Alternative phrasing to avoid dangling prepositions

[BJCooperIT]

In a continuation of the "Overcoming Bad Writing Habits" thread in the "My own development as a professional" forum, someone asked for a better way to ask:

"What did you go to the store for?"

Actually the answer to this question states what was to be purchased. This question might be phrased:
"What did you buy at the store?"
or
"What did you go to the store to buy?"

Can you think of other senarios that by "asking the right question" eliminates the dangling preposition?

Anyone need help with a troublesome dangling preposition?

^{Beware of false knowledge; it is more dangerous than ignorance. ~George Bernard Shaw}
Systems Project Analyst/Custom Forms & PL/SQL - Oracle/Windows

 

[CajunCenturion]

Actually, I don't think that the first option, "What did you buy at the store?" is a reasonable alternative for two reasons. They may not have bought anything, so the correct answer would be "Nothing", which does not provide you with any indication of why they went to the store. Further, they may have bought something other than what they intended to buy.

"What did you go to the store to buy?" would be my choice as better alternative, keeping in mind that the answer would not necessarily mean they completed the purchase.

Good Luck
--------------
As a circle of light increases so does the circumference of darkness around it. - Albert Einstein

 

[BJCooperIT]

That depends on the mindset of the questioner doesn't it? If I really want to know what is in the shopping bag, then #1 is the most appropriate. On the other hand, if I want to know is what the person wanted as they walk in empty handed, then #2 a better query.

^{Beware of false knowledge; it is more dangerous than ignorance. ~George Bernard Shaw}
Systems Project Analyst/Custom Forms & PL/SQL - Oracle/Windows

 

[CajunCenturion]

All the more reason not to ask "What did you go to the store for?", as it would be inherently ambiguous. The person would not know if you were asking about intentions or completed actions.

Why they went to the store, and what they did at the store are both valid questions, but entirely different.

Good Luck
--------------
As a circle of light increases so does the circumference of darkness around it. - Albert Einstein

 

[petermeachem]

Why did you go to the shop?

Am I allowed to play here?

http://www.accuflight.com

http://www.lettersdirect.co.uk

http://www.ourhouseinportugal.co.uk/

 

[CajunCenturion]

Hey petermeachem, everyone is welcome to play here.

Good Luck
--------------
As a circle of light increases so does the circumference of darkness around it. - Albert Einstein

 

[LesleyW]

Peter, "Why did you go to the store?" is exactly what I thought, however for some reason it sounds judgmental to me - I can't explain why but it seems to have an element of "explain yourself!" to it.

To be correct I believe the original question can be phrased as "For what (purpose) did you go to the store" but no-one would say that.

 

[johnwm]

There seems to be an ambiguity in the original question, so two alternatives are required.

"Why did you go to the shop?" seems to question motive:

Q. Why did you go to the shop?
A. I needed the exercise.


"What did you go to the store to buy?" relates to intended purchase

Q. What did you go to the store to buy?
A. A litre of milk and twenty Rothmans.

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[BJCooperIT]

johnwm,
I give up. What is a Rothman and where can I get one?

^{Beware of false knowledge; it is more dangerous than ignorance. ~George Bernard Shaw}
Systems Project Analyst/Custom Forms & PL/SQL - Oracle/Windows

 

[Stella740pl]

I would ask:

"Were you looking for something specific?" (or just needed an exercise/enjoy shopping/went to browse and possibly find something you like)

and

"Did you buy anything?"

 

[BJCooperIT]

Sometimes the dangling preposition occurs due to adding a word that simply serves no purpose such as:
"Where did he go to?" when
"Where did he go?" would suffice.

How about alternatives to:
"What are you looking at?"
"At what are you looking?" sounds pretentious.


^{Beware of false knowledge; it is more dangerous than ignorance. ~George Bernard Shaw}
Systems Project Analyst/Custom Forms & PL/SQL - Oracle/Windows

 

[sleipnir214]

BJCooperIT:
Rothman's is a brand of cigarette.

Do you still want one?





Want the best answers? Ask the best questions!

TANSTAAFL!!

 

[BJCooperIT]

Thanks, but I'll pass. I thought maybe it was chocolate!

^{Beware of false knowledge; it is more dangerous than ignorance. ~George Bernard Shaw}
Systems Project Analyst/Custom Forms & PL/SQL - Oracle/Windows

 

[Dimandja]

Dangling prepositions are not always useless, they serve as punctuation or emphasis.

For instance, "What are you looking at" is infinitely more menacing than "At what are you looking".

I don't buy into the dangling preposition purists arguments. The spoken language is necessarily more colorful, expressive and granulated than the written words - which need to be formal (for the sake of being written and all).

Dimandja

 

[lbass]

Winston Churchill, irritated with his secretary for changing the syntax in one of his letters, supposedly asserted:

"This is the nonsense up with which I will not put."

Apologies if this quote is inexact, as I know it only through hearsay. Perhaps one of our UK participants knows the exact wording.

I think that at times a dangling preposition is just the ticket, especially when it is used to avoid stilted speech.

-LB