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The Careful Writer
The definitive writers’ handbook of alphabetized entries that provides answers to questions of use, meaning, grammar, punctuation, precision, logical structure, and color.
The Careful Writer is a concise yet thorough handbook, covering in more than 2,000 alphabetized entries the problems that give (or should give) writers pause before they set words to paper. It is perhaps the liveliest and most entertaining reference work for writers of our time—delighting while it instructs and amusing even as it scolds and cajoles the reader into skillful, persuasive, and vivid writing. The Careful Writer , Mr. Bernstein’s major work on usage, is an indispensible desk reference, and a perennial source of continuing reading pleasure.
The Careful Writer is a concise yet thorough handbook, covering in more than 2,000 alphabetized entries the problems that give (or should give) writers pause before they set words to paper. It is perhaps the liveliest and most entertaining reference work for writers of our time—delighting while it instructs and amusing even as it scolds and cajoles the reader into skillful, persuasive, and vivid writing. The Careful Writer , Mr. Bernstein’s major work on usage, is an indispensible desk reference, and a perennial source of continuing reading pleasure.
511 pages, Paperback
Published December 1, 1995
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
July 15, 2012
Theodore Bernstein's fifty-year-old, 512-page The Careful Writer: A Modern Guide to English Usage (the Free Press, 1963) and its more than 2000 problem-solving entries has some of the best tips you'll need if you're serious about becoming a writer. Bernstein, former consulting editor of the New York Times, wrote/co-wrote seven books on writing, but this one--in my estimation--is his best. The font styles are old; the archaic structure of its syntax at times made me chuckle; and the topic is as appealing as banana juice (though I understand our Army boys in Kuwait love it--they can't keep it stocked), but it has stood the test of time and writers should consider it a must-have for their reference library. Where else will you go with a question like, Is 'none' singular or plural? It doesn't hurt that Bernstein schools us-readers with a dry sense of humor, making the medicine more palatable.
A little about Theodore Bernstein (November 17, 1904 – June 1979). He was an assistant managing editor of The New York Times and from 1925 to 1950 a professor at the Columbia University School of Journalism. When he died, Time Magazine wrote an obit bio on him that read like this:
Back in the old days, a brilliant editor of The New York Times named Theodore M. Bernstein was also a professor at Columbia J School. After he died in 1979, Time Magazine noted, “Theodore M. Bernstein, 74…served as the paper‘s prose polisher and syntax surgeon for almost five decades, authoring seven popular texts on English usage and journalism…In a witty Times house organ called ‘Winners and Sinners’, the shirtsleeves vigilante caught solecists in the act.”
Bernstein would have objected to their neologistic use of 'author' as a verb. Today, no one would even notice.
Besides covering basic good grammar, Bernstein addresses the idiomatic words that are more difficult to classify and covers them with the same rigor as he does the traditional words.
Here are some of his best tips:
* accident vs. mishap: 'accident' is an undesigned occurrence. 'Mishap' is an unfortunate happening.
* amid vs. amidst--Americans prefer 'amid'; Brits prefer 'amidst'
* can vs. may: use 'can' for ability or power to do something, 'may' for permission to do it
* elder vs. older: 'older' compares old things whereas 'elder' compares people
* he has lots of slang-type of phrases--guild the lilly, likes of, pinch hitter (which he terms a 'weary cliche'), some of which have since 1963 become mainstream. American English is nothing if not adaptive.
* hanker takes the preposition 'after' or 'for'
* hara-kiri--the correct word for the more popular term, 'hari-kari' and not a correct substitute for the Japanese ritual suicide, seppuku
* how come: out of place in good writing and not legitimized because Shakespeare used the term 'how chance'
* incidental: takes preposition to or upon
* libel vs. slander: 'slander' is oral defamation while 'libel' is defamation by any other means
* like vs. as: Bernstein takes three pages--filled with humorous examples--to explain the use of these two words
* madam vs. madame: one is a married woman; the other the keeper of a bawdy house
* may vs. might: 'may' is present tense; 'might' is past tense--who knew that?
