Plain English

Right from the beginning this book tests you. The first chapter is an introductory quiz on all things grammatical, so that you get an idea of just how flawed your formal writing is! But it's not at all disheartening, because you will get a lot of it right - that is, if you're at all interested in writing and language. There are basic things, like starting a sentence with a capital letter, right through to challenging exercises to do with writing style. It is a very plain-speaking guide, one which rubbishes cliches and rejects 'pompous and jargonistic' styles. Every single chapter contains short exercises, the answers to which are given at the end of the book. I like the fact that the book has a no-nonsense feel to it; you are encouraged, however academic and erudite you may be as a writer or essayist, to use the simplest option where language is concerned. No matter what subject you are writing about (yes, I am allowed to end with a preposition, apparently), the emphasis is on the reader of your work. If they don't understand your sentence construction or your style, your writing is annoying and has failed. The best thing to do is to use direct English, in an uncomplicated but elegant way. This is the most down-to-earth, non-irritating guide to language usage I have seen.