 pp
Gilderhus | ©2010 | Pearson | Paper; 144 pp
Roth | ©1999 | Pearson | Paper; 192 pp
Stern | ©2007 | Pearson | Paper; 80 pp


Package ISBN-10: 0205827233 | ISBN-13: 9780205827237
©2011 | Instock
Suggested retail price: $103.19  Buy from myPearsonStore

This package contains:

Strunk & White | ©2000 | Longman | Paper; 105 pp
Wysocki & Lynch | ©2011 | Longman | Spiral Bound; 688 pp
DiYanni | ©2011 | Longman | Paper; 384 pp
Anderson, Carrell & Widdifield | ©2010 | Longman | Paper; 80 pp


Package ISBN-10: 0205002390 | ISBN-13: 9780205002399
©2009 | Not Yet Published
Suggested retail price: $96.09  

This package contains:

Strunk & White | ©2000 | Pearson | Paper; 105 pp
Judge & Langdon | ©2009 | Pearson | Paper; 576 pp
White | ©2000 | Pearson | Paper
Plato | ©2001 | Pearson | Paper
Pearson | ©2009 | Pearson | Access Code Card


Back to top