+322.+ Prepositions are usually very small and seemingly unimportant
words, yet we make a great many mistakes in their use. It is these
little mistakes that are most difficult to avoid.
Notice carefully in your own speech this week, and in the conversation
which you overhear, the use of the prepositions. Notice especially the
following cautions:
+1. Do not use prepositions needlessly.+ We often throw a preposition in
at the close of a sentence which we have already used in the sentence,
and which we should not use again. The little preposition _at_ is most
frequently used in this way. See how many times this week you hear
people use such phrases as:
At which store do you trade at?
At what corner did you stop at?
The last _at_ is entirely unnecessary. It has already been used once and
that is enough. We also use _at_ and _to_ at the close of sentences
beginning with an interrogative adverb, where they are not necessary.
For example, we say:
Where did you go to?
Where did you stop at?
Where am I at?
The correct form of these sentences is:
Where did you go?
Where did you stop?
Where am I?
Do not use _at_ and _to_ in this way, they are entirely superfluous and
give a most disagreeable sound to the sentence. Do not close a sentence
with a preposition in this way.
+2. Do not omit the preposition where it properly belongs.+ For example,
we often say:
The idea is no use to me.
We should say, _The idea is of no use to me_.