Chapter 9
LEARNING COMMONSENSE RULES
Chapter overview
This chapter helps students understand that some rules (like not ending sentences with
prepositions) are myths — not even in most rule books. The chapter also covers three rules that
students do need to be aware of.
Brief outline of the chapter
I. Overcoming mythical rules. This section covers these myths: Never end a sentence with a
preposition. Never begin a sentence with and or but. Never split an infinitive.
II. Avoiding common grammar errors. This section covers these two rules: Keep your lists
parallel. Make your pronouns agree.
III. Exercises.
General comments
I enjoy teaching this material. Students almost always come into class believing that good
writing means knowing and following a lengthy, illogical, and mysterious list of rules that only
teachers get to see. So this chapter can do worlds of good in removing writing from one standard
(following rules that don’t exist) and putting it on another (common sense).
I emphasize that this chapter doesn’t say to ignore all rules. Instead, the chapter says most
professional writers and most good business writers and most grammar handbooks are on the
commonsense standard.
Yet students can be suspicious of the content of this chapter. That’s why the exercises are so
useful in getting students to see what’s really going on with the rules.
Notes on the exercises
Exercise A (finding sentences beginning with and or but)
Exercise B (bringing grammar handbooks to class)
Modern English Usage, and Webster’s Dictionary of English Usage. I pass them out and let
Exercise C (fixing pronoun errors)
Here are some possible fixes:
1. I know we all have some interest in how much money we’re receiving.