“Use whom, not who.” “Don’t split your infinitives.” “Use appropriate personal pronouns when talking about yourself.”

Grammar rules are here to keep us in check, but it doesn’t mean they can’t be broken. Often you’ll see infographics listing rules like they’re gospel; stuff like, “Don’t use double negatives” or, “Know the difference between that and which”.

In reality, some grammar rules are more of a guideline than a law. When you know the rules, these can be expertly appropriated to give your speech flair and personality.

The problem is that not everyone understands that grammar is meant to be played with. You’ve probably experienced at least one person telling you that “to whom are you speaking with” is the only acceptable form of that question.

It’s technically right, but does it make sense? Communication is all about translating thoughts into words, and if you’re not making sense to your audience, why bother talking at all?

We’ve listed below some of the most common grammar rules people like to throw around, and how they could be altered to suit your needs. With the right context, these can be bent to your will to turn you into the ideal communicator.

Check out The Expert Editor’s 15 rules it’s okay to break infographic: