--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Not long ago, I advertised for perverse…" description: "\"“Not long ago, I advertised for perverse rules of grammar, along the lines of \"Remember to never split an infinitive\" and \"The passive voice should nev..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4af/william-safire-5116_grammar_not-long-ago-i-advertised-for-perverse-r_2066286.jpg" --- # Not long ago, I advertised for perverse rules of grammar… ![“Not long ago, I advertised for perverse rules of grammar, along the lines of "Remember to never split an infinitive" and "The passive voice should never be used." The notion of making a mistake while laying down rules ("Thimk," "We Never Make Misteaks") is highly unoriginal, and it turns out that…” quote by William Safire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4af/william-safire-5116_grammar_not-long-ago-i-advertised-for-perverse-r_2066286.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4af/william-safire-5116_grammar_not-long-ago-i-advertised-for-perverse-r_2066286.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4af/william-safire-5116_grammar_not-long-ago-i-advertised-for-perverse-r_2066286.jpg) > ““Not long ago, I advertised for perverse rules of grammar, along the lines of "Remember to never split an infinitive" and "The passive voice should never be used." The notion of making a mistake while laying down rules ("Thimk," "We Never Make Misteaks") is highly unoriginal, and it turns out that English teachers have been circulating lists of fumblerules for years. As owner of the world's largest collection, and with thanks to scores of readers, let me pass along a bunch of these never-say-neverisms: \* Avoid run-on sentences they are hard to read. \* Don't use no double negatives. \* Use the semicolon properly, always use it where it is appropriate; and never where it isn't. \* Reserve the apostrophe for it's proper use and omit it when its not needed. \* Do not put statements in the negative form. \* Verbs has to agree with their subjects. \* No sentence fragments. \* Proofread carefully to see if you any words out. \* Avoid commas, that are not necessary. \* If you reread your work, you will find on rereading that a great deal of repetition can be avoided by rereading and editing. \* A writer must not shift your point of view. \* Eschew dialect, irregardless. \* And don't start a sentence with a conjunction. \* Don't overuse exclamation marks!!! \* Place pronouns as close as possible, especially in long sentences, as of 10 or more words, to their antecedents. \* Writers should always hyphenate between syllables and avoid un-necessary hyph-ens. \* Write all adverbial forms correct. \* Don't use contractions in formal writing. \* Writing carefully, dangling participles must be avoided. \* It is incumbent on us to avoid archaisms. \* If any word is improper at the end of a sentence, a linking verb is. \* Steer clear of incorrect forms of verbs that have snuck in the language. \* Take the bull by the hand and avoid mixed metaphors. \* Avoid trendy locutions that sound flaky. \* Never, ever use repetitive redundancies. \* Everyone should be careful to use a singular pronoun with singular nouns in their writing. \* If I've told you once, I've told you a thousand times, resist hyperbole. \* Also, avoid awkward or affected alliteration. \* Don't string too many prepositional phrases together unless you are walking through the valley of the shadow of death. \* Always pick on the correct idiom. \* "Avoid overuse of 'quotation "marks."'" \* The adverb always follows the verb. \* Last but not least, avoid cliches like the plague; seek viable alternatives." ( New York Times , November 4, 1979; later also published in book form)”” [William Safire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-safire/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Overly prescriptive grammar rules often ignore practical usage; many “rules” are arbitrary and hinder clear communication. **In simple terms:** Grammar rules can be unnecessary. Key Takeaway Focus on clarity over rigid rules. Themes language writing grammar communication education Mood reflective informative Type instructional humorous When to use this quote - editing - academic writing - content creation - teaching English Key Concepts prescriptive vs descriptive grammar ling clarity writing style Questions to Reflect On - Which grammar rules truly improve readability? - When is flexibility more important than correctness? A Different Perspective Rigid rules may stifle creativity. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Grammar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/grammar/) [Humor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humor/) [Language](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/language/) [Long ago](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/long-ago/) [Making a mistake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/making-a-mistake/) [Passive voice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/passive-voice/) [Point of view](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/point-of-view/) [Quotation marks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/quotation-marks/) [Repetition Avoided](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/repetition-avoided-3967632/) [Rules Grammar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rules-grammar-1415466/) [Sand Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sand-time/) [Syllables Avoid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/syllables-avoid-3967634/) [Words Avoid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/words-avoid-3967633/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) [Writing Carefully](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing-carefully-3967635/) [York Times](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/york-times/) ## Related quotes > [Do not put statements in the negative form. And don't start sentences with a conjunction. If you reread your work, you will find on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-safire/do-not-put-statements-in-the-negative-form-and-don-t-start-sentences/) [William Safire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-safire/) > [If you re-read your work, you can find on re-reading a great deal of repetition can be avoided by re-reading and editing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-safire/if-you-re-read-your-work-you-can-find-on-re-reading-a-great-deal-of/) [William Safire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-safire/) > [The saddest words everyone should avoid are 'what might have been'; so live your life without regret or fear, and love like you never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nghi-lam/the-saddest-words-everyone-should-avoid-are-what-might-have-been-so/) [Nghi Lam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nghi-lam/) > [“sometime... there should be outburst of words to avoid complication.