|
Old Grammar Rules You Can Break |
Like many languages, English is constantly changing. And
today it is changing faster than ever. Mobile phones,
social media, increased travel and other things have
connected the world more closely and changed how we
speak…and write.
The changes are happening so quickly that English
dictionaries now add hundreds of words and phrases every
year.
And, just as these things change, so too do grammar
rules.
In an earlier Everyday Grammar program, we told you
about a few grammar rules that are dying.
Today, we will tell you about three rules that some
experts say are outdated and never had strong reasoning
behind them. Breaking these rules is acceptable in all
but the most formal writing, such as business letters
and some kinds of academic writing.
We will begin with one of the most common rules:
Number 1. "Never split an infinitive."
Generations of English speakers have been taught that it
is wrong to split an infinitive. But, today, even
respected dictionaries such as the Oxford English
Dictionary say there is no worthy defense for the rule.
Infinitives are the unchanged forms of verbs. You can
identify one by the word “to” in front of a verb. For
example, “to have,” “to go” and “to make” are all
infinitives. Split infinitives happen when we put an
adverb in the middle. Here’s an example:
He began to flatly deny the abuse charges.
In this sentence, the infinitive “to deny” is separated
by the adverb “flatly” and it sounds very natural.
But, when you use the “no split infinitives” rule, the
adverb can go in two places – either before the
infinitive:
He began flatly to deny the abuse charges.
…or at the end of the sentence:
He began to deny the abuse charges flatly.
While the first example sounds fine, the second is
mechanical and feels unnatural.
Patricia O’Connor is a former New York Times Book Review
editor and writes about English. In her book, “Woe is
I,” she writes that the rule on split infinitives comes
from a famous 1864 British grammar book that tried to
apply rules of Latin to English.
Today, even the writing style guidebooks of large media
agencies reject this old-fashioned grammar rule.
So, unless you have a teacher or employer who has banned
split infinitives, this is a rule you can dismiss.
Number 2: "Never begin a sentence with a conjunction."
The words “and,” “but” and “or” come from a group of
words called coordinating conjunctions. These words
connect two or more structures, such as sentences or
clauses. For example, “I washed the car and I took the
dog for a walk” connects two complete sentences. So,
technically, you can break these into separate
sentences: “I washed the car. And I took the dog for a
walk.”
Many grammar books (and teachers) teach that you should
not begin a sentence with “and” “but” or “or.” But
surely you’ve noticed that, here at VOA Learning
English, we break this old rule... a lot.
And we are not alone. Many other news agencies, books,
websites and other media break the rule.
In his book “The Story of English in 100 Words,”
linguist David Crystal says that writers have begun
sentences with “and” and “but” since the 16th century,
including William Shakespeare. He explains the rule’s
unusual history:
During the 19th century, some schoolteachers took
against the practice of beginning a sentence with a word
like “but” or “and,” [probably] because they noticed the
way young children overused them in their writing.
Yet, instead of limiting usage, Crystal says, teachers
banned conjunctions for opening sentences. This has had
a lasting effect, creating the idea that sentences
beginning with these conjunctions are incomplete. That
is untrue.
However, if you are going to break the rule, find out if
your school or job permits it. In addition, you must do
it correctly, which means: Know what a complete sentence
is. For instance, “And it’s good” is a complete
sentence; it has a subject and predicate but “And is
good” is not; it’s missing a subject.
Lastly, don’t start sentences with these conjunctions
too often. It can become tiresome for your reader.
Now, onto our third old rule.
Number 3: "Use 'each other' for two and 'one another'
for more than two."
Traditionally, we have been taught that “each other”
refers to two people or things and “one another” refers
to more than two people or things. We call these phrases
reciprocal pronouns.
Here's an example with “each other”:
The two animals looked at each other.
And here’s an example with “one another”:
Family members usually like one another.
Today, this rule is disappearing, and for good reason.
Respected dictionaries, such as the American dictionary
Merriam-Webster, seem to think it has always been
nonsense. Merriam-Webster writes that good writers have
used "each other" and "one another" interchangeably
since at least the 16th century.
Others agree. In their book “Longman Guide to English
Usage,” British grammar experts Janet Whitcut and Sidney
Greenbaum write that “there is no basis” for the rule.
So, unless told otherwise, you can use “each other” and
“one another” interchangeably in any writing situation.
Know what is permitted
While these three grammar rules have strange beginnings
and are disappearing from modern English, it is
important to know the writing style of your workplace,
school or university. If you are ever unsure about
current opinion on a grammar rule, the safest thing to
do is to use it.
I’m Alice Bryant.
Alice Bryant wrote this story for Learning English. Caty
Weaver was the editor. |
|
