The rule: Never end a sentence with a preposition.
The origin of the rule: Several grammatical conventions in the English language grew out of the rules of Latin. The word "preposition" itself describes the rule: "pre" means "before" and "position" comes from the verb that means "to put; to place," so "preposition" means "placed before." Latin sentence structure almost always features the proposition before the object of the preposition.
Many grammarians, English teachers, and style guide authors favor a strict interpretation of this rule and maintain that sentences containing a terminal preposition should be rewritten to avoid this structure. Others believe that in certain situations, rewriting sentences to avoid terminal prepositions results in syntax that is excessively formal or awkward. In some instances, restructuring the syntax may result in a change in the meaning or the effect of the original sentence.
Standardized examinations may contain questions with terminal prepositions; when choosing an answer, look for one without a preposition at the end of the sentence. Whether to use terminal prepositions in your own writing is a stylistic decision; however, remember your audience as you write, and if there is a chance that your reader(s) may object to the use of terminal prepositions, structure your sentences to avoid them.
Review these example sentences to familiarize yourself with the applications and shortcomings of this rule.
She is the woman I spoke with.
Sentences with this type of structure are common in informal speech and writing, but they are not considered to be correct according to the rules of standard American English. The syntax of the sentence can be changed to avoid the terminal preposition.
She is the woman with whom I spoke.
In the original sentence, the relative pronoun "whom" was omitted. (The omission of relative pronouns like "whom" and "that" is generally acceptable.) This version of the sentence places the proposition before its object. While this syntax is somewhat formal, it conforms to the terminal preposition rule.
I spoke with that woman.
This revision avoids the terminal preposition by removing the relative pronoun and making "that woman" the object of the preposition. Some people may argue that a change even as minor as this can change the effect of the sentence. In the original version, the subject is "she"; this may focus more attention on "she" than on "I" or affect the meaning of the sentence in other subtle ways. A writer chooses certain sentence structures for specific purposes, and varying the syntax can change the meaning and style and effect of the writing.
I am having a party. Would you like to come over?
Some prepositions can also act as adverbs. In this sentence, "over" functions as an adverb ("come where?") and as such, it does not have an object. It is not a terminal preposition.
I have so much music that I don't know what to listen to.
Some prepositions are part of pairings with verbs that create specific meanings. In this sentence, "to" is a preposition that is part of the pairing "listen to"; the object of the preposition is "what." Restructuring the sentence to avoid the terminal preposition can be awkward ("I have so much music that I don't know to what I should listen."). The sentence can be rewritten in many ways (e.g. "I want to listen to some music, but I am overwhelmed by my collection."); different versions may have different meanings. Avoiding the terminal preposition with this type of sentence structure can affect the style of the writing.
We are going to the movies. Do you want to come with?
In the regional American colloquialism "come with," the preposition "with" functions as an adverb. This is incorrect because "with" is not an adverb. In this type of sentence structure, the preposition "with" does not have an object. While it is easy to assume that the object of the preposition is "us," this sort of omission is not standard.
We are going to the movies. Do you want to come with us?
This version of the sentence corrects the error by making the objective pronoun "us" the object of the preposition "with."
