The Economist Style Guide - as essential as a dictionary, but much more amusing. This new edition of the bestselling guide to style is based on The Economist's own house style manual, and is an invaluable companion for anyone who wants to communicate with the clarity, style and precision for which The Economist is renowned. The Economist Style Guide gives general advice on writing, points out common errors and cliches, offers guidance on consistent use of punctuation, abbreviations and capital letters, and contains an exhaustive range of reference material - covering everything from accountancy ratios and stock market indices to laws of nature, science and economics. Also included is a special section of the differences between British English and American English. An essential book for anyone who writes reports, articles, books, letters or memoranda, The Economist Style Guide will enlighten, educate and amuse. Bale out: in a boat, yes, otherwise bail out. Table: avoid it as a transitive verb. In Britain to table means to bring something forward for action. In America it means exactly the opposite. Frankenstein was not a monster, but his creator. Times: take care. Three times more than x means four times as much as x. Use and abuse: to words much used and abused. You take drugs, you do not use them ('Does he use sugar?'). And drug abuse is just drug taking, as is substance abuse, unless it is glue sniffing or bun throwing. Spelling: lama or llama? Peninsula or peninsular? Ensure or insure? Forbear or forebear? Grisly or grizzly?

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