FOREWORD by Roger Angell |
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viii | |
INTRODUCTION to the 3rd edition by E.B. White |
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xii | |
I. ELEMENTARY RULES OF USAGE |
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1 | (30) |
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1. Form the possessive singular of nouns by adding 's. |
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1 | (2) |
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2. In a series of three or more terms with a single conjunction, use a comma after each term except the last. |
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3 | (1) |
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3. Enclose parenthetic expressions between commas. |
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3 | (8) |
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4. Place a comma before a conjunction introducing an independent clause. |
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11 | (1) |
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5. Do not join independent clauses with a comma. |
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11 | (1) |
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6. Do not break sentences in two. |
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12 | (3) |
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7. Use a colon after an independent clause to introduce a list of particulars, an appositive, an amplification, or an illustrative quotation. |
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15 | (1) |
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8. Use a dash to set off an abrupt break or interruption and to announce a long appositive or summary. |
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16 | (2) |
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9. The number of the subject determines the number the verb. |
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18 | (3) |
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10. Use the proper case of pronoun. |
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21 | (3) |
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11. A participial phrase at the beginning of a sentence must refer to the grammatical subject. |
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24 | (7) |
II. ELEMENTARY PRINCIPLES OF COMPOSITION |
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31 | (24) |
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12. Choose a suitable design and hold to it. |
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31 | (1) |
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13. Make the paragraph the unit of composition. |
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31 | (2) |
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14. Use the active voice. |
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33 | (1) |
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15. Put statements in positive form. |
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34 | (3) |
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16. Use definite, specific, concrete language. |
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37 | (2) |
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39 | (1) |
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18. Avoid a succession of loose sentences. |
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40 | (3) |
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19. Express coordinate ideas in similar form. |
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43 | (1) |
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20. Keep related words together. |
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44 | (5) |
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21. In summaries, keep to one tense. |
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49 | (3) |
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22. Place the emphatic words of a sentence at the end. |
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52 | (3) |
III. A FEW MATTERS OF FORM |
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55 | (8) |
IV. WORDS AND EXPRESSIONS COMMONLY MISUSED |
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63 | (34) |
V. AN APPROACH TO STYLE (with a List of Reminders) |
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97 | (25) |
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1. Place yourself in the background. |
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100 | (1) |
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2. Write in a way that comes naturally. |
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101 | (1) |
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3. Work from a suitable design. |
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101 | (4) |
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4. Write with nouns and verbs. |
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105 | (1) |
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105 | (1) |
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105 | (1) |
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106 | (1) |
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8. Avoid the use of qualifiers. |
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106 | (1) |
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9. Do not affect a breezy manner. |
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106 | (2) |
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10. Use orthodox spelling. |
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108 | (1) |
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11. Do not explain too much. |
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109 | (1) |
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12. Do not construct awkward adverbs. |
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109 | (2) |
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13. Make sure the reader knows who is speaking. |
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111 | (1) |
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111 | (2) |
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15. Do not use dialect unless your ear is good. |
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113 | (1) |
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113 | (1) |
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17. Do not inject opinion. |
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114 | (1) |
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18. Use figures of speech sparingly. |
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115 | (1) |
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19. Do not take shortcuts at the cost of clarity. |
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115 | (1) |
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20. Avoid foreign languages. |
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115 | (1) |
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21. Prefer the standard to the offbeat. |
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115 | (7) |
VI. SPELLING (from the first edition) |
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122 | (3) |
GLOSSARY |
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125 | (9) |
INDEX |
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134 | (13) |
BACKWORD |
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147 | (6) |
COPYRIGHT PAGE |
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153 | |