Prepositions at the End (Informal)

In formal English, prepositions stay with their objects. You might say: "The person with whom I am talking." That sounds very fancy. It is perfect for a royal wedding. But for a coffee shop? Not so much. In informal English, we move that preposition. We push it to the very end of the clause. The relative pronoun whom usually changes to who or that. Sometimes, we even delete the pronoun entirely! This creates a "dangling" preposition. Don't worry, it won't fall off. It stays there to show the relationship between words. It connects the action back to the person or thing. It is like a bungee cord for your sentence. It stretches out but stays connected to the start.

1. 1Moving a preposition is a simple process. Follow these steps to transform your sentences:
2. 2Identify the formal relative clause. Look for to whom or in which.
3. 3Move the preposition to the end of the sentence.
4. 4Change whom to who or that for people.
5. 5Change which to that for things.
6. 6Optional: Remove the relative pronoun entirely if it is an object.
7. 7Let's look at a quick transformation.
8. 8Formal: "The house in which I live."
9. 9Informal: "The house I live in."
10. 10See? It is much shorter and easier to say. It feels lighter and faster.

You should use this pattern almost everywhere. Use it when ordering food at a restaurant. "Is this the burger I asked for?" sounds great. Use it when talking to your friends. "She is the girl I was telling you about." Use it in casual work emails. "Here is the file you were looking for." It shows you are relaxed and confident. It builds a bridge between you and the listener. It is the "jeans and t-shirt" of English grammar. It is comfortable and fits every casual occasion. Even in job interviews, this style is usually fine. It makes you seem approachable and easy to talk to.

There are still a few "no-go" zones. Avoid this in very formal academic papers. Your university professor might prefer the old-fashioned way. Avoid it in legal documents or contracts. Lawyers love complex, formal structures. If you are writing a letter to a Queen or King, stay formal. Basically, if you are wearing a tuxedo, keep the preposition inside. If you are wearing sneakers, put it at the end. It is all about the vibe of the room. When in doubt, listen to how others speak. If they are being very stiff, follow their lead. But 90% of the time, the informal way is better.

One big mistake is the "Double Preposition." This happens when you get confused. You put it at the start and the end. ✗ "The man with whom I work with." This is like wearing two hats. Pick one spot and stay there! Another mistake is forgetting the preposition entirely. ✗ "The music I listen is jazz." You need that to at the end. "The music I listen to is jazz." Without it, the sentence feels unfinished. It is like a song that stops before the final note. Also, watch out for who vs whom. In informal English, we almost never use whom at the end. Stick to who or that. It keeps things simple and clean.

Compare this to phrasal verbs. Phrasal verbs like give up or look after are different. Their prepositions are part of the verb's meaning. You can't really move them around the same way. In relative clauses, the preposition is just a bridge. It connects a noun to a description. For example, "The chair I sat on" uses a simple preposition. "The child I look after" uses a phrasal verb. They look the same, but the logic is different. Also, compare this to questions. In questions, we almost always put the preposition at the end. "Who are you talking to?" is much better than "To whom are you talking?"