
“NEVER end a sentence with a preposition,” so say some grammar gurus. Grammargirl.com says this is one of the top ten myths of writing!
Prepositions define the relationships between other words and show time, space, or position.
Example: Please put the skeleton in the closet; I’ll meet you at the drugstore after the concert.
A persistent myth is that a preposition should never come at the end of a sentence. (Example: “What did you step on” or “Where are you at?”). Some argue it should be worded as ‘On what did you step?” Sounds awkward, right? And wouldn’t it be better to say, “Where are you?” like a normal person?
The origins of this custom come from the Latin which states a preposition cannot come after its target word. In English, it may create a phrase sounding tortured instead of something natural and spontaneous. If it’s a phrasal verb such as “cheer up” or “let down” or “what’s up”- then it’s perfectly fine to use the preposition on the end.
As a general rule, you may want to avoid ending sentences in prepositions simply because of readers’ expectations. If the rewording sounds awkward, however, definitely leave the preposition at the end. If you can leave off the preposition and the sentence still makes sense, leave it off. *(see what I did there?)
Thank you for the confirmation concerning prepositions, which I believe merits some levity. Now that I’ve gotten a bit older, whenever I reposition my body I must prepare for it, so I first get in my prep-position. Always loved your stuff—keep it coming.
LikeLike