2018-08-06
昨日阅读1小时，累计阅读357小时
1. 今天阅读到的有价值的全文内容链接:
Continue Reading “The Elements of Style” by William Strunk Jr.
2. 今天阅读到的有价值的内容段落摘录:
They. He or She. Do not use they when the antecedent is a distributive expression such as each, each one, everbody, every one, many a man. Use the singular pronoun. No one need fear to use he if common sense supports it. If you think she is a handy substitute for he, try it and see what happens. Alternatively, put all controversial nouns in the plural and avoid the choice of sex altogether, although you may find your prose sounding general and diffuse as a result.
This. The pronoun this, referring to the complete sense of a preceding sentence or clause, can’t always carry the load and so may produce an imprecise statement.
Thrust. This showy noun, suggestive of power, hinting of sex, is the darling of executives, politicos, and speech-writers. Use it sparingly. Save it for specific application.
Tortuous. Torturous. A winding road is tortuous, a painful ordeal is torturous. Both words carry the idea of “twist”, the twist having been a form of torture.
Transpire. Not to be used in the sense of “happen”, “come to pass”. Many writers so use it (usually when groping toward imagined elegance), but their usage finds little support in the Latin “breathe across or through”. It is correct, however, in the sense of “becoming known”. “Eventually, the grim account of his villainy transpired” (literally, “leaded through or out”).
Try. Takes the infinitive: “try to mend it”, not “try and mend it”.
Type. Not a synonym for kind of.
Unique. Means “without like or equal”. Hence, there can be no degrees of uniqueness.
Utilize. Prefer use.
Verbal. Sometimes means “word for ward” and in this sense may refer to something expressed in writing. Oral limits the meaning to what is transmitted by speech. Oral agreement is more precise than verbal agreement.
Very. Use this word sparingly. Where emphasis is necessary, use words strong in themselves.
While. Avoid the indiscriminate use of this word for and, but, and although. In the use for and or but, it is best replaced by a semicolon. Its use as a virtual equivalent of although is allowable in sentences where this leads to no ambiguity or absurdity.
-wise.Not to be used indiscriminately as a pseudosurffix: taxwise, precewise, marriagewise, prosewise, saltwatertaffywise. Chiefly useful when it means “in the manner of”: clockwise. There is not a noun in the language to which -wise cannot be added if the spirit moves one to add it. The sober writer will abstain from the use of this wild additive.
Worth while. Overworked as a term of vague approval and (with not) of disapproval. Strictly applicalbe only to acitons: “Is it worth while to telegraph?” “His books are not worth while.” → “His books are not worth reading”.
Would. Commonly used to express habitual or repeated action. But when the idea of habit or repetition is expressed, in such phrases as once a year, every day, each Sunday, the past tense, without would, is usually sufficient, and, from its brevity, more emphatic. “Once a year he would visit the old mansion.” → “Once a year he visited the old mansion.” In narrative writing, always indicate the transition from the general to the particular --- that is, from sentences that merely state a general habit to those that express the action of a specific day or period. Failure to indicate the change will cause confusion.
3. 今天阅读的自我思考点评感想
As one of the best book available on writing good English, the misused words summary is useful. Note that the book's purism, atavism, and personal eccentricity is not completely underpinned by the modern English grammar. For young writers, I recommend them to read the book with a critical thinking to match their personalized needs.
扫码加好友，拉您进群
全部版块
我的主页