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/upasana-banerjee/sometime-there-should-be-outburst-of-words-to-avoid-complication/) [Upasana Banerjee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/upasana-banerjee/) > [Remember to never split an infinitive. The passive voice should never be used. Do not put statements in the negative form. Proofread carefully to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-safire/remember-to-never-split-an-infinitive-the-passive-voice-should-never/) [William Safire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-safire/) > [No one complains of the rules of Grammar as fettering Language; because it is understood that correct use is not founded on Grammar, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-whately/no-one-complains-of-the-rules-of-grammar-as-fettering-language/) [Richard Whately](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-whately/) > [The rules of grammar exist in large part to permit readers and writers to operate from a shared set of expectations.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-crichton/the-rules-of-grammar-exist-in-large-part-to-permit-readers-and/) [Michael Crichton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-crichton/) > [He who writes must master the rules of grammar. He who shoots photographs needs only to follow the instructions as given by the camera……](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vil-m-flusser/he-who-writes-must-master-the-rules-of-grammar-he-who-shoots/) [Vilem Flusser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vil-m-flusser/) > [Bad music is the attempt to imitate something that has very strong rules and grammar.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlo-grante/bad-music-is-the-attempt-to-imitate-something-that-has-very-strong/) [Carlo Grante](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlo-grante/) > [Those that will combat use and custom by the strict rules of grammar do but jest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-de-montaigne/those-that-will-combat-use-and-custom-by-the-strict-rules-of-grammar/) [Michel de Montaigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-de-montaigne/) > [“The rules of grammar are just as important as the rules of engagement in war. Without them, we are barbarians,” I argued.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shayne-silvers/the-rules-of-grammar-are-just-as-important-as-the-rules-of-engagement/) [Shayne Silvers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shayne-silvers/) > [By a generative grammar I mean simply a system of rules that in some explicit and well-defined way assigns structural descriptions to sentences. Obviously,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/by-a-generative-grammar-i-mean-simply-a-system-of-rules-that-in-some/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [Speakers who have grown up in the American community unconsciously know its rules about taking turns in conversations-in the same way that they know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-farb/speakers-who-have-grown-up-in-the-american-community-unconsciously/) [Peter Farb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-farb/) > [Every English poet should master the rules of grammar before he attempts to bend or break them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-graves/every-english-poet-should-master-the-rules-of-grammar-before-he/) [Robert Graves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-graves/) > [Do not be surprised when those who ignore the rules of grammar also ignore the law. After all, the law is just so much…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-breault/do-not-be-surprised-when-those-who-ignore-the-rules-of-grammar-also/) [Robert Breault](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-breault/) ## More by William Safire > [The Republicans do not look on the Democrats as the evil empire.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-safire/the-republicans-do-not-look-on-the-democrats-as-the-evil-empire/) [William Safire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-safire/) > [Last, but not least, avoid cliches like the plague.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-safire/last-but-not-least-avoid-cliches-like-the-plague/) [William Safire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-safire/) > [Decide on some imperfect Somebody and you will win, because the truest truism in politics is: You can't beat Somebody with Nobody.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-safire/decide-on-some-imperfect-somebody-and-you-will-win-because-the-truest/) [William Safire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-safire/) > [Knowing how things work is the basis for appreciation, and is thus a source of civilized delight.