Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds
In modern English, it is perfectly natural and often preferred to place a preposition at the very end of a sentence or question.
- Use it in questions: 'Who are you talking to?' instead of 'To whom are you talking?'
- Use it in relative clauses: 'The person I work with' is more natural than 'The person with whom I work.'
- Keep it for phrasal verbs: 'What are you looking for?' cannot be changed to 'For what are you looking?'
Overview
To whom are you speaking?이라고 말한다면 19세기 유령처럼 들릴 수도 있어요. 대신 Who are you talking to?라고 하면 평범한 사람처럼 들리죠. 이걸 preposition stranding이라고 불러요.up with which I will not put라고 표현하며 비꼬았다고 전해지는데, 얼마나 어색하게 들리는지 보이죠?How This Grammar Works
to, with, for, at 같은 전치사는 보통 명사 앞에 위치해요. 격식을 차린 글에서는 그 자리를 지키죠. 하지만 일상적인 영어에서는 명사를 문장 앞으로 옮겨요.Wh- 질문에서, 둘째는 that이나 who를 사용하는 관계절에서, 셋째는 수동태 문장에서, 마지막으로 부정사구에서 나타나요.What are you looking at?이라는 질문을 생각해보세요. at이라는 단어가 문장 끝에 홀로 남겨져 있죠?
Formation Pattern
wait for처럼요.
Who나 What 같은 의문사를 사용하면 돼요.
Who are you waiting for?로 연습해 볼까요? for가 문장 끝에 그냥 앉아 있는 게 보이죠? 앞으로 이동한 친구인 명사를 기다리고 있는 거예요. 관계절에서는 관계대명사를 생략할 수도 있어요. The movie that I was talking about은 The movie I was talking about이 되죠. 효율적이고 빨라요. 5G 연결이 제대로 작동할 때처럼 말이죠.
When To Use It
preposition stranding은 여러분의 가장 친한 친구가 될 거예요.This is the view I’ve been dreaming of!. 이 문장이 This is the view of which I have been dreaming보다 훨씬 듣기 좋아요.
Common Mistakes
To who are you talking to?가 전형적인 실수 사례예요. 한 자리만 골라서 사용하세요! 또 다른 실수는 동사에 맞지 않는 전치사를 고르는 거예요. 전치사는 여전히 동사와 연결되어 있다는 걸 기억하세요. 동사가 depend on이라면 문장 끝에 오는 전치사도 반드시 on이어야 해요. Who does it depend of?는 틀린 문장이에요. 또한 동사에 전치사가 필요하지 않은데도 쓰면 안 돼요. 어떤 사람들은 Where are you? 끝에 at을 붙이기도 해요. Where are you at?은 일부 방언에서 흔히 쓰이긴 하지만, 대개는 불필요한 표현이죠. 단순하게 유지하세요. 그리고 구동사(phrasal verbs)도 주의해야 해요. give up이나 break down 같은 단어들은 사실 stranding과는 조금 달라요. 그저 동사의 일부일 뿐이죠. What did you give up?에서 up을 빼버리면 의미가 완전히 달라져요. 여러분의 up을 잃어버리지 마세요!Contrast With Similar Patterns
With whom did you go?가 바로 'Front-Shifting'이죠.Who did you go with?는 'Stranding'이에요. 'Front-Shifting'은 언제나 who 대신 whom을 써야 해요.whom을 쓰는 사람은 아무도 없죠. 'Stranding'은 who, what, which, where와 함께 잘 어울려요. 관계대명사 that과도 잘 쓰이죠.of that I was thinking이라고 말할 수는 없지만, that I was thinking of라고는 말해야 하거든요. 그래서 'Stranding'이 격식 있는 방식보다 훨씬 유연해요. 빳빳한 정장과 편안한 후드티를 비교하는 것과 같죠.whom을 찾으세요.Quick FAQ
면접에서 이렇게 말해도 정말 괜찮을까요?
네! 훨씬 자연스럽고 대화하기 편한 사람처럼 보일 거예요.
