Language changes all the time. Even though grammar changes more slowly than
vocabulary, it is not a set of unalterable rules. There are sometimes disagreements
about what is correct English and what is incorrect. 'Incorrect' grammar is often
used in informal speech. Does that make it acceptable? Where there is a difference
between common usage and opinions about correctness, I have pointed this out.
This information is important for learners. In some situations it may be safer for
them to use the form which is traditionally seen as correct. The use of a correct
form in an unsuitable context, however, can interfere with understanding just as
much as a mistake. To help learners to use language which is appropriate for a
given occasion, I have frequently marked usages as formal, informal, literary
and so on.
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