How to use a semicolon. Learning English - Grammar, Vocabulary & Pronunciation. Welcome to NoRedInk! Complex sentence. Quick and Dirty Tips™ One of the most frequent questions I’m asked is whether it’s acceptable to end a sentence with a preposition. I know many of you were taught that you shouldn’t end a sentence with a preposition, but it’s a myth. In fact, I consider it one of the top ten grammar myths because many people believe it’s true, but nearly all grammarians disagree, at least in some cases (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8). So before I lose you, let's back up. What is a preposition? What Is a Preposition? A preposition is a word that creates a relationship between other words.
When Can a Sentence End with a Preposition? Here's an example of a sentence that can end with a preposition: What did you step on? I can hear some of you gnashing your teeth right now, while you think, “What about saying, 'On what did you step? '” I've read long arguments about why it's OK to end sentences with prepositions when the preposition isn't extraneous, but the driving point still seems to be “Normal people don't talk that way.” [Where you at?]