The book’s toxic mix of purism, atavism, and personal eccentricity is not underpinned by a proper grounding in English grammar. It is often so misguided that the authors appear not to notice ...

Basic grammar books have existed since the 16th century, but it wasn’t until the 18th that guides like Robert Baker’s “Reflections on the English Language” (1770) and James Elphinston’s ...