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-safire/knowing-how-things-work-is-the-basis-for-appreciation-and-is-thus-a/) [William Safire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-safire/) > [What a joy it is to see really professional media manipulation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-safire/what-a-joy-it-is-to-see-really-professional-media-manipulation/) [William Safire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-safire/) > [What do you call a co-worker these days? Neither teammate nor confederate will do, and partner is too legalistic. The answer brought from academia…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-safire/what-do-you-call-a-co-worker-these-days-neither-teammate-nor/) [William Safire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-safire/) > [This is what it's all about. From what I could see, you could get a bunch of people together, whip up the press and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-safire/this-is-what-it-s-all-about-from-what-i-could-see-you-could-get-a/) [William Safire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-safire/) > [When I need to know the meaning of a word, I look it up in a dictionary.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-safire/when-i-need-to-know-the-meaning-of-a-word-i-look-it-up-in-a-dictionary/) [William Safire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-safire/) > [A man who lies, thinking it is the truth, is an honest man, and a man who tells the truth, believing it to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-safire/a-man-who-lies-thinking-it-is-the-truth-is-an-honest-man-and-a-man/) [William Safire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-safire/) > [The Latin motto over Poindexter's new Pentagon office reads Scientia Est Potentia - "knowledge is power." Exactly: the government's infinite knowledge about you is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-safire/the-latin-motto-over-poindexter-s-new-pentagon-office-reads-scientia/) [William Safire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-safire/) > [English is a stretch language; one size fits all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-safire/english-is-a-stretch-language-one-size-fits-all/) [William Safire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-safire/) > [Today, war of necessity is used by critics of military action to describe unavoidable response to an attack like that on Pearl Harbor that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-safire/today-war-of-necessity-is-used-by-critics-of-military-action-to/) [William Safire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-safire/) > [To communicate, put your words in order; give them a purpose; use them to persuade, to instruct, to discover, to seduce.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-safire/to-communicate-put-your-words-in-order-give-them-a-purpose-use-them/) [William Safire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-safire/) > [“Chandler’s “She was blonde enough to make a bishop kick a hole through a stained-glass window”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-safire/chandler-s-she-was-blonde-enough-to-make-a-bishop-kick-a-hole-through/) [William Safire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-safire/) > [You don't overturn a previous court's decisions lightly and I think most Americans are somewhere in the middle on abortion and there's not going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-safire/you-don-t-overturn-a-previous-court-s-decisions-lightly-and-i-think/) [William Safire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-safire/) [Explore all 103 William Safire quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-safire/) ## More Grammar quotes > [Ill-fitting grammar are like ill-fitting shoes. You can get used to it for a bit, but then one day your toes fall off and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jasper-fforde/ill-fitting-grammar-are-like-ill-fitting-shoes-you-can-get-used-to-it/) [Jasper Fforde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jasper-fforde/) > [Ever since grammar school, I knew I wanted to be famous - I always wanted to be a singer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-hudson/ever-since-grammar-school-i-knew-i-wanted-to-be-famous-i-always/) [Jennifer Hudson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-hudson/) > [We have even done a weekend on Japanese grammar! Not that I know anything about Japanese grammar, but it was Kaz's idea, and it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-halifax/we-have-even-done-a-weekend-on-japanese-grammar-not-that-i-know/) [Joan Halifax](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-halifax/) > [The night is falling down around us. Meteors rain like fireworks, quick rips in the seam of the dark... Every second, another streak of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/the-night-is-falling-down-around-us-meteors-rain-like-fireworks-quick/) [Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/) > [A pronoun, too, will aptly reflect the number of its antecedent: "they" does not refer to one person, no matter how many personalities she…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-elizabeth-gordon/a-pronoun-too-will-aptly-reflect-the-number-of-its-antecedent-they/) [Karen Elizabeth Gordon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-elizabeth-gordon/) > [Spell check bails me out on the constant.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-yvars/spell-check-bails-me-out-on-the-constant/) [Daniel Yvars](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-yvars/) > [Writing is an act of faith, not a trick of grammar.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-b-white/writing-is-an-act-of-faith-not-a-trick-of-grammar/) [E. B. White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-b-white/) > [People from my sort of background needed grammar schools to compete with children from privileged homes like Shirley Williams and Anthony Wedgwood Benn.