How to Write Great Essays

Alternate Endings
Of all the rules governing prepositions, none is more famous than:
Never end a sentence with
a preposition!
While this rule holds true for many situations, it is not an absolute. It is per-
fectly acceptable to end a sentence with a preposition, especially in your essay, if it makes
the sentence flow better. For example, in popular speech, it sounds much more natural to
say “That’s all I can think of ” than “That’s all of which I can think.”
The best technique for deciding to keep or remove prepositions at the end of sentences
is to use your ear. What would the statement sound like if you kept—or dropped—the prepo-
sition? Does it sound like 
you
, or does it sound like a college professor? Prepositions should
not be used in an attempt to add importance or weight to your writing.
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Mechanics
CHAPTER 4 
HOW TO WRITE GREAT ESSAYS
43
Many times short questions are ended in prepositions. Here are some acceptable and
unacceptable examples. Note that the unacceptable sentences could be improved simply
by dropping the preposition at the end.
Good Form
Does he have anything to worry 
about?
What did you use to make it 
with?
What is the report comprised 
of ?
Poor Form
Is the extra-credit project over 
with?
Where is the stadium 
at?
Where do you want to go 
to?
D
A N G L I N G
P
A R T I C I P L E S
A N D
M
I S P L A C E D
M
O D I F I E R S
Dangling participles and misplaced modifiers, though sometimes difficult to recognize, are
easily fixed by rearranging word order. A