High school was eons ago, and although I was in Honors English, I never diagrammed a sentence. When editing my book I decided I should bone-up on things like “passive voice” and “split infinitives” (still not sure what the heck that is). I referred to serious tomes like The Chicago Manual of Style as well as the breezy and insanely popular Grammar Girl’s Quick and Dirty Tips for Better Writing by Mignon Fogarty. I also turned to our friend Mr. Google because he seems to know everything.
The link below takes you to fifty or so “Rules for Writers.” I thought I had found the definitive site for all things grammar. As I read down the list, I was chuckling by the fourth “Rule.” You will see what I mean.
For those of us who cringe when we hear a preposition at the end of a sentence, this list is like fingernails on a chalkboard. Oops, I broke the “Rule” about not using clichés. Sorry. Oops, I broke the “Rule” about one-word sentences. So sorry again!
Enjoy!
Robin Coyle 