English is dynamic; it changes and adapts. It's often influenced by social context and a writer's ability to flex and change language rules can sometimes be what sets them apart. Granted, we're not all Shakespeares, who was renowned for making up words when he couldn't find the ones he wanted.
Working for different publishing houses has shown me that some rules can be taken with a pinch of salt. Some copy-editors are pedantic about orphans and widows. Others abhore contrations. Personally, I almost always change "which" to "that".
I recently came across an article on some rules that may be overlooked in today's world of words and language.
I'm not sure I agree with all of them and to this day my mom still corrects my preposition positioning with her hypocritical: "You can't end a sentences with with!"
Read it. See what you think. Do you have any additions or specific rules you just can't break?
The old "new" rules for language - by Tiffany Markman
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