* mixaphor--when a writer mixes his metaphors. I love this.
* pupil vs. student: those who attend elementary schools are 'pupils'; those who attend higher institutions of learning are 'students' (again, who knew? In this case, probably more of a history lesson than followed)
* sensual vs. sensuous: 'sensual' applies to gratification of the animal sense with overtones of lewdness; 'sensuous' applies to enjoyment produced by appeal to the senses.
* though vs. although: mean the same with two exceptions: 1) only 'though' can be used in idioms like 'as though', and 2) only 'though' can be used adverbially in a final position
If you are in a position where you must--really must--be accurate in your grammatical decisions, there is no better authoritative source than Bernstein. Others may have an educated opinion, but Bernstein is the trump card.
A little about Theodore Bernstein (November 17, 1904 – June 1979). He was an assistant managing editor of The New York Times and from 1925 to 1950 a professor at the Columbia University School of Journalism. When he died, Time Magazine wrote an obit bio on him that read like this:
Back in the old days, a brilliant editor of The New York Times named Theodore M. Bernstein was also a professor at Columbia J School. After he died in 1979, Time Magazine noted, “Theodore M. Bernstein, 74…served as the paper‘s prose polisher and syntax surgeon for almost five decades, authoring seven popular texts on English usage and journalism…In a witty Times house organ called ‘Winners and Sinners’, the shirtsleeves vigilante caught solecists in the act.”
Bernstein would have objected to their neologistic use of 'author' as a verb. Today, no one would even notice.
Besides covering basic good grammar, Bernstein addresses the idiomatic words that are more difficult to classify and covers them with the same rigor as he does the traditional words.
Here are some of his best tips:
* accident vs. mishap: 'accident' is an undesigned occurrence. 'Mishap' is an unfortunate happening.
* amid vs. amidst--Americans prefer 'amid'; Brits prefer 'amidst'
* can vs. may: use 'can' for ability or power to do something, 'may' for permission to do it
* elder vs. older: 'older' compares old things whereas 'elder' compares people
* he has lots of slang-type of phrases--guild the lilly, likes of, pinch hitter (which he terms a 'weary cliche'), some of which have since 1963 become mainstream. American English is nothing if not adaptive.
* hanker takes the preposition 'after' or 'for'
* hara-kiri--the correct word for the more popular term, 'hari-kari' and not a correct substitute for the Japanese ritual suicide, seppuku
* how come: out of place in good writing and not legitimized because Shakespeare used the term 'how chance'
* incidental: takes preposition to or upon
* libel vs. slander: 'slander' is oral defamation while 'libel' is defamation by any other means
* like vs. as: Bernstein takes three pages--filled with humorous examples--to explain the use of these two words
* madam vs. madame: one is a married woman; the other the keeper of a bawdy house
* may vs. might: 'may' is present tense; 'might' is past tense--who knew that?
* mixaphor--when a writer mixes his metaphors. I love this.
* pupil vs. student: those who attend elementary schools are 'pupils'; those who attend higher institutions of learning are 'students' (again, who knew? In this case, probably more of a history lesson than followed)
* sensual vs. sensuous: 'sensual' applies to gratification of the animal sense with overtones of lewdness; 'sensuous' applies to enjoyment produced by appeal to the senses.
* though vs. although: mean the same with two exceptions: 1) only 'though' can be used in idioms like 'as though', and 2) only 'though' can be used adverbially in a final position
If you are in a position where you must--really must--be accurate in your grammatical decisions, there is no better authoritative source than Bernstein. Others may have an educated opinion, but Bernstein is the trump card.
March 18, 2009
Toss out that useless Strunk and White and pick this up. It's not exactly the Chicago Manual of Style, but it helps with a lot of tricky choices about what is proper style. And it's amusing.
June 24, 2018
My book is hardbound, published by Atheneum in 1967.
I have had this in my library of reference works for some time and finally decided to read it straight through. I am evaluating the need for many of my library books when such material is so readily available on line.
