Fumbling about with the style rules of English

These style rules come from a variety of sources, and have been adapted a bit by me. The principle with all of these rules is that each 'rule' contradicts itself. The original versions have been variously attributed to:

• The Fumblerules of Grammar by William Safire, The New York Times Magazine, Nov 4, 1979,
• The Little English Handbook by Edward P. J. Corbett
• How To Write Good by Frank Visco

There are over forty. Here is a real challenge for advanced students, an exercise based on a sample of them.


The word box below contains various words to do with grammar or language. Make sure you know what they all mean. You can click on any word in the box to see its dictionary definition.

adjectives · conjunction · alliteration · exclamation · apostrophe · pronoun · prepositions · parentheses · contractions · infinitive · ampersands · abbreviations

Remember, each 'rule' below breaks its own rule. Type in a word from the word box above into each gap. If your answer is correct it will show up in green and its box will disappear.

1. Avoid awkward and affected . It’s always annoying anyway.
2. A(n) is not a word to end a sentence with.
3. And don't start a sentence with a(n) . But I never do!
4. Don't use & abbrevs, etc.
5. Be carefully to use and adverbs correct.
6. Remarks in (however relevant) are (usually) unnecessary.
7. Each should agree with their antecedent (the noun it represents).
8. The has it’s rightful place in English, but its important to use it correctly, and remember, not in you're plural's.
9. It is wrong to ever split a(n) . Try to always avoid doing so.
10. DO NOT overuse marks and ALL CAPS to emphasize!!!
11. I'm sure you’d probably agree that aren't necessary, wouldn’t you?
12. Foreign words and phrases are not apropos, foreign terms and , U.S.W., (np.) are even worse. I could go on ad infinitum about this.

If necessary you can use these clues: 123456789101112
Just mouse over the relevant question number

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NB Some of these rules are no longer followed. Which do you think are now out of date? Show suggested answer

I would say that Rules 2 and 11 don't really apply nowadays, unless you're being really formal. I break rule 3 all the time. It is sometimes better to break Rule 9 or the result can look ugly. Rules 5, 7 and 8 are the ones to watch. But there is an exception to Rule 7 - 'singular they' - you can read more about it here.

For more, google 'fumblerules', or go to:

• http://www.cupola.com/html/wordplay/ritegood.htm
• http://www.burgy.50megs.com/grammar.htm
• http://www.allowe.com/Humor/book/The Rules of Writing.htm
• http://homepage.mac.com/mseffie/handouts/writegood.html