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In these sentences:

“You have been riding the same bus for years, but only now have you noticed what the driver looks like!”

And

“It's better than the rubbish you listen to.”

The prepositions “like” and “to” are the ending of sentences. If I want to put them before “notice” and “listen”, how can I do this acceptably?

If do like this:

“You have been riding the same bus for years, but only now have you noticed like how / like what the driver looks!”

And:

“It's better than the rubbish to which you listen.”

are these acceptable?

Edwin Ashworth
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Stanley
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  • Are you trying to rephrase the sentences only because you don't think prepositions should be at the end? – Jason Bassford Jun 24 '18 at 09:04
  • It’s said that preposition shouldn’t be at the end of the sentence in formal writing. Even it makes sense but will give readers confused feelings. That’s why I’m trying to replace it. – Stanley Jun 24 '18 at 09:22
  • It's a myth. One of the most pernicious rumours started by a small number of people who simply didn't like it. Almost any authoritative grammar source will tell you the idea is simply false. – Jason Bassford Jun 24 '18 at 09:28
  • Neither of your sentences can be rephrased in a way that would make them sound better. I actually think it's impossible to rephrase the first one without rewriting it. As for the second: "Same goes for that to which you listen." But that sounds terrible. – Jason Bassford Jun 24 '18 at 09:37
  • Thanks Mr Bassford! I will not try to replace preposition from now, I think. By the way, because I can’t post questions at the moment, may I ask you a question? The phrase “unconscious and habitual physiological and emotional reactions” make sense for you? – Stanley Jun 24 '18 at 09:38
  • I figured out the first sentence by simply dropping like altogether: " . . .only now have you noticed how the driver looks." (Which also doesn't sound as good.) As for that other phrase, it's fine. – Jason Bassford Jun 24 '18 at 09:59
  • I'd just like to add it is not wrong to end a sentence with a preposition, say in conversation but it would look awkward in formal writing. I think it's better reserved for informal contexts. Almost any sentence that ends in a preposition can be paraphrased. – aesking Jun 24 '18 at 13:10
  • @aesking Thanks for your comment. What do you think if you read an ebook in which has sentences that end with preposition? – Stanley Jun 24 '18 at 13:29
  • It's fine in quoted or indirect speech, but if I were to see it elsewhere I wouldn't want to read it and see it as idiomatic/chatty. It's the same with starting sentences with a conjunction, while "acceptable", very rarely do you see a book with sentences starting with a conjunction. Though some would say it's a matter of style. You could certainly use it for characterisation or emphasis: "He smiled at me before departing. And that was the last I'd ever seen him smile since." – aesking Jun 24 '18 at 14:09
  • @aesking Actually, I don’t know how to deal with it. I can’t neither leave the prepositions at the end of sentences nor replace it. About the conjunction, I still have sentences that start with “And”, “But”, and “Or”. I think I should consider to fix them. It’s easier to fix than preposition above. – Stanley Jun 24 '18 at 15:25
  • Here are two stories about ending a sentence with a preposition that may be amusing. (1) Winston Churchill, having been admonished not to end a sentence with a preposition, is said to have responded testily, "That is pure nonsense, up with which I shall not put!" (2) A young girl, not satisfied with the bedtime story her parent was reading to her one evening, complained "What did you bring that book I didn't want to be read to out of up for?" – tautophile Jun 24 '18 at 15:31
  • @Stanley like I said it's fine in quoted speech, so there's no "need" to fix them. – aesking Jun 24 '18 at 16:51
  • Thank you all. I just rewrote the second sentence. “The same thing happens to (for/with) (the) music. So which word is correct choice? To or for or with and with or without “the.” – Stanley Jun 24 '18 at 17:15

1 Answers1

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Although it's commonly thought to be incorrect, it's actually okay to end a sentence with a preposition in modern English. Trying to rearrange it to not be at the end usually sounds awkward, and most people would have trouble understanding exactly what you're saying.

metan00b
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