Bernstein is a supple writer using humor to keep the proceedings too dry. He uses many apt quotations usually from newspapers to illustrate poorly chosen particular words or phrases that inhibit clarity. Newspapers, and today on line news sources are always being written under strict deadlines and are subject to condensed headlines and general writing. The author would have much to discuss regarding current fad words and relaxed writing standards.
I am a life long serious reader but do not get involved much with technical grammar. But Bernstein's book is mainly concerned with usage and urges writers to always seek clarity. I found his examples and explanations useful.
The book is in need of revision since so much news coverage has changed and become less formal since this book was published.
I have had this in my library of reference works for some time and finally decided to read it straight through. I am evaluating the need for many of my library books when such material is so readily available on line.
Bernstein is a supple writer using humor to keep the proceedings too dry. He uses many apt quotations usually from newspapers to illustrate poorly chosen particular words or phrases that inhibit clarity. Newspapers, and today on line news sources are always being written under strict deadlines and are subject to condensed headlines and general writing. The author would have much to discuss regarding current fad words and relaxed writing standards.
I am a life long serious reader but do not get involved much with technical grammar. But Bernstein's book is mainly concerned with usage and urges writers to always seek clarity. I found his examples and explanations useful.
The book is in need of revision since so much news coverage has changed and become less formal since this book was published.
December 5, 2018
Parts have aged well, while others are dated. Bernstein hoped for "arcking" to catch on in place of "arcing," as one example. Nope. On the plus side, I did appreciate his notes on which prepositions belong with certain words. Overall, though, I find reading an A-Z writer's guide to be a horribly dry experience. After I noted some out-of-date advice in the first 50 pages or so, I had only enough interest to skim the rest of the book.
July 31, 2018
I loved this. The language changes, and this is a great record of usage at the time.
May 21, 2020
It's not the most exciting book I've ever come across but it contains sorely needed rules about grammar and idiom that any writers worth their salt ought to adhere to.
February 25, 2025
This is a reference book but it is so interesting and well written that it reads like a narrative. So I read it as such.
December 2, 2025
I bought Theodore M. Bernstein's The Careful Writer as a teenager—a signed hardcover that I've carried through decades and multiple moves. It's one of those rare books that fundamentally shaped how I think about language.
Bernstein was an editor at The New York Times, and The Careful Writer distills his decades of experience into an alphabetical guide to usage, grammar, and style. Bernstein writes with wit, precision, and genuine love for the language. Each entry is a miniature essay on clarity, logic, and the reasons behind the rules.
What makes this invaluable is Bernstein's approach: he's prescriptive but not dogmatic, clear about standards but willing to acknowledge when language evolves. He distinguishes between errors that obscure meaning and "errors" that are outdated prejudices. He cares about precision without being precious about it.
The entries range from common confusions (lie/lay, infer/imply) to subtle distinctions most writers miss. But beyond the specific guidance, Bernstein teaches a way of thinking about writing: question every word choice, consider your reader, prioritize clarity above all.
Every serious writer needs a book similar to this. This particular one is dated now, but it set me on my path.
Bernstein was an editor at The New York Times, and The Careful Writer distills his decades of experience into an alphabetical guide to usage, grammar, and style. Bernstein writes with wit, precision, and genuine love for the language. Each entry is a miniature essay on clarity, logic, and the reasons behind the rules.
What makes this invaluable is Bernstein's approach: he's prescriptive but not dogmatic, clear about standards but willing to acknowledge when language evolves. He distinguishes between errors that obscure meaning and "errors" that are outdated prejudices. He cares about precision without being precious about it.
The entries range from common confusions (lie/lay, infer/imply) to subtle distinctions most writers miss. But beyond the specific guidance, Bernstein teaches a way of thinking about writing: question every word choice, consider your reader, prioritize clarity above all.
Every serious writer needs a book similar to this. This particular one is dated now, but it set me on my path.
August 2, 2008
The bible.
Read
April 4, 2015Page to page and back and through again.
May 31, 2024
college and after -- the best
February 19, 2019
Very helpful source!
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews