The word police often target this humble adverb. But have they really thought it through?
Harris Academy Upper Norwood's list of banned words. Photograph: @artsemergency
Should you ever begin a sentence with an adverb? Basically, there's nothing wrong with it. Oops: I have just committed a wordcrime heinous to some sensitive souls. The popularity of "basically", especially among young English-speakers, sorely offends older ears, including those attached to the head of Harris Academy in Upper Norwood. The school has recently specified "formal language zones", where one must not use the words "ain't" or "bare" (who knows how the poor pupils will get all the way through some future school production of The Jungle Book? Are they supposed to sing "The Very Necessities"?), and one must not, no never, begin a sentence with "basically".
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