Tuesday, October 27, 2009
CPW: Grammar Grater Episode 20: Unfinished Business
Listen to the podcast entitled "Grammar Grater Episode 20: Unfinished Business." Do you think that the rule about not ending a sentence with a preposition is old-fashioned? Is this a rule that should be ignored by professors/grammarians? Do you agree or disagree with Mr. Taylor's argument that restructuring the sentence can make the sentence sound "clunky?"
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Yes I agree, mainly because it can make a sentence wound awkward if an extra word is not needed. I think that professors should take into consideration this old ritual but then again I think it is up to the student to decide whether they will follow this rule or not.
ReplyDeleteI agree with ashley, it can make a sentence awkward. However, not all sentences sound bad with a preposition at the end. It all depends on if the writer can pull it off.
ReplyDeleteI think it depends on if the sentence sounds good or not. If the preposition is needed, then by all means, use it, but if not, then don't add unneeded words.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Ashley and Ainesley, mainly because I do not understand what this entry is talking about. But from what I read, a sentence will sound weird if there is an extra word that does not need to be there to complete the thought of the sentence.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Jaina J,
ReplyDeleteSome people just add those extra words that do not fit with sentence at all, I think they just want to sound cool with those special words.
I agree with Ainesley that it depends on the writer's ability to pull it off.
ReplyDeleteI think this rule is old-fashioned. In my opinion, its okay to end the sentence with a preposition today because that is how people talk. If you were to restructure a sentence so it did not end with a preposition then it would sound awkward and "clunky" like Mr. Taylor suggested. I do not think this rule should be taken into condiseration in some instances and not be ignored.
ReplyDeleteIt would only make sence to use preposition words when you need them. just like Maddie W was saying, it is how people talk these days; if they talk like that in real life then they will also write that way.
ReplyDeleteYes I think that sometimes it can make the sentence sound clunky. But you don't always have to have an exrta word. I think that you can always restructure a sentence to make it sound better and straight to the point. I think that professors shouldn't mark us down for it, because sometimes with more detail it can sound better and have a better flow.
ReplyDeleteI think that this rule should be ignored by teachers. When the sentences are changed to the correct way they do not sound good. As long as the sentence makes since then it should be okay to use. The example they used was "are you coming with?". That still sounds good even if it does end in a preposition. Restructuring the sentence makes it sound clunky. This rule is too old fashioned and should not be used in this day in age.
ReplyDeleteNo, I do not think that this rule is old fashioned. I believe it is a very useful rule. It depends on the sentence and how the the sentence sounds and the flow of the words on whether or not you should apply this rule. I think professors/grammarians should not ignore the rule but they also should not make it mandatory to follow and use it. I agree with Mr.Taylor that it can make the sentence sound "clunky" if you restructure it.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Whitney T.. If the sentence looks correct and works why chane it? It's an old fashioned rule, we are in the 21st century it's okay if some things change.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Ashley and Jaina.. they both make good, strong points. Professors should teach what is meant to be taught, but keeping unneccesary words out of a sentence is still a good plan. I guess that sentence structure and fluency are more important than I had thought...
ReplyDeleteI think that if the sentence makes sense and is specific enough, then their is no need to reconstruct. Mr. Taylor does make good points but it just depends on the sentence and the preposition being used.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Jaina J.
ReplyDeleteSometimes people add words just to fill the required amount of words neede. Although, sometimes they can be useful. But these circumstances depend on the type of assignment given.
Ashley D. and Ainesley J.,
ReplyDeleteI agree with you both, having a preposition at the end of a sentence can make the sentence sound awkward and confusing. But just like Ainesley J. said, it may not always sound awkward and it all depends on whether the writer is smart enough to pull off such a sentence.
I think that if the sentence makes sense, then it should be just fine. However, Mr. Taylor does make some good points and explanations. Josh H.
ReplyDeleteEnding a sentence with a preposition may at times be awkward but there is a time and place for everything. It may be best to check with your teacher or professor before using anything in a paper though, to find out their view or preference on the issue. Mr. Taylor definitely has good arguments, but I have seen examples that have made it work.
ReplyDelete