英语语法应用和写作技巧：《英文写作圣经 The Elements of Style》PDF电子版本书籍（With Revisions, an Introduction, . and a Chapter on Writing，FOURTH EDITION，WILLIAM STRUNK Jr.）

ELEMENTARY RULES OF USAGE 3 April 6,1986 Wednesday,November 14,1990 Note that it is customary to omit the comma in 6 April 1988 The last form is an excellent way to write a date;the figures are separated by a word and are,for that reason,quickly grasped. A name or a title in direct address is parenthetic If,Sir,you refuse,I cannot predict what will happen. Well,Susan,this is a fine mess you are in The abbreviations etc.,i.e.,and e.g.,the abbreviations for academic degrees,and titles that follow a name are paren- thetic and should be punctuated accordingly. Letters,packages,etc.,should go here Horace Fulsome,Ph.D.,presided. Rachel Simonds,Attorney The Reverend Harry Lang,S.J. No comma,however,should separate a noun from a restrictive term of identification. Billy the Kid The novelist Jane Austen William the Conqueror The poet Sappho Although Junior,with its abbreviation Ir.,has commonly been regarded as parenthetic,logic suggests that it is,in fact,restrictive and therefore not in need of a comma James Wright Jr. Nonrestrictive relative clauses are parenthetic,as are similar clauses introduced by conjunctions indicating time or place.Commas are therefore needed.A nonrestrictive

ELEMENTARY RULES OF USAGE [3 April 6, 1986 Wednesday, November 14, 1990 Nate that it is customary to omit the comma in 6 April 1988 The last form is an excellent way to write a date; the figures are separated by a word and are, for that reason, quickly grasped. A name or a title in direct address is parenthetic. If, Sir, you refuse, I cannot predict what will happen. Well, Susan, this is a fine mess you are in. The abbreviations etc., i.e., and e.g., the abbreviations for academic degrees, and titles that follow a name are paren￾thetic and should be punctuated accordingly. Letters, packages, etc., should go here. Horace Fulsome, Ph.D., presided. Rachel Simonds, Attorney The Reverend Harry Lang, S.J. No comma, however, should separate a noun from a restrictive term ofidentification. Billy the Kid The novelist Jane Austen William the Conqueror The poet Sappho Although JunioJ: with its abbreviationJr., has commonly been regarded as parenthetic, logic suggests that it is, in fact, restrictive and therefore not in need of a comma. James Wright Jr. Nonrestrictive relative clauses are parenthetic, as are similar clauses introduced by conjunctions indicating time or place. Commas are therefore needed. A nonrestrictive

4 THE ELEMENTS OF STYLE clause is one that does not serve to identify or define the antecedent noun. The audience,which had at first been indifferent. became more and more interested. In 1769,when Napoleon was born.Corsica had but recently been acquired by France. Nether Stowey,where Coleridge wrote The Rime of the Ancient Mariner,is a few miles from Bridgewater. In these sentences,the clauses introduced by which, when,and where are nonrestrictive;they do not limit or define,they merely add something.In the first example,the clause introduced by which does not serve to tell which of several possible audiences is meant;the reader presumably knows that already.The clause adds,parenthetically,a state- ment supplementing that in the main clause.Each of the three sentences is a combination of two statements that might have been made independently. The audience was at first indifferent.Later it became more and more interested. Napoleon was bor in 1769.At that time Corsica had but recently been acquired by France. Coleridge wrote The Rime of the Ancient Mariner at Nether Stowey.Nether Stowey is a few miles from Bridgewater. Restrictive clauses,by contrast,are not parenthetic and are not set off by commas.Thus, People who live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones. Here the clause introduced by who does serve to tell which people are meant;the sentence,unlike the sentences above, cannot be split into two independent statements.The same principle of comma use applies to participial phrases and to appositives. People sitting in the rear couldn't hear.(restrictive) Uncle Bert,being slightly deaf,moved forward.(non- restrictive)

