Dec 12 2007
“Where’s the meeting at?”
What’s wrong with the title of this writing tip? If you’re thinking, “It ends with a preposition,” you’re right. You’re not supposed to end sentences with prepositions (in, on, to, at, by, for, during, with, etc.).
WRONG: Where’s the meeting at?
RIGHT: Where’s the meeting?
However, even the most militant grammarians break this rule occasionally for the sake of clarity. Winston Churchill was once scolded for saying, “This is the sort of English I won’t put up with.” Tongue in cheek, he offered the following correction: “This is the sort of English up with which I shall not put.” He made his point.
Special Note: Send Me Your Problems!
Some of you have asked if I could help you with specific writing issues. My answer is yes. Send me a comment with a piece of text you have written (nothing too long, please) and tell me what has you stumped or doesn’t seem right. I’ll do my best to get to the bottom of it and we’ll invite others to comment with their ideas or suggestions. Let’s make this a valuable, interactive learning experience. To contact me, click here.