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-thatcher/people-from-my-sort-of-background-needed-grammar-schools-to-compete/) [Margaret Thatcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-thatcher/) > [I love the silent era because you can see the rules being written, the grammar of film being created. Most of my films are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-mckean/i-love-the-silent-era-because-you-can-see-the-rules-being-written-the/) [Dave McKean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-mckean/) > [“Sex is a matter of biology, while gender is a matter of grammar, and there is no earthly reason why sex should be involved…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-l-trask/sex-is-a-matter-of-biology-while-gender-is-a-matter-of-grammar-and/) [R.L. Trask](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-l-trask/) > [I wish those red, squiggly spellcheck lines would show up when some people talk.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-wish-those-red-squiggly-spellcheck-lines-would-show-up-when-some/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [ Leo Crowley, Harry \[Truman\]'s Foreign Economic Administrator, tells Congressmen the theory...: 'If you create good governments in foreign countries, automatically you will have better… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/leo-crowley-harry-truman-s-foreign-economic-administrator-tells/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [One of the things I like about my job is that it draws on the entire person: not just your knowledge of grammar and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-norris/one-of-the-things-i-like-about-my-job-is-that-it-draws-on-the-entire/) [Mary Norris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-norris/) > [“I felt mildly peculiar to be treasuring love letters for their grammar, but there was nothing else I could treasure them for.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-waterhouse/i-felt-mildly-peculiar-to-be-treasuring-love-letters-for-their/) [Keith Waterhouse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keith-waterhouse/) > [Hey autocorrect, stop messing with my damn curse words. You mother forklift.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/hey-autocorrect-stop-messing-with-my-damn-curse-words-you-mother/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) [Browse all 645 Grammar quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/grammar/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Not long ago, I advertised for perverse rules of grammar, along the lines of \"Remember to never split an infinitive\" and \"The passive voice should never be used.\" The notion of making a mistake while laying down rules (\"Thimk,\" \"We Never Make Misteaks\") is highly unoriginal, and it turns out that English teachers have been circulating lists of fumblerules for years. As owner of the world's largest collection, and with thanks to scores of readers, let me pass along a bunch of these never-say-neverisms: * Avoid run-on sentences they are hard to read. * Don't use no double negatives. * Use the semicolon properly, always use it where it is appropriate; and never where it isn't. * Reserve the apostrophe for it's proper use and omit it when its not needed. * Do not put statements in the negative form. * Verbs has to agree with their subjects. * No sentence fragments. * Proofread carefully to see if you any words out. * Avoid commas, that are not necessary. * If you reread your work, you will find on rereading that a great deal of repetition can be avoided by rereading and editing. * A writer must not shift your point of view. * Eschew dialect, irregardless. * And don't start a sentence with a conjunction. * Don't overuse exclamation marks!!! * Place pronouns as close as possible, especially in long sentences, as of 10 or more words, to their antecedents. * Writers should always hyphenate between syllables and avoid un-necessary hyph-ens. * Write all adverbial forms correct. * Don't use contractions in formal writing. * Writing carefully, dangling participles must be avoided. * It is incumbent on us to avoid archaisms. * If any word is improper at the end of a sentence, a linking verb is. * Steer clear of incorrect forms of verbs that have snuck in the language. * Take the bull by the hand and avoid mixed metaphors. * Avoid trendy locutions that sound flaky. * Never, ever use repetitive redundancies. * Everyone should be careful to use a singular pronoun with singular nouns in their writing. * If I've told you once, I've told you a thousand times, resist hyperbole. * Also, avoid awkward or affected alliteration. * Don't string too many prepositional phrases together unless you are walking through the valley of the shadow of death. * Always pick on the correct idiom. * \"Avoid overuse of 'quotation \"marks.\"'\" * The adverb always follows the verb. * Last but not least, avoid cliches like the plague; seek viable alternatives.\" ( New York Times , November 4, 1979; later also published in book form)”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "William Safire" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-safire/not-long-ago-i-advertised-for-perverse-rules-of-grammar-along-the/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Grammar" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-safire/not-long-ago-i-advertised-for-perverse-rules-of-grammar-along-the/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4af/william-safire-5116_grammar_not-long-ago-i-advertised-for-perverse-r_2066286.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4af/william-safire-5116_grammar_not-long-ago-i-advertised-for-perverse-r_2066286.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4af/william-safire-5116_grammar_not-long-ago-i-advertised-for-perverse-r_2066286.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Not long ago, I advertised for perverse rules of grammar, along the lines of \"Remember to never split an…” — William Safire", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "William Safire", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-safire/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“Not long ago, I advertised for...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-safire/not-long-ago-i-advertised-for-perverse-rules-of-grammar-along-the/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-safire/not-long-ago-i-advertised-for-perverse-rules-of-grammar-along-the/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```