branching out

I just had a conversation at work about grammar rules governing the non-splitting of infinitives (i.e. acceptable cases). The conversation turned to the rule regarding not ending a sentence with a preposition. That's not really the rule, rather every preposition must have an object, and usually if the preposition falls at the end of the sentence, it is superfluous and object-less. "Where are you at?" is wrong because the "at" is redundant and object-less. "Certain things I will not put up with." while poorly constructed, is okay as "things" is the object of "with." I recalled getting into it with a boss who was a grammar moron who insisted I include a terribly constructed sentence in a formal communication. I had to diagram the sentence out for her to make my case.

At which point the older people in the room said, "Ah...diagraming..." And the younger ones said "Huh?"

I recall in seventh and eighth grade thinking I would never use the knowledge of how to diagram a sentence in real life. I wish someone had told me, "someday you will enjoy using it to show someone they are wrong."

And of course, "it will make you speak and write gooder."