어떤 전치사든 뒤에 남겨둘 수 있나요?
대부분은 가능해요. to, for, with, at, from, about이 가장 흔하게 쓰여요.
during이나 since는 어떤가요?
이런 단어들은 거의 뒤에 홀로 남겨지지 않아요. Which hour was it during?은 아주 이상하게 들리거든요. 평범하게 사용하세요.
뒤에 남겨둘 때 whom을 써야 하나요?
아뇨! who를 쓰세요. Who are you looking for?가 표준이에요.
미국 영어에서만 쓰는 건가요?
아니요. 영국, 호주, 캐나다 사람들도 모두 사용해요. 전 세계 공통적인 영어 표현이랍니다.
3. Question Structure with Stranded Prepositions
| Question Word | Auxiliary | Subject | Verb | Preposition |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Who
|
are
|
you
|
talking
|
to?
|
|
What
|
is
|
she
|
looking
|
at?
|
|
Where
|
did
|
they
|
come
|
from?
|
|
Which
|
do
|
you
|
agree
|
with?
|
|
Who
|
have
|
you
|
worked
|
for?
|
Common Conversational Short Forms
| Full Question | Short Form | Context |
|---|---|---|
|
Who are you with?
|
Who with?
|
Casual texting
|
|
What is it for?
|
What for?
|
Asking for a reason
|
|
Where are you from?
|
Where from?
|
Quick inquiry
|
Meanings
The practice of leaving a preposition at the end of a clause or sentence when its object (the noun it relates to) has moved to the beginning.
Interrogative Stranding
Placing the preposition at the end of a question starting with 'Who', 'What', 'Which', or 'Where'.
“Who are you going with?”
“What is this for?”
Relative Clause Stranding
Placing the preposition at the end of a relative clause, especially when using 'that' or omitting the relative pronoun entirely.
“This is the book I was talking about.”
“She is the friend that I traveled with.”
Passive Voice Stranding
When a verb + preposition combination is turned into the passive voice, the preposition remains attached to the verb at the end.
“He likes to be listened to.”
“The bed hasn't been slept in.”
Infinitive Stranding
Using a preposition at the end of an infinitive phrase (to + verb).
“I need a chair to sit on.”
“She has no one to talk to.”
Reference Table
| 상황 | 일상적인 표현 (Natural) | 격식 있는 표현 (Formal) | 특징 |
|---|---|---|---|
|
의문문
|
Who are you talking to?
|
To whom are you talking?
|
전치사의 목적어('who')가 앞으로 이동했어요.
|
|
관계절
|
That's the project I'm working on.
|
That's the project on which I'm working.
|
목적어('project')가 생략되거나 앞으로 나갔어요.
|
|
수동태
|
The problem needs to be dealt with.
|
The problem requires dealing.
|
구동사가 수동태가 되어 전치사가 끝에 남았어요.
|
|
구동사
|
What did you come up with?
|
What did you devise?
|
전치사가 동사의 의미를 완성하는 필수 요소예요.
|
|
일상 대화
|
This is the app I was looking for.
|
This is the app for which I was looking.
|
딱딱하지 않고 훨씬 부드럽게 들려요.
|
|
캐주얼 채팅
|
Which movie are you thinking about?
|
About which movie are you thinking?
|
친구와 편하게 대화할 때 가장 많이 써요.
|
격식 수준 스펙트럼
To whom were you speaking? (Social interaction)
Who were you speaking to? (Social interaction)
Who were you talking to? (Social interaction)
Who you talkin' to? (Social interaction)
전치사가 문장 끝에 올 때
자주 쓰이는 상황
- 의문문 Who are you waiting for?
- 관계절 That's the book I was talking about.
- 수동태 The issue was dealt with.
- 구동사 What did you come up with?
이렇게 쓰는 이유
- 목적어 이동 전치사의 목적어가 문장 앞으로 이동함.
- 구동사의 특성 전치사가 동사 의미의 필수 부분임.
- 자연스러운 흐름 지나치게 격식 있는 표현을 피함.
