A View of Seven Writing “Rules”

Based on 200 responses from people who teach legal writing:


It’s a rule
Sensible
suggestion
Mistaken
or misguided
Do not begin a sentence with but. 5% 26% 69%
Do not begin a sentence with and. 11% 28% 61%
Do not begin a sentence with however. 1% 22% 77%
Do not end a sentence with a preposition. 16% 37% 47%
Do not split an infinitive. 9% 32% 59%
Do not split a verb phrase. 2% 26% 72%
Do not separate a be verb from its complement. 3% 21% 76%

Here’s what I think:

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