the_element_of_style.doc

1、TheElements of StylebyWilliam Strunk, Jr.Professor of EnglishCornell University Privately PrintedIthaca, New York1918Copyright 1918By William Strunk, Jr.Press of W. P. Humphrey, Geneva, N.Y.AUTHOR: Strunk, William, 18691946.TITLE: The elements of style, by William Strunk, Jr.EDITION: 1st ed. PUBLISH

2、ED: Ithaca, N.Y.: Priv. print. Geneva, N.Y.: Press of W.P. Humphrey, 1918. PHYSICAL 43 p.; 19 cm.DETAILS:ISBN: 1-58734-060-7. CITATION: Strunk, William. Elements of Style. Ithaca, N.Y.: Priv. print. Geneva,N.Y.: Press of W.P. Humphrey, 1918; B, Date of Printout. ON-LINE ED.: First published May 199

3、5; published July 1999 by B; Copyright B, Inc. (Terms of Use).I. INTRODUCTORYThis book is intended for use in English courses in which the practice of composition iscombined with the study of literature. It aims to give in brief space the principal requirements of plain English style. It aims to lig

4、hten the task of instructor and student by concentrating attention (in Chapters II and III) on a few essentials, the rules of usage andprinciples of composition most commonly violated. The numbers of the sections may beused as references in correcting manuscript.The book covers only a small portion

5、of the field of English style, but the experience of itswriter has been that once past the essentials, students profit most by individual instruction based on the problems of their own work, and that each instructor has his own body of theory, which he prefers to that offered by any textbook.The wri

6、ters colleagues in the Department of English in Cornell University have greatlyhelped him in the preparation of his manuscript. Mr. George McLane Wood has kindlyconsented to the inclusion under Rule 11 of some material from his Suggestions to Authors.The following books are recommended for reference

7、 or further study: in connection withChapters II and IV, F. Howard Collins, Author and Printer (Henry Frowde); Chicago University Press, Manual of Style; T. L. De Vinne Correct Composition (The Century Company); Horace Hart, Rules for Compositors and Printers (Oxford University Press);George McLane

8、Wood, Extracts from the Style-Book of the Government Printing Office(United States Geological Survey); in connection with Chapters III and V, Sir ArthurQuiller-Couch, The Art of Writing (Putnams), especially the chapter, Interlude on Jargon;George McLane Wood, Suggestions to Authors (United States G

9、eological Survey); JohnLeslie Hall, English Usage (Scott, Foresman and Co.); James P. Kelly, Workmanship inWords (Little, Brown and Co.).It is an old observation that the best writers sometimes disregard the rules of rhetoric. When they do so, however, the reader will usually find in the sentence so

10、me compensating merit,attained at the cost of the violation. Unless he is certain of doing as well, he will probably do best to follow the rules. After he has learned, by their guidance, to write plain English adequate for everyday uses, let him look, for the secrets of style, to the study of the ma

11、sters of literature. II. ELEMENTARY RULES OF USAGE1. Form the possessive singular of nouns with s.Follow this rule whatever the final consonant. Thus write, Charless friend Burnss poemsthe witchs maliceThis is the usage of the United States Government Printing Office and of the OxfordUniversity Pres

12、s.Exceptions are the possessives of ancient proper names in -es and -is, the possessiveJesus, and such forms as for conscience sake, for righteousness sake. But such forms as Achilles heel, Moses laws, Isis temple are commonly replaced by the heel of Achillesthe laws of Mosesthe temple of IsisThe pr

13、onominal possessives hers, its, theirs, yours, and oneself have no apostrophe.2. In a series of three or more terms with a single conjunction, use acomma after each term except the last.Thus write,red, white, and blue honest, energetic, but headstrong He opened the letter, read it, and made a note o

14、f its contents. This is also the usage of the Government Printing Office and of the OxfordUniversity Press.In the names of business firms the last comma is omitted, asBrown, Shipley and CompanyThe abbreviation etc., even if only a single term comes before it, is always preceded by a comma.3. Enclose

15、 parenthetic expressions between commas.The best way to see a country, unless you are pressed for time, is to travel on foot.This rule is difficult to apply; it is frequently hard to decide whether a single word,such as however, or a brief phrase, is or is not parenthetic. If the interruption to the

16、 flow of the sentence is but slight, the writer may safely omit the commas. Butwhether the interruption be slight or considerable, he must never omit one commaand leave the other. Such punctuation as Marjories husband, Colonel Nelson paid us a visit yesterday, orMy brother you will be pleased to hea

17、r, is now in perfect health, is indefensible.Non-restrictive relative clauses are, in accordance with this rule, set off by commas.The audience, which had at first been indifferent, became more and moreinterested. Similar clauses introduced by where and when are similarly punctuated.In 1769, when Na

18、poleon was born, Corsica had but recently been acquiredby France.Nether Stowey, where Coleridge wrote The Rime of the Ancient Mariner,is a few miles from Bridgewater.In these sentences the clauses introduced by which, when, and where are non-restrictive; they do not limit the application of the word

19、s on which they depend, but add, parenthetically, statements supplementing those in the principal clauses. Each sentence is a combination of two statments which might have been madeindependently. The audience was at first indifferent. Later it became more and more interested. Napoleon was born in 17

20、69. At that time Corsica had but recently been acquired by France.Coleridge wrote The Rime of the Ancient Mariner at Nether Stowey.Nether Stowey is only a few miles from Bridgewater. Restrictive relative clauses are not set off by commas.The candidate who best meets these requirements will obtain th

