Three grammar rules that are okay to break.

Grammar is great. You should learn the basics of good grammar and stick to them.  It’s not that hard. Just remember that grammar is supposed to add clarity to your communication. Not confusion. So if it comes to a choice between clear communication and “correct” communication, always choose clarity – even if you have to break a grammar rule now and then. Here are three rules that are very breakable. I’ll explain why.

1. Feel free to boldly split infinitives.

Infinitives are action words with a to in front of them. To dance. To write. To listen. To go. Word nerds used to teach that, to be grammatically correct, you should never insert a word between the to and the verb after it. Some still believe this. Gene Roddenberry wasn’t convinced. His Star Trek series immortalized the most famous split infinitive of all: “To boldly go where no man has gone before.” And his split infinitive was absolutely acceptable. Over a decade ago, the New Oxford Dictionary of English declared the no split infinitives rule to be a fallacy.

So where did the spilt infinitives myth start? It all goes back to classical Latin. In Latin, an infinitive is one word, not two (e.g., the Latin word meaning to write is scribere), so it’s impossible to split a Latin infinitive. Grammar gurus back in the 1700s decided that, if Latin infinitives couldn’t be split, then English ones shouldn’t be. Now we know better.

2. Ending a sentence with a preposition is nothing to worry about.

Prepositions are words such as about, in, at, over, by, under, for, through, or between. They tell you the position of one thing in relation to another. “The phone is on the table.” The meeting ends at noon. Now you can see why prepositions are called prepositions – they’re in the “pre-position” of their object; they come before it.

In English, however, a preposition can sit all alone at the end of a sentence with no word coming after it. For example, “Next time you’re in the area, feel free to stop by.” It’s perfectly okay to the end the sentence with by. I suppose you could even end your sentence with two prepositions, “Feel free to boldly stop by, where no man has stopped by before.“

So, where did people get the idea that you couldn’t end a sentence with a preposition? You guessed it. Latin. For reasons that would take too long to explain, the preposition thing is important in Latin. And since academics of old considered Latin to be the ideal language, they thought the same rule should apply to English. They were wrong.

There is, however, one thing you should know before you start slinging prepositions all over the place. Never use a preposition if it isn’t needed. For example, “Where’s the meeting at?” The at is completely unnecessary. The sentence would be much cleaner and just as meaningful if it simply asked, “Where’s the meeting?” If you don’t need a preposition, take it out.

3. Is it even okay to use sentence fragments? Yes.

It’s even acceptable to use the occasional sentence fragment. Like this one. You just don’t want to overdo it. A real sentence is a complete thought with a subject and a verb. “Dogs bark.” That’s a sentence. Fragments are pieces of sentences. “Woof!” Fragments are used to answer questions or to add emphasis. They work best when they’re conversational and natural. I like them, because they break up the rhythm of your writing and can provide relief after a long, wordy sentence.

Finally, just remember that your grammar and style should always fit the occasion. Suits and ties for weddings. T-shirts and shorts for a day at the lake. Classical grammar for formal proposals. Jazz for advertising copy. Overall, the best business writing is both professional and conversational. So, stick to the fundamentals of good grammar, but make sure your wording is easy on the ear.