<p>So I do write a lot, and I consider myself a decent writer. Every good writer breaks the rules sometimes. Most good essays I've read know how to break rules to sound less formal and more realistic. I really want my application essay to be a true representation of myself, and I was wondering whether it is okay in these essays to break a few rules in situations where it is obviously not a mistake, rather a stylistic choice. For example, would it be okay to start a sentence with "But, ..." when it is obvious that you know what you're doing with it? --or would readers not like that? I want to maintain a tone that sounds both academic and conversational. Are intentional stylistic errors like this okay?</p>
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<p>Is that even incorrect in the first place? I’ve always read that it’s acceptable.</p>
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<p>Yes…I doubt most people even know all the rules of grammar anyway. We break them all the time without even knowing it.</p>
<p>I wanted to bring your thread back to see if other people had opinions. </p>
<p>Specifically, I have a sentence where I use the form “this and this and this” for a series instead of “this, this, and this.”
(Example I didn’t write: “of shoes and ships and sealing wax.”)
I did it because I liked the singsong quality it imparted to the sentence.</p>
<p>@Addisonh11 I was struggling with that too, but ultimately decided it isn’t necessary. What’s the point in starting a sentence with “but” if it isn’t meant to be that way. Why can’t you just continue the sentence with “,but” ? Consider that. However, in other cases, I’d say it really depends on what rule you’re breaking. </p>
<p>@halcyonheather I think that’s fine. Not only that, but it also didn’t even catch my attention that you were breaking a grammar rule. I was too distracted by the catching alliteration. I had to reread your sentiment to see what was wrong. </p>
<p>of course these are just my opinions.</p>
<p>Yeah, I definitely think writing is one of those things that should have no rigid rules, apart from basic grammar of course like pronoun and singular/plural verb usage.
Besides, that sort of syntax is how you can make yourself stand out and really create a picture of who you are.</p>