피해야 할 때 (격식)
- 학술적 글쓰기 공식 보고서나 논문.
- 법률 문서 공식적이고 정밀한 언어.
- 특정 격식 구문 To whom, about which 등.
일상적인 표현 vs 격식 있는 표현
문장 끝에 전치사를 써도 될까요?
매우 격식 있는 상황(논문, 법률 문서)인가요?
전치사가 구동사의 일부(예: 'look for', 'deal with')인가요?
목적어가 앞으로 이동한 의문문이나 관계절인가요?
문장 끝 전치사: 빠른 체크
자주 쓰는 질문
- • Who with?
- • What about?
- • Which one for?
- • Where from?
구동사 세트
- • Look for
- • Talk about
- • Deal with
- • Come up with
관계절 예시
- • The person I spoke to.
- • The thing I dreamt about.
- • The job I applied for.
수동태 표현
- • He was looked after.
- • It's been waited for.
- • The matter was decided on.
수준별 예문
Where are you from?
Who are you with?
What are you looking at?
Who is she talking to?
What are you waiting for?
Which house do you live in?
Who did you go to the party with?
This is the movie I told you about.
That's the guy I was arguing with.
I found the keys I was looking for.
Which company did you apply to?
He is someone you can rely on.
The results were exactly what we had hoped for.
It’s a difficult situation to deal with.
Who was the contract signed by?
The children need someone to look after them.
The sheer number of variables we had to account for was staggering.
He is a man whom I have the greatest respect for.
This is the kind of nonsense I will not put up with.
The city has many hidden gems to marvel at.
The metaphysical implications are what the author is primarily concerned with.
It is a principle that the entire legal system is based upon.
Such are the tribulations that a modern democracy must contend with.
The very ground they stood on seemed to shift.
혼동하기 쉬운
Learners often confuse a simple preposition with the particle of a phrasal verb.
Learners think they must use 'whom' if there is a preposition involved.
자주 하는 실수
Where you from?
Where are you from?
Who you with?
Who are you with?
What you look at?
What are you looking at?
I from Japan.
I am from Japan.
Who are you waiting?
Who are you waiting for?
What are you listening?
What are you listening to?
The book I told you.
The book I told you about.
To who are you talking to?
Who are you talking to?
The man who I work.
The man who I work with.
Which room do you sleep?
Which room do you sleep in?
To whom are you looking for?
Who are you looking for?
문장 패턴
Who are you ___ with?
That is the ___ I was telling you about.
What are you so ___ about?
Real World Usage
Who are you with?
What kind of environment do you thrive in?
What does this come with?
This is a theory that many scholars agree with.
What can I help you with?
What are you looking for in a partner?
자연스러움을 믿으세요
Who are you talking to?라고 말해 보세요.
상황에 따라 달라요
To whom are you talking?처럼 써보세요.
구동사는 짝꿍이에요
What are you looking for?처럼 끝에 오는 게 당연하죠.
오래된 규칙은 잊으세요
Who are you with?를 훨씬 선호한답니다.
Smart Tips
Just use 'Who' and put the preposition at the end. It's safe, modern, and professional.
Always put the preposition at the end. 'That' cannot follow a preposition.
Drop the relative pronoun ('who' or 'that') entirely and keep the preposition at the end.
Never try to move the particle to the front; it will break the verb's meaning.
발음
Preposition Stress
When a preposition is at the end of a sentence, it is usually unstressed and 'weak'. However, if you want to emphasize it, you can stress it.
Rising-Falling
Who are you with? ↘
A standard, neutral information-seeking question.
암기하기
기억법
The preposition is like a 'tail'—it's natural for it to wag at the end of the sentence dog.
시각적 연상
Imagine a fishing hook at the end of a sentence. The preposition is the hook that catches the object at the very beginning of the sentence.
Rhyme
If a question you must send, put the 'with' or 'to' at the end.
Story
A traveler named 'Who' went on a journey. He always left his bags ('with', 'for', 'from') at the hotel (the end of the sentence) while he went to explore the city (the beginning of the sentence).
