Strunk and White’s step-by-step manual of sentence construction
As another National Grammar Day arrives, we look again at the century-old ‘Elements of Style,’ which many writers find fusty and sexist. Still, it offers some timeless tips for today’s scribes.
One pleasure of William Strunk Jr. and E.B. White’s “The Elements of Style” is their willingness to address small questions and greater points alike.
As we move on with our series on the 100th anniversary of White’s first encounter with the eccentric Professor Strunk, we finish off our look at the first section, ending with points five through eight.
“Elements” has long won admirers among writing professionals.
“I am a big fan,” says Gini Dietrich, founder and CEO of Arment Dietrich, an integrated marketing communications firm.
“I have an English degree with a creative writing focus, so ‘The Elements of Style’ has always been by my side. In fact, my grandmother gave me her copy when I graduated from college. Its copyright is 1979. Some things have changed since then, but I still keep it on my desk.”
Others, however, feel the influential work has grown stale.
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