Ending a Sentence with a Preposition - Is It a Grammatical Sin?

The question, "can we use prepositions at the end of sentences?" or "is ending a sentence with a preposition bad?" is the central theme of this article which this article best answers with the help of a collection of proofs and pieces of evidence from authentic websites and literary books written by literary writers. 

This article covers:

• What is a preposition?
• What are dangling prepositions?
• Can you end a sentence with a preposition?
• Ending a sentence with a preposition history
• Evidence for ending a sentence with a preposition
• Ending a sentence with a preposition examples
• What is the rule about ending a sentence with a preposition?
• Is ending sentences with prepositions bad?
• Summary: can you end a sentence with a preposition?
• FAQs - Ending a Sentence with a Preposition

In order that you can clearly understand whether ending a sentence with a preposition is grammatically fine or not, you need to know how and why this controversial grammar topic (can you end a sentence with a preposition?) emerged. To do so, you need to once go through the basics of preposition, dangling prepositions and the historical background to the idea of ending a sentence with a preposition. 

What is a Preposition?

A preposition is a word or a group of words that shows the relationship (of time, place or movement for instance) between two parts of speech. That is, a preposition links a noun, pronoun or a noun phrase to another part of speech and indicates the relationship of time, place or movement for example to the other part of speech in a sentence.

As the pronoun, noun and noun phrase that are used after prepositions become their objects, they are actually in the objective case either in form as is the case with personal pronouns or in place as is the case with a noun or noun phrase. 

As the function of a preposition is to link a noun, noun phrase or pronoun to other parts of speech in a sentence and to show relationship between them, a preposition is immediately followed by its object. (grammar rule)

What are Dangling Prepositions?

A preposition that is used at the end of a sentence is called a dangling preposition. Dangling prepositions are also known as hanging or stranding prepositions. The objects of dangling or hanging prepositions are usually at the beginning of a sentence. 

The objects of dangling prepositions are not used immediately after the prepositions. That is, there's no preposition + object order when using dangling prepositions-separation of the preposition from its object. Here are a few examples of ending sentences with dangling prepositions:

a. This is what I'm thinking about.

b. What are you looking at?

c. Where are you going to?

d. Where do you come from?

e. What are you concerned about?

Ending a Sentence with a Preposition History

Now when the English language users started to finish off their sentences with a preposition such as of, with or about in the end, it led to the emergence of the most controversial grammar question, "should we end a sentence with a preposition?". 

The general rule of Joshua Poole about the placing prepositions in their natural orders and ending a sentence with a preposition, John Dryden's admonition of Ben Johnson for his ending a sentence with a preposition and some teachers' advising against a preposition at the end of a sentence all contributed to the creation of the so-called self-made rule that ending a sentence with a preposition is bad. 

So, basically, the 17th century grammarians raised the question whether we should end a sentence with a preposition after the natural orders of prepositions were discussed by Poole in his book The English Accidence.

What is the Rule about Ending a Sentence with a Preposition?

Joshua Poole's General Rule 

According to Merriam-Webster, an obscure grammarian named Joshua Poole is the one who this made-up rule is attributed to. In his book, The English Accidence, Poole was primarily concerned with the placement of prepositions in their natural orders. He was not especially concerned with ending a sentence with a preposition. 

John Dryden's Admonition of Ben Johnson

Merriam-Webster states that John Dryden, an English poet and literary critic, criticized Ben Johnson, an English playwright for ending his sentences with prepositions. While Poole created the rule against ending a sentence with a preposition, John Dryden popularized it. 

Both of them attempted to make English grammar similar to that of Latin in which prepositions cannot be used at the end of sentences, considering that many English grammar rules are based on those of Latin. 

The thing that is said about these two writers, Poole and Dryden is that something natural and popular cannot be changed with two individuals' bent of mind and so-called desire to make English grammar in line with that of Latin. That is, ending a sentence with a preposition is so natural and popular now that no one can prevent themselves from doing it.

Winston Churchill's Statement

The statement of Winston Churchill, Former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom: "This is the sort of nonsense up with which I will not put." is often quoted to prove that we should not end a sentence with a preposition. 

The first thing about this quotation is that whether this quotation is real or fake is not known to us. The second thing is that, even though we accept the authenticity of this quotation, we can't actually create a rule based on a single person's statement. 

Evidence for Ending a Sentence with a Preposition

After the 20th century, it's, without any debate and discussion, acceptable and natural to end a sentence with a preposition, for a sentence not ending in a preposition even becomes awkward. Have a look at the below-given example sentences which don't end in terminal prepositions:

• This is the person about whom I was talking then.
• "the sort of nonsense up with which I will not put."

If you just try to speak the sentences, you will realize that they disturb your natural flow in speech. Ending sentences with prepositions is so frequent in the writings of today's writers that it needs no mention. 

When you read English short stories, novels and essays, you find a lot of situations in which using prepositions at the end of the sentences is frequent. 

Also refer to Britannica to know about the topic under discussion. 

Summary: Can You End a Sentence with a Preposition?

Yes, ending a sentence with a preposition is perfectly fine now. Using prepositions at the end of sentences is not a grammatical sin or mistake. You can use prepositions at the end of your sentences without any hesitation.

As to the made-up rule against ending a sentence with a preposition, much has been written in this article that it is not a rule at all, that the English language has its own grammars, that the attempt of two individuals to make it a grammar rule is futile, that the statement of Churchill is fake.

Also read: As Me or As I?

FAQs - Ending a Sentence with a Preposition

What is ending a sentence with a preposition?

Ending a sentence with a preposition means using a preposition at the end of the sentence whose object is mentioned somewhere in the beginning of the sentence as in "This is the person who I was talking about."

Is Ending Sentences with Prepositions Bad?

No, ending sentences with a preposition is perfectly fine. You can use prepositions at the end of your sentences. For details, read the entire article. 

Is Ending a Sentence with a Preposition a Mistake?

No, ending a sentence with a preposition is not a grammatical sin or mistake. There's no rule which states ending a sentence with a preposition is wrong.

Examples of ending a sentence with a preposition

1. This is what I was thinking of.

2. This is the person I'm speaking about

3. What are you looking at?

4. Which book are you talking about?

5. What time will you leave at?

6. Which country are you leaving for?

7. What is this for?

Ending a sentence with at

1. Who are you looking at?

2. Who are you staring at?

3. What time will you leave at?