4] THE ELEMENTS OF STYLE clause is one that does not serve to identify or define the antecedent noun. The audience, which had at first been indifferent, became more and more interested. In 1769, when Napoleon was born, Corsica had but recently been acquired by France. Nether Stowey, where Coleridge wrote The Rime ofthe Ancient Mariner, is a few miles from Bridgewater. In these sentences, the clauses introduced by which, when, and where are nonrestrictive; they do not limit or define, they merely add something. In the first example, the clause introduced by which does not serve to tell which of several possible audiences is meant; the reader presumably knows that already. The clause adds, parenthetically, a state￾ment supplementing that in the main clause. Each of the three sentences is a combination of two statements that might have been made independently. The audience was at first indifferent. Later it became more and more interested. Napoleon was born in 1769. At that time Corsica had but recently been acquired by France. Coleridge wrote The Rime ofthe Ancient Mariner at Nether Stowey. Nether Stowey is a few miles from Bridgewater. Restrictive clauses, by contrast, are not parenthetic and are not set off by commas. Thus, People who live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones. Here the clause introduced bywho does serve to tell which people are meant; the sentence, unlike the sentences above, cannot be split into two independent statements. The same principle of comma use applies to participial phrases and to appositives. People sitting in the rear couldn't hear. (restrictive) Uncle Bert, being slightly deaf, moved forward. (non￾restrictive)

ELEMENTARY RULES OF USAGE 5 My cousin Bob is a talented harpist.(restrictive) Our oldest daughter,Mary,sings.(nonrestrictive When the main clause of a sentence is preceded by a phrase or a subordinate clause,use a comma to set off these elements. Partly by hard fighting,partly by diplomatic skill,they enlarged their dominions to the east and rose to royal rank with the possession of Sicily. 4.Place a comma before a conjunction introducing an independent clause. The early records of the city have disappeared,and the story of its first years can no longer be reconstructed. The situation is perilous,but there is still one chance of escape. Two-part sentences of which the second member is introduced by as (in the sense of "because"),for,or,nor,or while (in the sense of "and at the same time")likewise require a comma before the conjunction. If a dependent clause,or an introductory phrase requir ing to be set off by a comma,precedes the second inde- pendent clause,no comma is needed after the conjunction. The situation is perilous,but if we are prepared to act promptly,there is still one chance of escape. When the subiect is the same for both clauses and is expressed only once,a comma is useful if the connective is but.When the connective is and,the comma should be omitted if the relation between the two statements is close or immediate. I have heard the arguments,but am still unconvinced. He has had several years'experience and is thoroughly competent. 5.Do not join independent clauses with a comma. If two or more clauses grammatically complete and not joined by a conjunction are to form a single com-

ELEMENTARY RULES OF USAGE [5 My cousin Bob is a talented harpist. (restrictive) OUf oldest daughter, Mary, sings. (nonrestrictive) When the main clause of a sentence is preceded by a phrase or a subordinate clause, use a comma to set offthese elements. Partly by hard fighting, partly by diplomatic skill, they enlarged their dominions to the east and rose to royal rank with the possession of Sicily. 4. Place a comma before a conjunction introducing an independent clause. The early records ofthe city have disappeared, and the story ofits first years can no longer be reconstructed. The situation is perilous, but there is still one chance of escape. Two-part sentences of which the second member is introduced by as (in the sense ofHbecause"),for; or, nor, or while (in the sense of Hand at the same time") likewise require a comma before the conjunction. If a dependent clause, or an introductory phrase requir￾ing to be set off by a comma, precedes the second inde￾pendent clause, no comma is needed after the conjunction. The situation is perilous, but ifwe are prepared to act promptly, there is still one chance of escape. When the subject is the same for both clauses and is expressed only once, a comma is useful if the connective is but. When the connective is and~ the comma should be omitted if the relation between the two statements is close or immediate. I have heard the arguments, but am still unconvinced. He has had several years' experience and is thoroughly competent. 5. Do not join independent clauses with a comma. If two or more clauses grammatically complete and not joined by a conjunction are to form a single com-

6 THE ELEMENTS OF STYLE pound sentence,the proper mark of punctuation is a semicolon. Mary Shelley's works are entertaining;they are full of engaging ideas. It is nearly half past five:we cannot reach town before dark It is,of course,equally correct to write each of these as two sentences,replacing the semicolons with periods. Mary Shelley's works are entertaining.They are full of engaging ideas. It is nearly half past five.We cannot reach town before dark. If a conjunction is inserted,the proper mark is a comma (Bule4.） Mary Shelley's works are entertaining,for they are full of engaging ideas. It is nearly half past five,and we cannot reach town before dark A comparison of the three forms given above will show clearly the advantage of the first.It is,at least in the exam- ples given,better than the second form because it suggests the close relationship between the two statements in a way that the second does not attempt,and better than the third because it is briefer and therefore more forcible.Indeed. this simple method of indicating relationship between state- ments is one of the most useful devices of composition.The relationship,as above,is commonly one of cause and con- sequence. Note that if the second clause is preceded by an adverb. such as accordingly,besides,then,therefore,or thus,and not by a conjunction,the semicolon is still required. I had never been in the place before;besides,it was dark as a tomb. An exception to the semicolon rule is worth noting here. A comma is preferable when the clauses are very short and

