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.
William Strunk Jr.Omit needless words.
William Strunk Jr.Tags: writing-words
It's worse to irresolute than wrong.
William Strunk Jr.Vigorous writing is concise.
William Strunk Jr.Tags: writing
Vigorous writing is concise. A sentence should contain no unnecessary words, a paragraph no unnecessay sentences, for the same reason that a drawing should have no unnecessary lines and a machine no unnecessary parts. This requires not that the writer make all sentences short or avoid all detail and treat subjects only in outline, but that every word tell.
William Strunk Jr.Do not, therefore, say "I feel nauseous," unless you are sure you have that effect on others.
William Strunk Jr.Tags: writing
...when a sentence is made stronger, it usually becomes shorter. Thus, brevity is a by-product of vigor.
William Strunk Jr.Instead of announcing what you are about to tell is interesting, make it so.
William Strunk Jr.Rich, ornate prose is hard to digest, generally unwholesome, and sometimes nauseating.
William Strunk Jr.Rather, very, little, pretty -- these are the leeches that infest the pond of prose, sucking the blood of words. The constant use of the adjective little (except to indicate size) is particularly debilitating; we should all try to do a little better, we should all be very watchful of this rule, for it is a rather important one, and we are pretty sure to violate it now and then.
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