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Pastimes : SI Grammar and Spelling Lab
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To: Anaxagoras who wrote (1630)12/1/1998 5:13:00 PM
From: jbe  Read Replies (2) of 4711
 
One should not use the passive when s/he can use the active instead,

Stylistic Dictum #4339 itself stands in need of revision, as follows:

One should not use the passive when one can use the active instead.

The whole point of using "one" (which some people find pretentious) is to get out of that he/she dilemma.

Incidentally, I am shocked to find that more and more descriptivists (among whom I would normally include myself) are now willing to allow the following barbarous construction:

Everyone should avoid the passive when they can use the active instead.

Yuck! I still can't stand that! For the time being, I will stick to he/she, but I see the end coming...More on that anon.

jbe
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