Can you end sentences with prepositions?

Were you taught that a preposition should never be placed at the end of a sentence? There are times when it would be rather awkward to organize a sentence in a way that would avoid doing this, for example:

• in some passive expressions:

√ The dress had not even been paid for.

X Paid for the dress had not even been.

√ The match was rained off.

X Rained off was the match.

• in relative clauses and questions that include verbs with linked adverbs or prepositions:

√ What did you put that there for?

X For what [reason] did you put that there?

√ They must be convinced of the commitment they are taking on.

X Of the commitment they are taking on they must be convinced.

There’s no necessity to ban prepositions from the end of sentences. Ending a sentence with a preposition is a perfectly natural part of the structure of modern English.

Learn more about prepositions, their relationship with other elements, and other grammar tips on thesaurus.com.

You may also be interested in

Split infinitives

Double negatives

Dangling participles

See more from Grammar tips