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Book Description
The Telegraph's master English stylist shows how it's done
Product Description
"Be in no doubt: the beer was drunk but the man drank the beer."
"We must avoid vulgarities like 'front up'. If someone is 'fronting up' a television show, then he is presenting it."
Simon Heffer's incisive and amusingly despairing emails to colleagues at the The Daily Telegraph about grammatical mistakes and stylistic slips have found their way on to the internet and have attracted a growing band of ardent fans over recent years. Now, in his new book Strictly English, he makes an impassioned case for an end to the sloppiness that has become such a hallmark of everyday speech and writing, and shows how accuracy and clarity are within the grasp of anyone who is prepared to take the time to master a few simple rules.
If you wince when you see "different than" in print, or are offended by people who think that "infer" and "imply" mean the same thing, then this book will provide reassurance that you are not alone. If you have a suspicion that it is wrong to say "the car collided with the tree" but are not quite sure why, then it will set you straight. And if you believe that precise and elegant English really does matter, then it will prove required reading.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
11 of 11 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
The two most negative reviewers of this book, David Crystal and Geoff Pullum, had three main criticisms:
1) Heffer sometimes breaks his own style rules. He regularly uses the passive, for instance, frequently writes long sentences, and often uses long words.
2) Heffer's strictures on grammar are prescriptive, old-fashioned and sometimes broken by prestigious writers.
3) Heffer is merely imposing his own whims and peeves on his readers.
None of these criticisms is particularly strong. Heffer may not always do as he says, but what he says is still usually worth doing; indeed, Crystal and Pullum themselves both write prose that largely conforms to Heffer's rules. Regarding the second point, we either accept prescriptive rules aimed at producing clarity, precision and elegance, or we ultimately just say that any usage must be recognised as legitimate if it is common enough. Finally, Crystal and Pullum complain about whims and peeves, but they just want to impose their own whims and peeves instead.
If you want a reasonably thorough overview of traditional English grammar and prose style, buy this book. It is curmudgeonly, and wrong in places, but it is a useful corrective to politically correct verbiage. Moreover, as Heffer says, 'whether the linguistic experts like it or not, there remains an idea of "standard English" as it is spoken in Britain...These standards are set by an educated class...and those who wish to be included, or to consider themselves included, in that class must subscribe to the rules.'
1) Heffer sometimes breaks his own style rules. He regularly uses the passive, for instance, frequently writes long sentences, and often uses long words.
2) Heffer's strictures on grammar are prescriptive, old-fashioned and sometimes broken by prestigious writers.
3) Heffer is merely imposing his own whims and peeves on his readers.
None of these criticisms is particularly strong. Heffer may not always do as he says, but what he says is still usually worth doing; indeed, Crystal and Pullum themselves both write prose that largely conforms to Heffer's rules. Regarding the second point, we either accept prescriptive rules aimed at producing clarity, precision and elegance, or we ultimately just say that any usage must be recognised as legitimate if it is common enough. Finally, Crystal and Pullum complain about whims and peeves, but they just want to impose their own whims and peeves instead.
If you want a reasonably thorough overview of traditional English grammar and prose style, buy this book. It is curmudgeonly, and wrong in places, but it is a useful corrective to politically correct verbiage. Moreover, as Heffer says, 'whether the linguistic experts like it or not, there remains an idea of "standard English" as it is spoken in Britain...These standards are set by an educated class...and those who wish to be included, or to consider themselves included, in that class must subscribe to the rules.'
9 of 9 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
This is an excellent book. I have been a freelance editor and book reviewer for many years, and heartily support everything the author says (with the possible exception of his stricture on split infinitives).It should be compulsory reading for every student entering secondary education, and should certainly be on every teacher's bookshelf - and I don't mean just teachers of English. Highest recommendations.
Graham Saxby
Graham Saxby
19 of 20 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
"Strictly English" by Simon Heffer is a book which attracted me because I struggled at school with English and thus developed a morbid fascination for the instrument of my childhood torture. Right at the outset, I must say that it is not just a reference book, but a jolly good read too. It is divided into sections which deal with the basic rules of our language, linguistic mistakes (and how to avoid them) and finally a section on good English. He says "The ideal condition of a language is where it allows communication without ambiguity or confusion", a proposition with which nobody could disagree, and the aim of the book is to help the reader to reach that goal in both writing and speech.
I was delighted to find a section on the subjunctive. Not only does he describe this mood of the verb, but he also puts forward a strong case for regretting its demise. On the other hand, it provides very convincing proof that a language can function well without its subjunctive, a point which will doubtless be lost on the Germans, Spaniards, French and Italians who still have it in their mother tongue.
