8 Grammar Rules You Were Taught That Are Actually Wrong

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You’ve likely been taught these grammar rules since grade school. Don’t end a sentence with a preposition. Never split an infinitive. And definitely don’t start a sentence with and or but.

But here’s the thing: many of these so-called “rules” were never actually rules to begin with. They’re based on outdated ideas, misunderstood logic, or—in some cases—just plain myths.

This article clears up 8 of the most common grammar misconceptions. If you’ve ever second-guessed your writing because of something a textbook said decades ago, this one’s for you.

1. Never end a sentence with a preposition.

The myth:
Ending a sentence with a preposition (like with, at, or about) is sloppy or incorrect.

The truth:
This “rule” is a holdover from Latin grammar, where such constructions aren’t possible. But English isn’t Latin, and in modern usage, ending a sentence with a preposition is often the clearest, most natural choice.

Example:

• ✔ “This is the book I told you about.”
• ✖ “This is the book about which I told you.” (Sounds stiff and overly formal.)

Verdict:
Perfectly acceptable in everyday and even formal writing. Use your judgment, not a centuries-old Latin rule.

2. Don’t split infinitives.

The myth:
An infinitive (like to run, to write) must never be split by an adverb or any other word.

The truth:
This idea also comes from Latin, where infinitives are a single word (scribere, currere) and therefore can’t be split. English, however, is more flexible. Sometimes, splitting the infinitive is not only fine—it’s stylistically stronger.

Example:

• ✔ “To boldly go where no one has gone before.”
• ✖ “To go boldly where no one has gone before.” (Still okay, but less punchy.)

Verdict:
Split them when it improves rhythm or clarity. Grammar should serve communication—not the other way around.

3. You mustn’t start a sentence with ‘and’ or ‘but.’

The myth:
Starting a sentence with and or but is informal or incorrect.

The truth:
Writers have been starting sentences with conjunctions for centuries, including some of the best: Jane Austen, Charles Dickens, and even the writers of the Bible. These words provide a smooth transition, add emphasis, or help with pacing.

Example:

• ✔ “But we knew the results wouldn’t change.”
• ✔ “And that’s when everything went quiet.”

Verdict:
Completely acceptable. Just don’t overdo it—balance is key.

4. ‘Ain’t isn’t a word.

The myth:
Ain’t is ungrammatical and shouldn’t be used at all.

The truth:
Ain’t has been around for hundreds of years and was even used in literature and by upper-class speakers in the 18th century. It’s now considered informal or nonstandard, but it’s still a word—and one that appears in the dictionary.

Example:

• ✔ “That ain’t happening.” (Casual speech, dialectal.)
• ✔ “I ain’t got time for that.” (Nonstandard, but expressive.)

Verdict:
It’s not suitable for academic writing, but in spoken English or dialogue, it can be perfectly appropriate. Its existence is not the issue—context is.

5. Double negatives are always wrong.

The myth:
Two negatives cancel each other out, so using them is grammatically incorrect.

The truth:
In standard English, double negatives are discouraged because they can create confusion. But in many dialects of English (as well as in other languages like Spanish and French), double negatives are used for emphasis, not negation.

Example:

• ✔ “I don’t know nothing about it.” (Emphatic in dialect, not illogical.)
• Standard version: “I don’t know anything about it.”

Verdict:
Not standard English, but very much real English in many regional and cultural contexts. Linguistically valid, even if grammatically nonstandard.

6. Always use ‘fewer’ with countable nouns.

The myth:
Use fewer with things you can count (like apples), and less with things you can’t (like water).

The truth:
That’s the general rule, yes—but it’s not absolute. We routinely say “10 items or less” at the store, and that’s fine. In many cases, less sounds more natural, especially with time, money, or distance.

Example:

• ✔ “Less than 10 miles away.”
• ✔ “10 items or less.” (Still widely accepted.)

Verdict:
Use fewer if you’re being formal and specific, but don’t feel bad using less when it sounds better. This one’s more about tone than correctness.

7. Passive voice is bad.

The myth:
Writing in the passive voice is weak and unclear.

The truth:
Passive voice can be vague if overused, but it’s a legitimate grammatical structure. It’s useful when the doer of the action is unknown, irrelevant, or you want to emphasize the action itself.

Example:

• ✔ “The cake was eaten.” (Who ate it doesn’t matter—or you don’t want to say.)
• Active version: “The dog ate the cake.”

Verdict:
Use it when it serves your purpose. Passive voice is a tool—not a mistake.

8. You can’t use ‘they’ as a singular pronoun.

The myth:
They must always refer to a plural subject.

The truth:
Singular they has been used for centuries (even by Shakespeare), and it’s now widely accepted as the best gender-neutral pronoun when the gender of the person is unknown or irrelevant.

Example:

• ✔ “Someone left their umbrella.”
• ✔ “Each student should bring their laptop.”

Verdict:
Grammatically correct and inclusive. The rule against it is outdated—and increasingly, irrelevant.