Product Description

Can anything be described as 'very real'? There are so many obstacles on the way to writing clear, precise ('accurate'?) English ('english'?) that it is a wonder ('wander'?) anyone ('any one' or 'anyone'?) can be understood. Fortunately, all those who have ever feared being shown up by using one of the twenty worst words and phrases to be avoided at all costs, or confusing the complex with the complicated, can now relax and even enjoy a trouble-shooting guide to good writing. Trask's wonderfully readable and authoritative book adjudicates on hundreds of contentious issues from politically correct language to whether to write 'napkin' or 'serviette'.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #94480 in Books
• Published on: 2002-07-25
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 320 pages

The Guardian, August 10th, 2002
'Intelligent, reliable and lively ... this book is great'

The Guardian, August 10th, 2002
'The book produces satisfied murmurs of content and cries of ''Tell it like it is, baby'' '

The Guardian, August 10th, 2002
'It is good to see there is someone out there hunting down...serial abusers of English'

Customer Reviews

This book is a joy!
For all of us language nerds, it is immensely reassuring to find that someone else cares as much as we do, knows a lot more than we do, and is better at presenting his material than we could ever hope to be. This book is alphabetically arranged (is there any other way, for us nerds?) and covers a selection of pitfalls in the English language, both at word and syntax level. Does it tell me things I didn't already know? Certainly, but I'm afraid any dull grammar does that - the winning ingredient in this book is its dry (dare I say acerbic?) humor, which mocks pretentiousness and reveals how muddled language is always a symptom of muddled thinking, no matter how many syllables or buzz-words have been used. Another plus is its willingness to take a stand, and tell the reader which solution is the preferable one. Of course, in an academic language study, the descriptive approach is the only one, but when it comes to usage guides, prescription is definitely called for, even if it smacks of school-marmish pontificating, and the author sits bravely, but securely, in the saddle of his language high horse.

This is the book you are looking for
This is an excellent book. Writing forms a large part of my work and I refer to this book almost every day. I encourage others to do the same.

Anyone who yearns for plain English and despairs at pompous, officious writing will find the book a joy to read. The subtitle of this book `Common Errors in English' is a very accurate description of the contents. These errors are very common; so common are they that many came as a complete surprise to me. And I thought I knew my stuff.

Written in a wry style, this book should be on the desk of anyone who writes regularly. The page on split infinitives is worth the admission price, because never again will you worry about such nonsense.

Well said, sir!
This is an excellent guide to English usage, common errors and much else.

Trask can spot pretentious nonsense at forty paces and, thankfully, doesn't sit on the fence. The result is an authoritative book that sometimes made me laugh out loud as the author exposes and debunks some of the myths and nonsense that are still regularly encountered.

I share his dislike of the incomprehensible affected twaddle that so many academics and managers inflict on us.

I've since read a number of R.L. Trask's books and they're all outstanding. 'Language: The Basics' is brilliant and his guide to punctuation is quite simply the clearest and best available. Mr Trask is a truly talented writer and communicator. I wish more academics could write and explain ideas like him.

Those starting out on trying to improve their English might just occasionally find it a bit deep. I'd say 'Troublesome Words' by Bill Bryson is an excellent companion, but I'd definitely want this book to go with it. Reading two different, and well written, explanations is often a great help when dealing with an unfamiliar topic.