Common English Grammar Myths Debunked: 6 Rules You Can Finally Ignore

You've been lied to in English class. Many of the strict rules your teachers hammered into your head aren't actually rules at all. According to Mental Floss and modern linguists, we're finally shaking off grammar sins that were never truly sins. These myths, mostly born in the 17th century, are relics of an obsession with forcing English to behave like Latin.

Debunking Common English Grammar Myths from the Past

The mandate to never end a sentence with a preposition is perhaps the most famous fake rule. Legendary figures like Winston Churchill supposedly mocked it, but the campaign against 'preposition stranding' actually started with Joshua Poole in 1646. Poets like John Dryden later joined in, claiming that following Latin's rigid structure made English more 'noble.' In reality, English is a Germanic language that handles terminal prepositions perfectly fine. Linguist Geoff Pullum famously joked in 2010 about how tiresome this debate has become.

Split infinitives are another classic target. Sticklers say you shouldn't put a word between 'to' and a verb, like in the phrase 'to loudly sing.' This again stems from Latin, where infinitives are a single word and literally cannot be split. However, psycholinguist Steven Pinker argued in 2014 that splitting an infinitive often makes your meaning clearer, such as in 'The board voted to immediately approve the casino.'

The Numbers Game: Between vs. Among and None

Think you can only use 'between' for two items? Think again. While it shares a root with 'two,' Old English speakers used it for three or more things for centuries. Among is for collective groups, while between is better for distinct, individual items, regardless of the count. Similarly, the word 'none' doesn't always need a singular verb. Even the New York Times stylebook suggests using plural verbs for 'none' in most cases today.

Finally, the ban on starting sentences with hopefully has largely collapsed. While grammar guides once called it 'silly,' it’s now a standard sentence adverb. Language isn't a museum piece—it's a living tool. If these 'errors' help you get your point across without sounding like a medieval knight, use them. Your readers will thank you.