6) iRE ELEMENiS OF Sl''iLE pound sentence, the proper mark of punctuation is a semicolon. Mary Shelley's works are entertaining; they are full of engaging ideas. It is nearly half past five; we cannot reach town before dark. It is~ of course, equally correct to write each of these as two sentences, replacing the semicolons with periods. Mal)' Shelley's works are entertaining. They are full of engaging ideas. It is nearly half past five. We cannot reach town before dark. If a conjunction is inserted, the proper mark is a comma. (Rule 4.) Mary Shelley's works are entertaining, for they are full of engaging ideas. It is nearly half past five, and we cannot reach town before dark. A comparison of the three forms given above will show clearly the advantage ofthe first. It is, at least in the exam￾ples given, better than the second form because it suggests the close relationship between the tvvo statements in a way that the second does not attempt, and better than the third because it is briefer and therefore more forcible. Indeed, this simple method ofindicating relationship between state￾ments is one ofthe most useful devices ofcomposition. The relationship, as above, is commonly one of cause and con￾sequence. Note that if the second clause is preceded by an adverb, such as accordingly, besides, then,.therefore, orthus, and not by a conjunction, the semicolon is still required. I had never been in the place before; besides, it was dark as a tomb. An exception to the semicolon rule is worth noting here. A comma is preferable when the clauses are very short and

ELEMENTARY RULES OF USAGE 7 alike in form,or when the tone of the sentence is easy and conversational. Man proposes,God disposes. The gates swung apart,the bridge fell,the portcullis was drawn up. I hardly knew him,he was so changed. Here today,gone tomorrow 6.Do not break sentences in two. In other words,do not use periods for commas. I met them on a Cunard liner many years ago.Coming home from Liverpool to New York. She was an interesting talker.A woman who had trav- eled all over the world and lived in half a dozen countries. In both these examples,the first period should be re placed by a comma and the following word begun with a small letter. It is permissible to make an emphatic word or expression serve the purpose of a sentence and to punctuate it accord- Again and again he called out.No reply. The writer must,however,be certain that the emphasis is warranted,lest a clipped sentence seem merely a blun- der in syntax or in punctuation.Generally speaking,the place for broken sentences is in dialogue,when a character happens to speak in a clipped or fragmentary way. Rules 3,4,5,and 6 cover the most important principles that govern punctuation.They should be so thoroughly mas- tered that their application becomes second nature. 7.Use a colon after an independent clause to intro- duce a list of particulars,an appositive,an amplifica- tion,or an illustrative quotation. A colon tells the reader that what follows is closely re- lated to the preceding clause.The colon has more effect

ELEMENTARY RULES OF USAGE [7 alike in form, or when the tone ofthe sentence is easy and conversational. Man proposes, God disposes. The gates swung apart, the bridge fell, the portcullis was drawn up. I hardly mew him, he was so changed. Here today, gone tomorrow. 6. Do not break sentences in two. In other words, do not use periods for commas. I met them on a Cunard liner many years ago. Coming home from Liverpool to New York. She was an interesting talker. A woman who had trav￾eled allover the world and lived in half a dozen countries. In both these examples, the first period should be re￾placed by a comma and the follOwing word begun with a small letter. It is permissible to make an emphatic word or expression serve the purpose of a sentence and to punctuate it accord￾ingly: Again and again he called out. No reply. The writer must, however, be certain that the emphasis is warranted, lest a clipped sentence seem merely a blun￾der in syntax or in punctuation. Generally speaking, the place for broken sentences is in dialogue, when a character happens to speak in a clipped or fragmentary way. Rules 3, 4, 5, and 6 cover the most important prinCiples that govern punctuation. They should be so thoroughly mas￾tered that their application becomes second nature. 7. Use a colon after an independent clause to intro￾duce a list ofparticulars, an appositive, an amplifica￾tion, or an illustrative quotation. A colon tells the reader that what follows is closely re￾lated to the preceding clause. The colon has more effect