21、e place.In this sentence the relative clause restricts the application of the word candidate to a single person. Unlike those above, the sentence cannot be split into two independentstatements. The abbreviations etc. and jr. are always preceded by a comma, and except at the end of a sentence, follow

22、ed by one. Similar in principle to the enclosing of parenthetic expressions between commas isthe setting off by commas of phrases or dependent clauses preceding or following the main clause of a sentence. The sentences quoted in this section and under Rules 4, 5,6, 7, 16, and 18 should afford suffic

23、ient guidance.If a parenthetic expression is preceded by a conjunction, place the first comma beforethe conjunction, not after it.He saw us coming, and unaware that we had learned of his treachery, greeted us with a smile. 4. Place a comma before and or but introducing an independent clause.The earl

24、y records of the city have disappeared, and the story of its first years can no longer be reconstructed. The situation is perilous, but there is still one chance of escape.Sentences of this type, isolated from their context, may seem to be in need of rewriting. As they make complete sense when the c

25、omma is reached, the secondclause has the appearance of an after-thought. Further, and, is the least specific of connectives. Used between independent clauses, it indicates only that a relation existsbetween them without defining that relation. In the example above, the relation is thatof cause and

26、result. The two sentences might be rewritten:As the early records of the city have disappeared, the story of its first years can no longer be reconstructed. Although the situation is perilous, there is still one chance of escape. Or the subordinate clauses might be replaced by phrases: Owing to the

27、disappearance of the early records of the city, the story of its first years can no longer be reconstructed. In this perilous situation, there is still one chance of escape.But a writer may err by making his sentences too uniformly compact and periodic,and an occasional loose sentence prevents the s

28、tyle from becoming too formal andgives the reader a certain relief. Consequently, loose sentences of the type firstquoted are common in easy, unstudied writing. But a writer should be careful not to construct too many of his sentences after this pattern (see Rule 14).Two-part sentences of which the

29、second member is introduced by as (in the sense of because), for, or, nor, and while (in the sense of and at the same time) likewise require a comma before the conjunction.If a dependent clause, or an introductory phrase requiring to be set off by a comma,precedes the second independent clause, no c

30、omma is needed after the conjunction. The situation is perilous, but if we are prepared to act promptly, there is still one chance of escape.For two-part sentences connected by an adverb, see the next section. 5. Do not join independent clauses by a comma.If two or more clauses, grammatically comple

31、te and not joined by a conjunction, areto form a single compound sentence, the proper mark of punctuation is a semicolon. Stevensons romances are entertaining; they are full of exciting adventures.It is nearly half past five; we cannot reach town before dark.It is of course equally correct to write

32、the above as two sentences each, replacing the semicolons by periods. Stevensons romances are entertaining. They are full of exciting adventures.It is nearly half past five. We cannot reach town before dark. If a conjunction is inserted, the proper mark is a comma (Rule 4).Stevensons romances are en

33、tertaining, for they are full of exciting adventures.It is nearly half past five, and we cannot reach town before dark. Note that if the second clause is preceded by an adverb, such as accordingly, besides, so, then, therefore, or thus, and not by a conjunction, the semicolon is still required.I had

34、 never been in the place before; so I had difficulty in finding my way about.In general, however, it is best, in writing, to avoid using so in this manner; there is danger that the writer who uses it at all may use it too often. A simple correction, usually serviceable, is to omit the word so, and b

35、egin the first clause with as:As I had never been in the place before, I had difficulty in finding my way about.If the clauses are very short, and are alike in form, a comma is usually permissible:Man proposes, God disposes.The gate swung apart, the bridge fell, the portcullis was drawn up.6. Do not

36、 break sentences in two.In other words, do not use periods for commas.I met them on a Cunard liner several years ago. Coming home from Liverpool to New York. He was an interesting talker. A man who had traveled all over the world, and lived in half a dozen countries.In both these examples, the first

37、 period should be replaced by a comma, and thefollowing word begun with a small letter.It is permissible to make an emphatic word or expression serve the purpose of asentence and to punctuate it accordingly: Again and again he called out. No reply.The writer must, however, be certain that the emphas

38、is is warranted, and that he will not be suspected of a mere blunder in punctuation. Rules 3, 4, 5, and 6 cover the most important principles in the punctuation of ordinary sentences; they should be so thoroughly mastered that their applicationbecomes second nature.7. A participial phrase at the beg

39、inning of a sentence must refer to thegrammatical subject.Walking slowly down the road, he saw a woman accompanied by two children.The word walking refers to the subject of the sentence, not to the woman. If thewriter wishes to make it refer to the woman, he must recast the sentence:He saw a woman,

40、accompanied by two children, walking slowly down the road.Participial phrases preceded by a conjunction or by a preposition, nouns inapposition, adjectives, and adjective phrases come under the same rule if they begin the sentence.On arriving in Chicago, his friendsmet him at the station. A soldier

41、of proved valor, they entrusted him with the defence of the city.Young and inexperienced, the task seemed easy to me. Without a friend to counsel him, thetemptation proved irresistible.When he arrived (or, On his arrival) in Chicago, his friends met him atthe station. A soldier of proved valor, he w

42、asentrusted with the defence of thecity.Young and inexperienced, I thought the task easy.Without a friend to counsel him, he found the temptation irresistible.Sentences violating this rule are often ludicrous.Being in a dilapidated condition, I was able to buy the house very cheap. 8. Divide words at line-ends, in accordance with their formation and pronunciation.