After writing two articles that review grammar and usage rules, today I want to talk about when to break the rules. The truth is, sometimes good storytelling might just mean … breaking the rules.
Yes, I will still continue to staunchly advocate against using a qualifier with “unique” or using “that” before referring to people (it’s “who”). However, even I will admit that writers should never let good grammar get in the way of a good story.
The problem with breaking grammar rules is that unintentional mistakes and misspellings can make the writer look uninformed or unprofessional. Worse, bad grammar can frustrate the reader if the reader has to stop reading and go back to the beginning of the sentence to figure out what the writer is trying to say.
But storytelling is an art. There are times when you might not want to write a full sentence. All writers, whether they write ad copy, proposals, business plans or novels, want the reader to WANT to read their work from beginning to end. Maybe what you just wrote isn’t technically a sentence, but if it’s clear and makes the story more readable, go for it!
Ironically, the best example of following a usage rule that usually translates to an awkward sentence is not even a real rule. Many of us were taught in school that sentences cannot end with a preposition (terminal prepositions for grammar geeks). Some of the worst sentences I have read were written just to avoid ending the sentence in a preposition. Would you rather read, “The father finally convinced his toddler that hitting her brother was nothing of which to be proud,” or “The father finally convinced his toddler that hitting her brother was nothing to be proud of”?
Many people are surprised to find out that you CAN end a sentence with a preposition – the idea that you cannot is a myth. If you don’t believe me, would you believe merriam-webster.com? According to their website, “by the time the 20th century rolled around most grammar and usage guides had come to the conclusion that there was really nothing wrong with terminal prepositions. In fact, there has been, for about 100 years now, near unanimity in this regard from usage guides.”
In my opinion, there are times that still call for following the myth. Surprisingly, not everyone has chosen to believe me (or merriam-webster.com) that sentences can end in prepositions. If you are writing a masterful cover letter for your job search and your sentence ends in a preposition, then you should change it. If you can’t edit the sentence to eliminate the preposition, then go ahead and write an overly awkward and formal sentence. Because chances are that your new potential boss hasn’t read this blog. You don’t want to take the risk that your resume will be dismissed because of a terminal preposition.
Other than a job search or similar situation, the next time you are struggling to rewrite a sentence so that it doesn’t end in a preposition, just release yourself from the myth, but be prepared to defend yourself from your fourth grade English teacher.
