Strictly English：The Correct Way to Write . . . and Why It Matters

"Beinnodoubt:thebeerwasdrunkbutthemandrankthebeer.""Wemustavoidvulgaritieslike'frontup'.Ifsomeoneis'frontingup'atelevisionshow,thenheispresentingit."SimonHeffer'sincisiveandamusinglydespairingemailstocolleaguesattheTheDailyTelegraphaboutgrammaticalmistakesandstylisticslipshavefoundtheirwayontotheinternetandhaveattractedagrowingbandofardentfansoverrecentyears.Now,inhisnewbookStrictlyEnglish,hemakesanimpassionedcaseforanendtothesloppinessthathasbecomesuchahallmarkofeverydayspeechandwriting,andshowshowaccuracyandclarityarewithinthegraspofanyonewhoispreparedtotakethetimetomasterafewsimplerules.Ifyouwincewhenyousee"differentthan"inprint,orareoffendedbypeoplewhothinkthat"infer"and"imply"meanthesamething,thenthisbookwillprovidereassurancethatyouarenotalone.Ifyouhaveasuspicionthatitiswrongtosay"thecarcollidedwiththetree"butarenotquitesurewhy,thenitwillsetyoustraight.AndifyoubelievethatpreciseandelegantEnglishreallydoesmatter,thenitwillproverequiredreading.