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    Ending A Sentence With A Preposition

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    Kez Max
    This document discusses the rule against ending sentences with prepositions. While this rule originated from Latin grammar, it is acceptable in English to end a sentence with a preposition if avoiding it creates an unclear or awkward sentence. However, in more formal academic writing, revising sentences to avoid ending with prepositions can maintain a scholarly voice. Examples are provided to illustrate acceptable and unacceptable uses of prepositions.

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    Ending A Sentence With A Preposition

    Uploaded by

    Kez Max
    207 views2 pages
    This document discusses the rule against ending sentences with prepositions. While this rule originated from Latin grammar, it is acceptable in English to end a sentence with a preposition if avoiding it creates an unclear or awkward sentence. However, in more formal academic writing, revising sentences to avoid ending with prepositions can maintain a scholarly voice. Examples are provided to illustrate acceptable and unacceptable uses of prepositions.

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    Ending a Sentence With a Preposition

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    This document discusses the rule against ending sentences with prepositions. While this rule originated from Latin grammar, it is acceptable in English to end a sentence with a preposition if avoiding it creates an unclear or awkward sentence. However, in more formal academic writing, revising sentences to avoid ending with prepositions can maintain a scholarly voice. Examples are provided to illustrate acceptable and unacceptable uses of prepositions.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as docx, pdf, or txt
    207 views2 pages

    Ending A Sentence With A Preposition

    Uploaded by

    Kez Max
    This document discusses the rule against ending sentences with prepositions. While this rule originated from Latin grammar, it is acceptable in English to end a sentence with a preposition if avoiding it creates an unclear or awkward sentence. However, in more formal academic writing, revising sentences to avoid ending with prepositions can maintain a scholarly voice. Examples are provided to illustrate acceptable and unacceptable uses of prepositions.

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    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as docx, pdf, or txt
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    Ending a Sentence With a Preposition

    At one time, schools taught students that a sentence should never end with
    a preposition. This rule is associated with Latin grammar, and while many
    aspects of Latin have made their way into English, there are times when
    following this particular grammar rule creates unclear or awkward sentence
    structures. Since the purpose of writing is to clearly communicate your
    ideas, it is acceptable to end a sentence with a preposition if the alternative
    would create confusion or is too overly formal.
    Example: The car had not been paid for. (Ends with a preposition but is
    acceptable)
    Unclear Revision: Paid for the car had not been. (Unclear sentence.)
     
    Example: I would like to know where she comes from. (Ends with a
    preposition but is acceptable)
    Overly Grammatical Revision: I would like to know from where she
    comes. (Grammatical but overly formal. Nobody actually speaks like this.)
     
    However, in academic writing, you may decide that it is worth revising your
    sentences to avoid ending with a preposition in order to maintain a more
    formal scholarly voice.
    Example: My research will focus on the community the students lived in.
    Revision: My research will focus on the community in which the students
    lived.
     
    Example: I like the people I am working with.
    Revision: I like the people with whom I am working.
    Prepositional Phrases and Wordiness
    Like with pronouns, too many prepositional phrases can create wordiness
    in a sentence:
    Example: The author chose the mixed-method design to explain that the
    purpose of the study was to explore the leadership qualities of the
    principals in the schools as a means to gauge teacher satisfaction in the
    first year of teaching.
    This type of sentence could be shortened and condensed to minimize the
    prepositional phrases and bring clarity to the writer's intent:
    Revision: The author chose the mixed-method design to explore the
    principals' leadership qualities and their impact on first-year teachers'
    satisfaction.
    Unnecessary Prepositions
    If the preposition is unnecessary, leave it out. This creates more clear and
    concise writing.
    Example: Where are the plates at?
    Revision: Where are the plates?
     
    Example: She jumped off of the balance beam.
    Revision: She jumped off the balance beam.

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