prescriptive grammar

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noun

an approach to grammar that is concerned with establishing norms of correct and incorrect usage and formulating rules based on these norms to be followed by users of the language.

a set of grammatical rules based on such an approach.

QUIZZES

QUIZ YOURSELF ON “THEIR,” “THERE,” AND “THEY’RE”

Are you aware how often people swap around “their,” “there,” and “they’re”? Prove you have more than a fair grasp over these commonly confused words.

Question 1 of 7

Which one of these commonly confused words can act as an adverb or a pronoun?

their

there

they're

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Origin of prescriptive grammar

First recorded in 1930–35

Words nearby prescriptive grammar

prescribe, prescript, prescriptible, prescription, prescriptive, prescriptive grammar, prescriptivism, prescriptivist, prescutum, preseason, preselect

Example sentences from the Web for prescriptive grammar

At his best, he was an inventor of part of the modern cinema's grammar.
Alfred Hitchcock’s Fade to Black: The Great Director’s Final Days|David Freeman|December 13, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Fear of offending the grammar police can even produce a novel type of error called a hypercorrection.
Go Ahead, End With a Preposition: Grammar Rules We All Can Live With|Nick Romeo|November 3, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The fact that some prescriptive rules are valuable does not mean that every grammatical injunction should be obeyed.
Go Ahead, End With a Preposition: Grammar Rules We All Can Live With|Nick Romeo|November 3, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The outraged grammar stickler mistakes a convention for an immutable and fundamental law of the universe.
Go Ahead, End With a Preposition: Grammar Rules We All Can Live With|Nick Romeo|November 3, 2014|DAILY BEAST

When you approached T.I., London Grammar, and Fall Out Boy to do this, what was their initial response to it?
How Questlove Is Bringing Music Back to Television|Kevin Fallon|July 23, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The second grammar class had been relieved from a recitation by this confab, and somehow Perry had a subduing influence.
The Soldier of the Valley|Nelson Lloyd
A barber having a dispute with a parish clerk on a point of grammar, the latter said it was a downright barbarism, indeed.
The Book of Anecdotes and Budget of Fun;|Various
French, the English Grammar, and the rudiments of Latin comprised the only systematic training which she received.
The Childhood of Distinguished Women|Selina A. Bower
There was Cliff Manning, you turned the cold shoulder to him because he couldnt talk grammar.
Tessa Wadsworth's Discipline|Jennie M. Drinkwater
He wouldnt talk grammar, or he couldnt spell or read Greek, and she will turn away, laughed Mrs. Wadsworth.
Tessa Wadsworth's Discipline|Jennie M. Drinkwater

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