Word Web
챌린지
Write 5 questions you would ask your favorite celebrity, ensuring every single one ends with a preposition (e.g., 'Who do you look up to?').
문화 노트
Some older teachers or very formal institutions still cling to the 'never end with a preposition' rule, despite it being linguistically debunked.
Americans are generally very comfortable with stranded prepositions in almost all contexts, including business.
While common, some high-level British RP (Received Pronunciation) speakers might use fronted prepositions to sound more 'proper' or 'upper-class'.
Preposition stranding is a native feature of Old English and other Germanic languages like Old Norse.
대화 시작하기
Who is the person you look up to most?
What kind of music are you into lately?
If you could travel anywhere, where would you go to?
What is a problem you've recently dealt with?
일기 주제
자주 하는 실수
Test Yourself
Which movie are you talking ___?
Find and fix the mistake:
Whom did you go to the concert with?
Arrange the words in the correct order:
All words placed
Click words above to build the sentence
Score: /3
연습 문제
8 exercisesWho are you waiting ___?
Find and fix the mistake:
To whom are you talking?
Select the natural-sounding sentence.
you / looking / what / at / are / ?
¿Con quién estás?
Listen, Wait, Look, Talk
The man / I / work / with
It is grammatically incorrect to end a sentence with a preposition in modern English.
Score: /8
Practice Bank
12 exercisesThat's the problem we need to deal ___.
더 자연스러운 문장을 고르세요:
This is the person to whom I spoke with.
영어로 번역해 보세요: '누구랑 사귀고 있어?'
단어를 조합해 보세요:
일상적인 질문과 격식 있는 질문을 연결하세요:
The meeting was cancelled. I don't know why, but it was decided ___.
알맞은 문장을 고르세요:
The project with which I am involved is very complex.
영어로 번역해 보세요: '그건 네가 믿어도 되는 거야.'
질문을 만들어 보세요:
동사와 짝꿍인 전치사를 연결하세요:
Score: /12
자주 묻는 질문 (8)
Yes, absolutely! It is a natural part of English. The 'rule' against it was made up in the 1600s to make English more like Latin, but it doesn't fit how English actually works.
In extremely formal documents, like a legal contract or a very traditional academic paper, you might choose to 'front' the preposition (e.g., 'The person to whom...'). However, even then, if it sounds awkward, stranding is fine.
It's the linguistic term for leaving a preposition at the end of a clause when its object has moved to the front, like in 'Who are you with?'.
It's grammatically possible but sounds very strange. It's a 'register clash'—'whom' is very formal, but stranding is more informal. Stick to 'Who... to' or 'To whom...'.
Phrasal verbs *must* keep their particles. You can't move the 'up' in 'What did you give up?' to the front. 'Up what did you give?' is nonsense.
Most common ones like 'to', 'for', 'with', 'at', and 'from' are frequently stranded. Longer prepositions like 'concerning' or 'despite' are rarely stranded because they sound awkward at the end.
It's a 'zombie rule'—a rule that is dead but still haunts classrooms. Many people were taught this in school by teachers who were following outdated textbooks.
Technically no, but more than two usually sounds confusing. For example: 'What did you bring that book I don't like being read to out of up for?' is a famous (but silly) example of too many.
Scaffolded Practice
1
2
3
4
Mastery Progress
Needs Practice
Improving
Strong
Mastered
In Other Languages
Preposition + Relative Pronoun
The preposition must always precede the pronoun in Spanish.
Preposition + Qui/Lequel
Ending a sentence with 'à' or 'de' is grammatically impossible in French.
Da-compounds or fronting
German uses 'W-compounds' for questions (e.g., Womit) rather than stranding.
Postpositions
Japanese particles are always attached to the noun they modify.
Resumptive Pronouns
Arabic requires a pronoun to 'fill the gap' left by the moved object.
Pre-verbal prepositional phrases
Word order is strictly Preposition + Object + Verb.
Learning Path
Prerequisites
Learn These First
관련 동영상
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