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A sentence should contain no unnecessary words, a paragraph no unnecessary sentences, for the same reason that a drawing should have no unnecessary lines and a machine no unnecessary parts.
William Strunk, Jr.
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William Strunk, Jr.
Age: 77 †
Born: 1869
Born: July 1
Died: 1946
Died: September 26
Professor
Writer
Cincinnati
Ohio
Writing
Machine
Sentences
Concise
Drawing
Brevity
Machines
Paragraph
Parts
Vigorous
Lines
Contain
Words
Unnecessary
Reason
Sentence
More quotes by William Strunk, Jr.
...when a sentence is made stronger, it usually becomes shorter. Thus, brevity is a by-product of vigor.
William Strunk, Jr.
None are so fallible as those who are sure they're right.
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Rich, ornate prose is hard to digest, generally unwholesome, and sometimes nauseating.
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The situation is perilous, but there is still one chance of escape.
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If you use a colloquialism or a slang word or phrase, simply use it do not draw attention to it by enclosing it in quotation marks. To do so is to put on airs, as though you were inviting the reader to join you in a select society of those who know better.
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To air one's views gratuitously, is to imply that the demand for them is brisk.
William Strunk, Jr.
In exposition and in argument, the writer must likewise never lose his hold upon the concrete and even when he is dealing with general principles, he must furnish particular instances of their application.
William Strunk, Jr.
Vigorous writing is concise.
William Strunk, Jr.
The surest way to arouse and hold the attention of the reader is by being specific, definitive, and concrete. The greatest writers - Homer, Dante, Shakespeare - are effective largely because they deal in particulars and report the details that matter. Their words call up pictures.
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Opinions scattered indiscriminately about leave the mark of egotism.
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It is worse to be irresolute than to be wrong.
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The approach to style is by way of plainness, simplicity, orderliness, sincerity.
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Never call a stomach a tummy without good reason.
William Strunk, Jr.
If you don't know how to pronounce a word, say it loud!
William Strunk, Jr.
The adjective hasn't been built that can pull a weak or inaccurate noun out of a tight place.
William Strunk, Jr.
Avoid fancy words....If you admire fancy words, if every sky is beauteous, every blonde curvaceous, every intelligent child prodigious, if you are tickled by discombobulate, you will have bad time Reminder 14.
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Instead of announcing what you are about to tell is interesting, make it so.
William Strunk, Jr.
Remember, it is no sign of weakness or defeat that your manuscript ends up in need of major surgery. This is a common occurrence in all writing, and among the best writers.
William Strunk, Jr.
To acquire style, begin by affecting none.
William Strunk, Jr.
A drawing should have no unnecessary lines and a machine no unnecessary parts.
William Strunk, Jr.
