I’ve Always Believed in Questioning the Basics
I’ve always believed that to truly understand something, you have to question even the basics. Everyone learns differently, and for me, that means sometimes looking up things that seem straightforward to others. I think it’s important to grasp every detail perfectly before moving on, and I also believe that practice and repetition are essential. So, I wanted to share my thought process as I navigate through some grammar rules that have been on my mind.
Words That Water Down Writing
I have noticed that I tend to overuse certain words that dilute the impact of what I’m trying to say—words such as really, in fact, and just.
These words sneak into my sentences, making them less direct and forceful. I’m working on cutting them out to make my writing clearer and more impactful. I’ll give you a classic example of what I usually write, then deliberately delete:
“I just wanted to let you know…I’m submitting the final documents.”
I absolutely hate that I even write this out the first time. I’m glad I get triggered by this, then rephrase it after, though. Why not simply state what I want them to know? I can omit the entire phrase and begin with the knowledge transfer.
I should write:
“I’m submitting the final documents.”
…and leave it at that.
The Infinitive Split
When I first read about the infinitive debate, I realized I wasn’t so sure what an infinitive even is. It’s when you use the word to in front of a verb, like to run or to leave. Traditional grammar rules say you should never split an infinitive—that is, you shouldn’t place a word between to and the verb.
Examples of Split Infinitives:
- To boldly go where no one has gone before.
(“Boldly” splits to and go.)
- She wants to really understand the concept.
(“Really” splits to and understand.)
- He decided to gradually increase his workout intensity.
(“Gradually” splits to and increase.)
But here’s the thing: sometimes, not splitting the infinitive can make the sentence sound awkward or change its emphasis. I realize that clarity and flow should take priority over rigid rules about splitting infinitives. If splitting an infinitive makes the sentence clearer or more natural, I will go with it.
I don’t think anyone would change:
“To boldly go where no one has gone before.”
to
“To go boldly where no one has gone before.”
However, you can rewrite:
“He decided to gradually increase his workout intensity.”
to
“He decided to increase his workout intensity, gradually.”
Why This Rule Exists
In Latin, the infinitive is a single word (e.g., amare means “to love”), so it couldn’t be split. Early English grammarians, influenced by Latin, tried to apply similar rules to English. As a result, they discouraged splitting infinitives even though English is structurally different and more flexible than Latin.
Ending Sentences with Prepositions
You should never end a sentence with a preposition. Again, I had to remind myself what a preposition is. Prepositions are words like as, at, by, for, from, of, etc.
Example:
❌ Incorrect: Which department are you working in?
✅ Correct: In which department are you working?
Sometimes rephrasing a sentence to avoid ending with a preposition sounds forced or unnatural. It’s more important for the sentence to flow naturally than to strictly adhere to this rule.
No MORE Contractions (In Formal Writing)
In formal writing, it’s best to avoid contractions like don’t, can’t, wouldn’t, and shouldn’t. Writing out the full words can make your writing sound more professional. I break this rule often, but I plan on actively trying to avoid contractions in the future for formal writing.
Example:
❌ Contraction: She can’t attend the meeting.
✅ Without Contraction: She cannot attend the meeting.
Active Voice—and When It Matters
“A gun was fired at the protest rally.”
The sentence suggests the gun acted on its own, without mentioning the person shooting the gun. This is a subtle way of avoiding assigning responsibility.
Breaking It Down:
- Avoiding Responsibility: The sentence doesn’t mention that someone was pulling the trigger, which obscures who is responsible for the action.
- Moral Implications: This isn’t just a grammatical issue; it’s a moral one. By not specifying the gun owner, the sentence downplays the seriousness of someone intentionally harming others.
- Intentional or Not: Whether this omission was intentional isn’t clear, but either way, it fails to acknowledge the gravity of the situation.
This made me realize that choosing between active and passive voice isn’t just about style—it’s also about being clear and responsible with language. It’s important to assign credit or blame where it’s due.
The “Whether or Not” Question
Let’s talk about whether or not and if the or not is always necessary. Try deleting “or not” from some sentences to see what happens.
Examples with whether or not:
- Whether or not you attend the meeting, the decision will be made.
- Whether or not it rains, we are going hiking.
- Whether or not she accepts the payment, the project will move forward.
Examples without or not:
- Whether you attend the meeting, the decision will be made.
- Whether it rains, we are going hiking.
- Whether she accepts the payment, the project will move forward.
Do these sentences still make sense without “or not”? I think the latter two should keep “or not”, and the first one can be omitted.
What do you think? Answer in the comments.