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Sentences (specially when people are talking) finished with words like with,to,from (prepositions ). Example:

Whom am I speaking with ? (Not only in questions )

I don't understand how to use and meaning ? Sorry for the bad English

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  • Welcome to ELL! Are you referring to the "rule" some people have that prepositions shouldn't go at the end of sentences? Or are you asking about which prepositions should be used with what sentences, or something else?
    – Nathan Tuggy
    Mar 22, 2016 at 8:14
  • I'm asking about the sentence that finshes with prepositions like with,to,from,about like that for an example,
    – user319802
    Mar 22, 2016 at 8:16
  • The staunchest of grammarists look down upon ending sentences with prepositions, but for a lot of us (including me) it's not such a big deal now. Besides, as Churchill once purportedly said, "This is the type of arrant pedantry up with which I will not put."
    – John Clifford
    Mar 22, 2016 at 8:28
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    Possible duplicate of Is ending a sentence with a preposition acceptable?
    – Alan Carmack
    Mar 22, 2016 at 9:53
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    @AlanCarmack, the question is not "is it acceptable", but "how to use". J.R.'s answer does address the question, unlike the question you referred to.
    – JavaLatte
    Mar 22, 2016 at 10:13

1 Answer 1

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Most sentences that end with prepositions fall into one of three categories:

  1. The sentence is actually ending with a phrasal verb (a verb and preposition that work together as a single verb unit).

Examples:

I saw the building blow up. (blow up is a phrasal verb)
Please remember to turn the lights off. (turn sth off is a phrasal verb)
I don't feel like cooking tonight, so let's eat out. (eat out is a phrasal verb)

  1. The sentence that starts with an object and a "to be" verb, but could be rephrased to put that object after the preposition.

Examples:

Here are the keys I was looking for. (could be: I was looking for these keys.)
Jim is someone I can't get along with. (could be: I can't get along with Jim.)
That is an issue I just don't care about. (could be: I just don't care about that issue.)

  1. The sentence is actually a question that ends with a preposition or phrasal verb.

Examples:

Who are you looking for?
What are you looking at?
Where are you from?

Occasionally, you might find a sentence that ends with a preposition because it is poorly worded. This led to a mantra that said, "You shouldn't end a sentence with a preposition." However, there are plenty of occasions where it's perfectly fine to end a sentence with a preposition, so this guidance is often called a "myth" instead of a "rule." For what it's worth, Grammar Girl put "Don't end a sentence with a preposition" at the top of her Top 10 Grammar Myths.

Consider these two examples:

Let me spread the frosting on.

Some might argue that sentence could be improved, either by being more specific:

Let me spread the frosting on the cake.

or by omitting the preposition altogether, because it's unnecessary:

Let me spread the frosting.

Sometimes, though, it's best to leave the preposition alone! For example:

Let me help you take your coat off.

You would not want to say, "Let me help you take your coat." Also, "Let me help you take your coat off your body" would sound awkward, too. A purist would say that it could be reworded:

Let me help you take off your coat.

but "take your coat off" sounds normal and idiomatic, and most people wouldn't consider it bad form.

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  • Thanks J R, I'm talking about the 2nd and 3 rd sentence patterns, could you further explain me about those two ?
    – user319802
    Mar 22, 2016 at 9:23

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