Mind your language Common errors

Rule Sentences should not end with a preposition. Robbie Love, a Lancaster University researcher, said this was often flouted: “The idea is that you shouldn’t say, ‘where did you come from?’ and you should say, ‘from where did you come?’”

Rule “Who” should refer to the subject and “whom” the object.

Mr Love said: “People aren’t always thinking about the subject or the object so the distinction is breaking down. You can see why, because they are very similar words.”

Rule Do not use double negatives.

“A stereotypical example is ‘I didn’t do nothing’,” Mr Love said. “But that does happen, and it has a function.”