Mr. Heffer expends much effort in his description of the correct use of the relative pronouns 'that' and 'which', after reading which I was quite confused. It is about time that English abolished the distinction in meaning between the two, also between 'shall' and 'will', because it would make life simpler for everybody. Sentences can be recast to express the distinctions which these different forms are supposed to express, but which few people understand.
Mr. Heffer deals beautifully with some of my pet peeves: the sloppy use of `if' instead of `whether', `different to' instead of `different from', and the old chestnut of `less' instead of `fewer'.
The sections on prepositions and on number provide ample proof that language is not logical, and that trying to apply logic to draw up grammatical rules is futile. This rather undermines Mr. Heffer's theme, stated explicitly on page 199, that rules in language are made by logic. Perhaps the better general principle which he puts forward is that long sentences are more likely to contain ambiguities and grammatical errors than short sentences, so short sentences are to be preferred. I doubt that bureaucrats and purveyors of corporate jargon will take note, for their task is to obscure meaning rather than to reveal it. He devotes a whole chapter to their jargon-mongering, and illustrates his points well with three examples of impenetrable prose.
Despite minor disagreements with him, it is a book which I wholeheartedly recommend, not least for its humour. For those who are interested in writing English correctly, the book is an excellent source of advice and information, and if the reader chooses to ignore Mr. Heffer's guidance, then the reader will at least have made an informed decision, rather than a decision based on ignorance.
I was delighted to find a section on the subjunctive. Not only does he describe this mood of the verb, but he also puts forward a strong case for regretting its demise. On the other hand, it provides very convincing proof that a language can function well without its subjunctive, a point which will doubtless be lost on the Germans, Spaniards, French and Italians who still have it in their mother tongue.
Mr. Heffer expends much effort in his description of the correct use of the relative pronouns 'that' and 'which', after reading which I was quite confused. It is about time that English abolished the distinction in meaning between the two, also between 'shall' and 'will', because it would make life simpler for everybody. Sentences can be recast to express the distinctions which these different forms are supposed to express, but which few people understand.
Mr. Heffer deals beautifully with some of my pet peeves: the sloppy use of `if' instead of `whether', `different to' instead of `different from', and the old chestnut of `less' instead of `fewer'.
The sections on prepositions and on number provide ample proof that language is not logical, and that trying to apply logic to draw up grammatical rules is futile. This rather undermines Mr. Heffer's theme, stated explicitly on page 199, that rules in language are made by logic. Perhaps the better general principle which he puts forward is that long sentences are more likely to contain ambiguities and grammatical errors than short sentences, so short sentences are to be preferred. I doubt that bureaucrats and purveyors of corporate jargon will take note, for their task is to obscure meaning rather than to reveal it. He devotes a whole chapter to their jargon-mongering, and illustrates his points well with three examples of impenetrable prose.
Despite minor disagreements with him, it is a book which I wholeheartedly recommend, not least for its humour. For those who are interested in writing English correctly, the book is an excellent source of advice and information, and if the reader chooses to ignore Mr. Heffer's guidance, then the reader will at least have made an informed decision, rather than a decision based on ignorance.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Strictly English
Written by a professional journalist, this book is a must for anyone who delights in speaking and reading good 'English'. Read more
Published 1 month ago by Mr. J. Duffy
Anyone who cares about our language should read this
Although it can be a little heavy weather in places, this book highlights the massacre of our beautiful language superbly. Read more
Published 3 months ago by Michael Hughes
Proper English
This is just the book for people who still think that keeping up standards of spoken and written English matter.
Published 3 months ago by Elaine Winter
Strictly come Heffer
Oh dear. Simon Heffer, scourge of the benefit scroungers, is running low on guineas. Our punishment? Strictly English. Read more
Published 3 months ago by R. Walker
Grammar for the partly initiated
An excellent review of grammar with a generally realistic view of usage. Not a great reference book, although there are some interesting footnotes if one wishes to take a... Read more
Published 5 months ago by DrB
prescriptive
Sincerely speaking I do not understand how it is possible to consider this book amusing as other reviewers do. It might have several assets but humour is not one of them. Read more
Published 5 months ago by Furio
a good read
I was rerally pleased to see this published. It's not a light read, but is an important contribution. Well priced, delivered promptly. Thank you
Published 9 months ago by Enid Blighter
Good and Bad English
I use words in my daily job (Minister in the Church of England). both in their written form, and spoken (Sermons, talks, etc). Read more
Published 9 months ago by Rev
Cleverly written book.
Bought this for my hubby as he saw it an article in the newspaper reviewing it. I haven't looked at it but my hubby enjoyed it!!!
Published 13 months ago by Susie Q
A good "memory-jogger"
Although I haven't read it from cover to cover, it's not that kind of book, it is a timely reminder of the things I was taught at school and which are falling out of current usage.
Published 15 months ago by C. J. Scholfield
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