The Elements of Style

(来源：英语问答中心 http://ask.englishcn.com)

William Strunk, Jr. (Professor of English, Cornell University)

Asserting that one must first know the rules to break them, this classic reference book is a must-have for any student and conscientious writer. Intended for use in which the practice of composition is combined with the study of literature, it gives in brief space the principal requirements of plain English style and concentrates attention on the rules of usage and principles of composition most commonly violated. (来源：英语交友 http://friends.englishcn.com)

I. INTRODUCTORY

(来源：英语麦当劳www.EnglishCN.com)

This book is intended for use in English courses in which the practice of composition is combined with the study of literature. It aims to give in brief space the principal requirements of plain English style. It aims to lighten the task of instructor and student by concentrating attention (in Chapters II and III) on a few essentials, the rules of usage and principles of composition most commonly violated. The numbers of the sections may be used as references in correcting manuscript.

(来源：专业英语学习网站 http://www.EnglishCN.com)

The book covers only a small portion of the field of English style, but the experience of its writer 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.

(来源：英语交友 http://friends.englishcn.com)

The writer's colleagues in the Department of English in Cornell University have greatly helped him in the preparation of his manuscript. Mr. George McLane Wood has kindly consented to the inclusion under Rule 11 of some material from his Suggestions to Authors.

(来源：英语e问e答 http://ask.englishcn.com)

The following books are recommended for reference or further study: in connection with Chapters 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 Wood, Extracts from the Style-Book of the Government Printing Office (United States Geological Survey); in connection with Chapters III and V, Sir Arthur Quiller-Couch, The Art of Writing (Putnams), especially the chapter, Interlude on Jargon; George McLane Wood, Suggestions to Authors (United States Geological Survey); John Leslie Hall, English Usage (Scott, Foresman and Co.); James P. Kelly, Workmanship in Words (Little, Brown and Co.). (来源：英语问答中心 http://ask.englishcn.com)

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 some 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 masters of literature.

(来源：英语麦当劳 http://www.EnglishCN.com)

William Strunk, Jr. (1869–1946). The Elements of Style. 1918. (来源：英语电影下载 http://bt.englishcn.com)

II. ELEMENTARY RULES OF USAGE (来源：英语资料下载 http://download.englishcn.com)

1. Form the possessive singular of nouns with 's.

Follow this rule whatever the final consonant. Thus write, (来源：专业英语学习网站 http://www.EnglishCN.com)

Charles's friend

(来源：英语聊天室 http://chat.EnglishCN.com)

Burns's poems

the witch's malice

This is the usage of the United States Government Printing Office and of the Oxford University Press.

(来源：英语分类信息 http://fl.englishcn.com)

Exceptions are the possessives of ancient proper names in -es and -is, the possessive Jesus', 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 Achilles

(来源：英语交友 http://friends.englishcn.com)

the laws of Moses

(来源：英语聊天室 http://chat.EnglishCN.com)

the temple of Isis (来源：专业英语学习网站 http://www.EnglishCN.com)

The pronominal possessives hers, its, theirs, yours, and oneself have no apostrophe.

2. In a series of three or more terms with a single conjunction, use a comma after each term except the last. (来源：英语麦当劳 http://www.EnglishCN.com)

Thus write, (来源：EnglishCN英语博客基地)

red, white, and blue (来源：EnglishCN英语问答中心[e问e答])

honest, energetic, but headstrong

He opened the letter, read it, and made a note of its contents.

This is also the usage of the Government Printing Office and of the Oxford University Press. (来源：英语资料下载 http://download.englishcn.com)

In the names of business firms the last comma is omitted, as

Brown, Shipley and Company (来源：英语麦当劳－英语杂志 www.EnglishCN.com)

The abbreviation etc., even if only a single term comes before it, is always preceded by a comma. (来源：英语e问e答 http://ask.englishcn.com)

3. Enclose parenthetic expressions between commas.

(来源：英语图片 http://photo.englishcn.com)

The best way to see a country, unless you are pressed for time, is to travel on foot. (来源：英语交友 http://friends.englishcn.com)

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 flow of the sentence is but slight, the writer may safely omit the commas. But whether the interruption be slight or considerable, he must never omit one comma and leave the other. Such punctuation as

(来源：英语麦当劳www.EnglishCN.com)

Marjorie's husband, Colonel Nelson paid us a visit yesterday, (来源：专业英语学习网站 http://www.EnglishCN.com)

or

(来源：英语交友 http://friends.englishcn.com)

My brother you will be pleased to hear, is now in perfect health,