elements-of-style

name	elements-of-style
user-invocable	false
description	Applies Strunk's Elements of Style principles when writing or editing prose.
when_to_use	Triggers on "write clearly," "edit for style," "improve writing," or tasks requiring clear, vigorous English — documents, emails, reviews.
compatibility	Designed for Claude Code (or similar products)

Elements of Style

Apply these principles to produce clear, vigorous prose.

Core Principles

Omit needless words. Every word must earn its place. Cut filler phrases:

Cut	Keep
the question as to whether	whether
owing to the fact that	since
the fact that he failed	his failure
he is a man who	he
in a hasty manner	hastily

Use active voice. Direct and forcible:

Passive	Active
The first experiment was performed	We performed the first experiment
It was believed by the committee	The committee believed

Put statements in positive form. Avoid hedging with "not":

Negative	Positive
He was not very often on time	He usually came late
did not remember	forgot
did not have confidence in	distrusted

Use concrete, specific language. Vague abstractions weaken prose:

Abstract	Concrete
A period of unfavorable weather set in	It rained every day for a week
He showed satisfaction as he took possession of his reward	He grinned as he pocketed the coin

Sentence Structure

Keep related words together. Subject and verb should not be separated unnecessarily. Place modifiers next to what they modify.

Place emphatic words at the end. The sentence's most important element belongs at its close.

Avoid loose sentence chains. Don't string clauses with "and," "but," "which." Vary structure: use semicolons, periodic sentences, or break into separate sentences.

Express parallel ideas in parallel form:

Broken	Parallel
Formerly by textbook, while now the laboratory method	Formerly by textbook; now by laboratory

Punctuation Essentials

• Serial comma: red, white, and blue
• Independent clauses without conjunction: use semicolon, not comma
• Parenthetic expressions: enclose with paired commas (never one comma alone)
• Coordinate clauses with conjunction: comma before the conjunction

Words to Avoid or Restrict

Avoid	Prefer
interesting	(make it interesting, don't announce it)
certainly	(overused intensifier)
kind of/sort of	rather, somewhat
one of the most	(threadbare opening)
along these lines	(vague)
literally	(often misused for emphasis)
case, character, nature	(usually redundant)

Quick Checks

Before finalizing any prose:

1. Can any words be cut without losing meaning?
2. Are verbs active where possible?
3. Are statements positive rather than hedged negatives?
4. Is language concrete and specific?
5. Do emphatic ideas land at sentence ends?
6. Is parallel structure consistent?