Plain words: a guide to the use of English

'be Short, Be Simple, Be Human.' When Sir Ernest Gowers First Wrote Plain Words, It Was Intended Simply As A Guide To The Proper Use Of English For The Civil Service. Within A Year, However, Its Humour, Charm And Authority Had Made It A Bestseller. Since Then It Has Never Been Out Of Print. Six Decades On, Writer Rebecca Gowers Has Created A New Edition Of This Now-classic Work That Both Revises And Celebrates Her Great-grandfather's Original. Plain Words Has Been Updated To Reflect Numerous Changes In English Usage, Yet Sir Ernest's Distinctive, Witty Voice Is Undimmed. And His Message Remains Vital: Our Writing Should Be As Clear And Comprehensible As Possible, Avoiding Superfluous Words And Clichés - From The Jargon Of 'commercialese' To The Murky Euphemisms Of Politicians. In A New Preface, This Edition Draws On An Extensive Private Archive, Previously Hidden Away In Family Cupboards And Attics, To Tell The Story Behind A Book That Has Become An Institution: The Essential Guide To Making Yourself Understood.