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Strunk and White - in brief
Strunk and White, in brief...
Date: August 28, 2001
From: Bob
Reference: http://www.bartleby.com/141/

Strunk

  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 by 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 quotation.
  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 a sentence must refer to the grammatical subject.
  12. Choose a suitable design 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. Omit needless words. 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.

White:

  1. Place yourself in the background.
  2. Write in a way that comes naturally.
  3. Work from a suitable design.
  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.

Bob:

  1. Don't use "Since" when you mean "Because"
  2. Write complete, simple, declarative sentences.
  3. Don't argue with me.
  4. Don't use wierd fonts.
  5. Smilies can be overdone.
  6. You can't proofread your own work.  ...but you should try.
  7. No swearing, dammit.
  8. It took me a long time to write it; it should take you a long time to read it.
  9. If you can't follow all the rules, follow mine.
  10. Use active voice unless you don't.
  11. DON"T SHOUT.
  12. Clear thy head of phlegm before writing.
  13. Include information in your writing.
  14. Write in your second language as long as it is English.
  15. Most writing can stand some improvement
  16. Buy a dictionary.  Use it.
  17. Don't use fuzzy logic.
  18. The writing of more than two prepositions in a row is too many of them.
  19. Using a computer will not improve your writing.
  20. Typing bad writing doesn't make it more readable.

Trigg:

  1. Make sure each pronoun agrees with their antecedent.
  2. Just between you and I, the case of pronoun is important.
  3. Watch out for irregular verbs which have crope into English.
  4. Verbs has to agree in number with their subjects.
  5. Don't use no double negatives.
  6. Being bad grammar, a writer should not use dangling modifiers.
  7. Join clauses good like a conjunction should.
  8. A writer must be not shift your point of view.
  9. About sentence fragments.
  10. Don't use run-on sentences you got to punctuate them.
  11. In letters essays and reports use commas to separate items in series.
  12. Don't use commas, which are not necessary.
  13. Parenthetical words however should be enclosed in commas.
  14. Its important to use apostrophes right in everybodys writing.
  15. Don't abbrev.
  16. Check to see if you any words out.
  17. In the case of a report, check to see that jargonwise, it's A-OK.
  18. As far as incomplete constructions, they are wrong.
  19. About repetition, the repetition of a word might be real effective repetition - take, for instance the repetition of Abraham Lincoln.
  20. In my opinion, I think that an author when he is writing should definitely not get into the habit of making use of too many unnecessary words that he does not really need in order to put his message across.
  21. Use parallel construction not only to be concise but also clarify.
  22. It behooves us all to avoid archaic expressions.
  23. Mixed metaphors are a pain in the neck and ought to be weeded out.
  24. Consult the dictionery to avoid mispelings.
  25. To ignorantly split an infinitive is a practice to religiously avoid.
  26. Last but not least, lay off cliches.

Safire:

  1. Avoid run-on sentences they are hard to read.
  2. Don't use no double negatives.
  3. Use the semicolon properly, always use it where it is appropriate; and never where it isn't.
  4. Reserve the apostrophe for it's proper use and omit it when its not needed.
  5. Do not put statements in the negative form.
  6. Verbs has to agree with their subjects.
  7. No sentence fragments.
  8. Proofread carefully to see if you any words out.
  9. Avoid commas, that are not necessary.
  10. If you reread your work, you will find on rereading that a great deal of repetition can be avoided by rereading and editing.
  11. A writer must not shift your point of view.
  12. Eschew dialect, irregardless.
  13. And don't start a sentence with a conjunction.
  14. Don't overuse exclamation marks!!!
  15. Place pronouns as close as possible, especially in long sentences, as of 10 or more words, to their antecedents.
  16. Hyphenate between sy-
    llables and avoid un-necessary hyphens.
  17. Write all adverbial forms correct.
  18. Don't use contractions in formal writing.
  19. Writing carefully, dangling participles must be avoided.
  20. It is incumbent on us to avoid archaisms.
  21. If any word is improper at the end of a sentence, a linking verb is.
  22. Steer clear of incorrect forms of verbs that have snuck in the language.
  23. Take the bull by the hand and avoid mixed metaphors.
  24. Avoid trendy locutions that sound flaky.
  25. Never, ever use repetitive redundancies.
  26. Everyone should be careful to use a singular pronoun with singular nouns in their writing.
  27. If I've told you once, I've told you a thousand times, resist hyperbole.
  28. Also, avoid awkward or affected alliteration.
  29. Don't string too many prepositional phrases together unless you are walking through the valley of the shadow of death.
  30. Always pick on the correct idiom.
  31. "Avoid overuse of 'quotation "marks."'"
  32. The adverb always follows the verb.
  33. Last but not least, avoid cliches like the plague; seek viable alternatives.

The Well Known Writer's Rules:

  1. Verbs has to agree with their subjects.
  2. Prepositions are not words to end sentences with.
  3. And don't start a sentence with a conjunction.
  4. It is wrong to ever split an infinitive.
  5. Avoid cliches like the plague. (They're old hat)
  6. Also, always avoid annoying alliteration.
  7. Be more or less specific.
  8. Parenthetical remarks (however relevant) are (usually) unnecessary.
  9. Also too, never, ever use repetitive redundancies.
  10. No sentence fragments.
  11. Contractions aren't necessary and shouldn't be used.
  12. Foreign words and phrases are not apropos.
  13. Do not be redundant; do not use more words than necessary; it's highly superfluous.
  14. One should never generalize.
  15. Comparisons are as bad as cliches.
  16. Don't use no double negatives.
  17. Eschew ampersands & abbreviations, etc.
  18. One-word sentences? Eliminate.
  19. Analogies in writing are like feathers on a snake.
  20. The passive voice is to be ignored.
  21. Eliminate commas, that are, not necessary. Parenthetical words however should be enclosed in commas.
  22. Never use a big word when a diminutive one would suffice.
  23. Kill all exclamation points!!!
  24. Use words correctly, irregardless of how others use them.
  25. Understatement is always the absolute best way to put forth earth-shaking ideas.
  26. Use the apostrophe in it's proper place and omit it when its not needed.
  27. Eliminate quotations. As Ralph Waldo Emerson said, "I hate quotations. Tell me what you know."
  28. If you've heard it once, you've heard it a thousand times: Resist hyperbole; not one writer in a million can use it correctly.
  29. Puns are for children, not groan readers.
  30. Go around the barn at high noon to avoid colloquialisms.
  31. Even if a mixed metaphor sings, it should be derailed.
  32. Who needs rhetorical questions?
  33. Exaggeration is a billion times worse than understatement.
  34. Proofread carefully to see if you any words out.
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