Preposition stranding
Definition
Preposition stranding leaves a preposition separated from its complement, often at the end of a question, relative clause, or passive construction: Who did you speak to?, the person I spoke to.
Examples
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Who are you waiting for?
The complement who appears first, while for remains after the verb.
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This is the chair I was sitting on.
The relative pronoun is omitted and the preposition remains at the end.
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That problem has already been dealt with.
The passive keeps the preposition attached to the multi-word verb deal with.
Stranding vs. preposition fronting
The colleague who I spoke to was helpful.
The preposition to remains at the end of the relative clause.
The colleague to whom I spoke was helpful.
The preposition moves before whom, producing a more formal structure.
Stranding is common in speech and ordinary writing. Fronting is more formal and requires whom or which, not that.
Stranding is natural in several common structures
English commonly strands prepositions in direct questions, relative clauses, passive constructions, and some infinitive clauses. The stranded preposition must still belong naturally with the verb, adjective, or noun.
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What are they arguing about?
The preposition belongs to argue about.
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This room is difficult to work in.
The infinitive clause strands in, whose understood complement is this room.
Common mistakes
To who did you speak?
Who did you speak to?
Use who with stranding, or use formal to whom with fronting.
The colleague to that I spoke was helpful.
The colleague that I spoke to was helpful.
That cannot follow a fronted preposition, but it can introduce a clause with a stranded preposition.
Quick check
Question 1 of 3
Which question contains preposition stranding?
The complement who appears first and to remains at the end.Which formal relative clause fronts the preposition correctly?
A fronted preposition before a person is followed by whom.Which infinitive clause naturally strands a preposition?
To sit on has the understood complement this chair.Nice work — you've completed the quick check.
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