Articles Tagged zombie rules

“Social” vs. “Sociable”: Another Zombie Rule Bites the Dust

Before deciding whether to replace “social” with “sociable,” learn about this centuries-old zombie rule that stumps copyeditors to this day.

A rule exists claiming that the word “appreciate” should not be used to mean “value.” Interestingly, multiple dictionaries beg to differ.

Boldly go where grammar peevers don’t want you to go! Splitting verb phrases and infinite verbs is perfectly grammatical in English.

Don’t start a sentence with “hopefully”? Hopefully, you’ll read this article and learn why you can.

A few grammar peevers will insist that “none” means “not one” and must take a singular verb. But there’s more to the story.

“Don’t start a sentence with ‘and’ or ‘but,'” we’re told. But no one updates that rule when our skills grow. Let’s fix that.

We’ve been taught not to start sentences with “however.” Why you can dismiss that rule.

The singular “they” zombie has been shuffling along for centuries. It’s time it bit the dust for good.

Have you been told that you can’t use “between” when talking about more than two items? That’s a zombie rule. Let’s rewrite it.

Why it’s OK to use “since” to mean “because” and when you should avoid it.