The elements of style is a prescriptive american english writing style guide in numerous editions the original was composed by william strunk jr in 1918 and published by harcourt in 1920 comprising eight elementary rules of usage ten elementary principles of composition a few matters of form a list of 49 words and expressions commonly misused and a list of 57 words often misspelled e b white greatly enlarged and revised the book for publication by macmillan in 1959 . The elements of style strunk white is an american english writing style guide it is one of the most influential and best known prescriptive treatments of english grammar and usage in the united states this book aims to give in brief space the principal requirements of plain english style it aims to lighten the task of instructor and student by concentrating attention on a few essentials the rules of usage and principles of composition most commonly violated in . Elements of classic style of writing to know how to master the classic style there are some elements that make it up which one should be familiar with these elements are truth as the motive the basic element of a classic style is that truth is what drives this writing it describes something that the writer has perceived himself about his surroundings and aims to elaborate it and convey it to the reader however it is not written in a way that shows that the writer is trying to convey . The elements of style the classic writing style guide the elements of style by william strunk and e b white the classic writing style guide this book aims to give in brief space the principal requirements of plain english style it aims to lighten the task of instructor and student by concentrating attention in chapters ii and iii on a few essentials the rules of usage and principles of