| INTRODUCTION | | xi | |
| I. ELEMENTARY RULES OF USAGE |
| | 1 | (14) |
| 1. From the possessive singular of nouns by adding's |
| | 1 | (1) |
| 2. In a series of three or more terms with a single conjunction, use a comma after each term except the last |
| | 2 | (1) |
| 3. Enclose parenthetic expressions between commas |
| | 2 | (3) |
| 4. Place a comma before a conjunction introducing an independent clause |
| | 5 | (1) |
| 5. Do not join independent clauses by a comma |
| | 5 | (2) |
| 6. Do not break sentences in two |
| | 7 | (1) |
| 7. Use a colon after an independent clause to introduce a list of particulars, an appositive, an amplification, or an illustrative quotation |
| | 7 | (2) |
| 8. Use a dash to set off an abrupt break or interruption and to announce a long appositive or summary |
| | 9 | (1) |
| 9. The number of the subject determines the number of the verb |
| | 9 | (2) |
| 10. Use the proper case of pronoun |
| | 11 | (2) |
| 11. A participial phrase at the beginning of a sentence must refer to the grammatical subject |
| | 13 | (2) |
| II. ELEMENTARY PRINCIPLES OF COMPOSITION |
| | 15 | (19) |
| 12. Choose a suitable design and hold to it |
| | 15 | (1) |
| 13. Make the paragraph the unit of composition |
| | 15 | (3) |
| | 18 | (1) |
| 15. Put statements in positive form |
| | 19 | (2) |
| 16. Use definite, specific, concrete language |
| | 21 | (2) |
| | 23 | (2) |
| 18. Avoid a succession of loose sentences |
| | 25 | (1) |
| 19. Express co-ordinate ideas in similar form |
| | 26 | (2) |
| 20. Keep related words 'together |
| | 28 | (3) |
| 21. In summaries, keep to one tense |
| | 31 | (1) |
| 22. Place the emphatic words of a sentence at the end |
| | 32 | (2) |
| III. A FEW MATTERS OF FORM |
| | 34 | (5) |
| IV. WORDS AND EXPRESSIONS COMMONLY MISUSED |
| | 39 | (27) |
| V. AN APPROACH TO STYLE (With a List of Reminders) |
| | 66 | (21) |
| 1. Place yourself in the background |
| | 70 | (1) |
| 2. Write in a way that comes naturally |
| | 70 | (1) |
| 3. Work from a suitable design |
| | 70 | (1) |
| 4. Write with nouns and verbs |
| | 71 | (1) |
| | 72 | (1) |
| | 72 | (1) |
| | 72 | (1) |
| 8. Avoid the use of qualifiers |
| | 73 | (1) |
| 9. Do not affect a breezy manner |
| | 73 | (1) |
| 10. Use orthodox spelling |
| | 74 | (1) |
| 11. Do not explain too much |
| | 75 | (1) |
| 12. Do not construct awkward adverbs |
| | 75 | (1) |
| 13. Make sure the reader knows who is speaking |
| | 76 | (1) |
| | 76 | (2) |
| 15. Do not use dialect unless your ear is good |
| | 78 | (1) |
| | 79 | (1) |
| 17. Do not inject opinion |
| | 80 | (1) |
| 18. Use figures of speech sparingly |
| | 80 | (1) |
| 19. Do not take shortcuts at the cost of clarity |
| | 81 | (1) |
| 20. Avoid foreign languages |
| | 81 | (1) |
| 21. Prefer the standard to the offbeat |
| | 81 | (6) |
| INDEX | | 87 | |
