Sunday, May 2, 2010

Punctuation: the Zero Tolerance Approach with Lynne Truss's Eats, Shoots & Leaves

Do not underestimate the importance of punctuation in writing.  As Truss points out in this handy book, slight changes in punctuation can seriously affect the meaning of a sentence:

A woman: without her, man is nothing.
A woman without her man is nothing.
Note, however, that this book strictly follows British conventions for punctuation.  Although still very helpful, Americans will find a few differences between standard American usage and standard British usage.  Overall, though, the examples are entertaining, helpful, and memorable.

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