Style, grammar and usage books
Style, grammar and usage books to start from. Open one to see books like it, or tell BookSense what you loved for four picks made for you.
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New to the genre? These 5 are the books to read first.
The Elements of Style
E. B. WhiteA short, widely used manual on concise prose and basic rules; White's revised edition of Strunk's earlier text. The first edition is from 1918.
Troublesome Words
Bill BrysonAn alphabetical guide to commonly confused and disputed words, written with a relaxed, opinionated voice.
Practical English Usage
Michael SwanA reference for learners and teachers that organises English usage problems by topic and explains them with examples.
The Cambridge Encyclopedia of the English Language
David CrystalA broad, descriptive overview of English's history, structure and varieties, useful for seeing usage in context.
A Dictionary of Modern English Usage
H. W. FowlerThe classic alphabetical usage guide, which set the template for later books that rule on disputed words.
Chosen and described with AI from our notes on the genre.
More style, grammar and usage books
- Usage and Abusage
Usage and AbusageEric Partridge - English Grammar in Use
English Grammar in UseRaymond Murphy - Longman Grammar of Spoken and Written English
Longman Grammar of Spoken and Written EnglishEdward Finegan - The Oxford Guide to World English
The Oxford Guide to World EnglishTom McArthur - Saying What You Mean
Saying What You MeanRobert Claiborne - Words That Work
Words That WorkFrank I. Luntz - The Blue Book of Grammar and Punctuation
The Blue Book of Grammar and PunctuationJane Straus - How to Say It
How to Say ItRosalie Maggio - Random House Webster's Pocket Grammar, Usage, and Punctuatio
Random House Webster's Pocket Grammar, Usage, and PunctuationRandom House - Side by Side
Side by SideSteven J. Molinsky1980 - Everyday English for Grown-Ups
Everyday English for Grown-UpsMichelle Finlay2015 - We are here
We are hereSt.Lucia Ministry of Education1987