The Elements of Style

Brief contents
 Introductory Elementary Rules of Usage Elementary Principles of Composition A Few Matters of Form Words and Expressions Commonly Misused Words Commonly Misspelled 

Contents
 Introductory</li> <li>Elementary Rules of Usage </li> <li>Elementary Principles of Composition </li> <li>A Few Matters of Form</li> <li>Words and Expressions Commonly Misused</li> <li>Words Commonly Misspelled</li> </ol>
 * 1. Form the possessive singular of nouns with '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 and or but introducing an independent clause.
 * 5. Do not join independent clauses by a comma.
 * 6. Do not break sentences in two.
 * 7. A participial phrase at the beginning of a sentence must refer to the grammatical subject.
 * 8. Divide words at line-ends, in accordance with their formation and pronunciation.
 * 9. Make the paragraph the unit of composition: one paragraph to each topic.
 * 10. As a rule, begin each paragraph with a topic sentence; end it in conformity with the beginning.
 * 11. Use the active voice.
 * 12. Put statements in positive form.
 * 13. Omit needless words.
 * 14. Avoid a succession of loose sentences.
 * 15. Express co-ordinate ideas in similar form.
 * 16. Keep related words together.
 * 17. In summaries, keep to one tense.
 * 18. Place the emphatic words of a sentence at the end.