In the English language, there are grammatical constructions that many native speakers use unquestioningly yet certain writers call incorrect. Differences of usage or opinion may stem from differences between formal and informal speech and other matters of register, differences among dialects (whether regional, class-based, generational, or other), difference between the social norms of spoken and written English, and so forth. Disputes may arise when style guides disagree, when an older standard gradually loses traction, or when a guideline or judgment is confronted by large amounts of conflicting evidence or has its rationale challenged.
Examples
Some of the sources that consider some of the following examples incorrect consider the same examples to be acceptable in dialects other than Standard English or in an informal register; others consider certain constructions to be incorrect in any variety of English. On the other hand, many or all of the following examples are considered correct by some sources.
- Generic you – e.g., "Brushing your teeth is a good habit" as opposed to "Brushing one's teeth is a good habit" or "My friend left their sweater here"
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- Flat adverbs – e.g., "Drive safe" as opposed to "Drive safely" "It sure is" as opposed to "It surely is."
- Split infinitives – e.g., "To boldly go where no man has gone before" as opposed to "To go boldly where no man has gone before"
- The use of less or fewer with count nouns