“You shouldn’t end a sentence with a preposition at.” Tracy Jordan, 30 Rock
Hundreds of years ago, some grammar snob came up with the idea that we should never ever end sentences with prepositions, ever. For whatever reason, he determined these words were the worst possible way to enter into punctuation. And ever since, school-age children have been memorizing lists of prepositions and losing sleep about whether or not they ended papers with the dreaded words. (After spending countless class periods scratching out prepositional phrases with push-to-sharpen pencils.)
Yet – much like two spaces after the period – this grammar tactic just might be a myth. While English lovers still disagree on the subject, there’s plenty of evidence saying it’s all just a load of crap. Which is the exact stance I’ve taken. Why can’t we end a sentence with a specific list of words? Especially when they’re needed for clarity? Shouldn’t grammar encourage writing that makes more sense, not less?
Sure it might be sloppy to add in random “at”s or “with”s when the sentence in question means the same without them. Maybe even “wrong,” depending on popular opinion. For instance, “Where are you at?” vs. “Where are you?” But then there’s examples like, “Who are you with?” when omitting the “with” would create a very different question.
Who Are the “Grammar Police” Anyway?
The term “grammar police” and the more offensive “grammar Nazi” have become regular terms in recent years. And other than a self-appointed position, I have yet to meet anyone with a real badge. If these folks aren’t real law enforcement officers – and can’t enforce real tickets – why should we try so hard to appease their rules? Especially pointless ones like this? While some broken rules work to undermine our intelligence, others seem as though they’re in place simply to test our loyalty toward grammar decree.
It’s true that folks should always strive for proper spelling, tenses, punctuation placement, etc. – as all of these aspects can change a text’s meaning. (I too, have fallen victim.) But when “rules” actually undercut the written word, what’s the point?
Many, like me, have also decided to end with prepositions simply out of spite. There’s no real reason they shouldn’t act as the caboose. They don’t affect sentences, they don’t change meanings with proper writing, and they certainly don’t raise red flags every time they’re read. It was just an opinion that stuck.
A List of Prepositions, for Reference
Others’ Take on the Matter
In case you don’t want to take my word for it, see what these other, more skilled grammarians have to say on the matter.
- Grammar Girl – Ending a Sentence with a Preposition
- Oxford Dictionaries – Grammar Myth #1
- Get it Write (Tips for easy writing alternatives.)
- And finally the reasoning behind this thought on Slate.