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William Strunk Jr. (1869-1946) was an American professor of English at Cornell University and is widely known for his influential book on English style, 'The Elements of Style' (1918). This slim volume, often referred to simply as 'Strunk and White', after E.B. White later expanded it, has had a lasting impact on English prose and is considered a staple guide in the field of writing. Strunk's emphasis on clarity, brevity, and the active voice, alongside his famous edict 'Omit needless words,' has guided countless writers toward plain yet potent expression. His conviction that every word should tell has passed into the canon of writing instruction and has become foundational to modern composition classes. Initially created as a manual for his students at Cornell, Strunk's concise handbook has become an indispensable tool for writers seeking to refine their craft. The book delineates the principal requirements of plain English style and concentrates upon rules of usage and principles of composition essential to a writer's repertoire. Though Strunk's original version has been modified and expanded by his former student E.B. White, the blend of Strunk's austere grammatical dictates with White's writerly expansions and revisions has not diminished the influence or usefulness of the original work. Its legacy persists in its numerous editions, testament to Strunk's enduring principles of effective writing.
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