write-concisely

What this skill does

# Writing Clearly and Concisely

## Overview

William Strunk Jr.'s *The Elements of Style* (1918) teaches you to write clearly and cut ruthlessly. Apply these rules to task that requested by user.

## All Rules

### Elementary Rules of Usage (Grammar/Punctuation)

1. Form possessive singular by adding 's
2. Use comma after each term in series except last
3. Enclose parenthetic expressions between commas
4. Comma before conjunction introducing co-ordinate clause
5. Don't join independent clauses by comma
6. Don't break sentences in two
7. Participial phrase at beginning refers to grammatical subject

### Elementary Principles of Composition

1. One paragraph per topic
2. Begin paragraph with topic sentence
3. **Use active voice**
4. **Put statements in positive form**
5. **Use definite, specific, concrete language**
6. **Omit needless words**
7. Avoid succession of loose sentences
8. Express co-ordinate ideas in similar form
9. **Keep related words together**
10. Keep to one tense in summaries
11. **Place emphatic words at end of sentence**

### Section V: Words and Expressions Commonly Misused

Alphabetical reference for usage questions

# The Elements of Style (1918)

*Public domain text by William Strunk Jr.*

## Contents

- [Writing Clearly and Concisely](#writing-clearly-and-concisely)
  - [Overview](#overview)
  - [All Rules](#all-rules)
    - [Elementary Rules of Usage (Grammar/Punctuation)](#elementary-rules-of-usage-grammarpunctuation)
    - [Elementary Principles of Composition](#elementary-principles-of-composition)
    - [Section V: Words and Expressions Commonly Misused](#section-v-words-and-expressions-commonly-misused)
- [The Elements of Style (1918)](#the-elements-of-style-1918)
  - [Contents](#contents)
  - [I. Introductory](#i-introductory)
  - [II. Elementary Rules Of Usage](#ii-elementary-rules-of-usage)
    - [Rule 1. Form the possessive singular of nouns by adding 's](#rule-1-form-the-possessive-singular-of-nouns-by-adding-s)
    - [Rule 2. In a series of three or more terms with a single conjunction, use a comma after each term except the last](#rule-2-in-a-series-of-three-or-more-terms-with-a-single-conjunction-use-a-comma-after-each-term-except-the-last)
    - [Rule 3. Enclose parenthetic expressions between commas](#rule-3-enclose-parenthetic-expressions-between-commas)
    - [Rule 4. Place a comma before a conjunction introducing a co-ordinate clause](#rule-4-place-a-comma-before-a-conjunction-introducing-a-co-ordinate-clause)
    - [Rule 5. Do not join independent clauses by a comma](#rule-5-do-not-join-independent-clauses-by-a-comma)
    - [Rule 6. Do not break sentences in two](#rule-6-do-not-break-sentences-in-two)
    - [Rule 7. A participial phrase at the beginning of a sentence must refer to the grammatical subject](#rule-7-a-participial-phrase-at-the-beginning-of-a-sentence-must-refer-to-the-grammatical-subject)
  - [III. Elementary Principles Of Composition](#iii-elementary-principles-of-composition)
    - [Rule 8. Make the paragraph the unit of composition: one paragraph to each topic](#rule-8-make-the-paragraph-the-unit-of-composition-one-paragraph-to-each-topic)
    - [Rule 9. As a rule, begin each paragraph with a topic sentence, end it in conformity with the beginning](#rule-9-as-a-rule-begin-each-paragraph-with-a-topic-sentence-end-it-in-conformity-with-the-beginning)
    - [Rule 10. Use the active voice](#rule-10-use-the-active-voice)
    - [Rule 11. Put statements in positive form](#rule-11-put-statements-in-positive-form)
    - [Rule 12. Use definite, specific, concrete language](#rule-12-use-definite-specific-concrete-language)
    - [Rule 13. Omit needless words](#rule-13-omit-needless-words)
    - [Rule 14. Avoid a succession of loose sentences](#rule-14-avoid-a-succession-of-loose-sentences)
    - [Rule 15. Express co-ordinate ideas in similar form](#rule-15-express-co-ordinate-ideas-in-similar-form)
    - [Rule 16. Keep related words together](#rule-16-keep-related-words-together)
    - [Rule 17. In summaries, keep to one tense](#rule-17-in-summaries-keep-to-one-tense)
    - [Rule 18. Place the emphatic words of a sentence at the end](#rule-18-place-the-emphatic-words-of-a-sentence-at-the-end)
  - [V. Words And Expressions Commonly Misused](#v-words-and-expressions-commonly-misused)

## I. Introductory

This handbook summarizes the essentials of plain English style. It focuses on the rules of usage and principles of composition most often broken, offering a compact alternative to exhaustive manuals. Master the guidance here, then look to the best authors for finer points of style.

## II. Elementary Rules Of Usage

### Rule 1. Form the possessive singular of nouns by adding 's

Follow this rule whatever the final consonant. Thus write,

Charles's friend

Burns's poems

the witch's malice

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

Exceptions are the possessive 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

the laws of Moses

the temple of Isis

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

### Rule 2. In a series of three or more terms with a single conjunction, use a comma after each term except the last

Thus write,

red, white, and blue

gold, silver, or copper

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.

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

Brown, Shipley & Co.

### Rule 3. Enclose 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 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 insert one comma and omit the other. Such punctuation as

Marjorie's husband, Colonel Nelson paid us a visit yesterday,

or

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

is indefensible.

If a parenthetic expression is preceded by a conjunction, place the first comma before the conjunction, not after it.

He saw us coming, and unaware that we had learned of his treachery, greeted us with a smile.

Always to be regarded as parenthetic and to be enclosed between commas (or, at the end of the sentence, between comma and period) are the following:

\(1\) the year, when forming part of a date, and the day of the month, when following the day of the week:

February to July, 1916.

April 6, 1917.

Monday, November 11, 1918.

\(2\) the abbreviations *etc.* and *jr.*

\(3\) non-restrictive relative clauses, that is, those which do not serve to identify or define the antecedent noun, and similar clauses introduced by conjunctions indicating time or place.

The audience, which had at first been indifferent, became more and more interested.

In this sentence the clause introduced by *which* does not serve to tell which of several possible audiences is meant; what audience is in question is supposed to be already known. The clause adds, parenthetically, a statement supplementing that in the main clause. The sentence is virtually a combination of two statements which might have been made independently:

The audience had at first been indifferent. It became more and more interested.

Compare the restrictive relative clause, not set off by commas, in the sentence,

The candidate who best meets these requirements will obtain the place.

Here the clause introduced by *who* does serve to tell which of several possible candida