A few days ago
OodlesofNoodles

Duplicate prepositions in writing?

Here’s a grammar question I’ve wondered about for a few years, but I could never come up with the correct search terms to find the answer.

What is the rule, if any, about using duplicate prepositions in writing? For example, is the phrase–

What lengths will he go to to be with her?

–Grammatically correct? If not, I’m guessing the correct solution would be to re-write the sentence to something like:

To what lengths will he go to be with her? Which looks better, but doesn’t roll of the tongue as well, in my opinion.

Any thoughts, grammarians of the world?

Top 4 Answers
A few days ago
Anonymous

Favorite Answer

From what I’ve read, it is quite appropriate to write your original sentence. Either sentence sounds fine. It’s a matter of personal preference.

You might like to read this article about prepositions and subordinators (look like preposions but are not considered so when part of a verb).

**I used ‘duplication of prepositions’ in the search.

http://www.uq.edu.au/emsah/courses/ling1000-6100/lecture_A.pdf

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A few days ago
ponyboy 81
Your second version is grammatically correct. Double prepositions often sound better, but then so do split infinitives.
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A few days ago
Anonymous
Although it sounds quite awkward, you need both complete phrases. [What lengths will he go to] [to be with her?] If you leave the “to” out of one, the sentence no longer makes sense.

Of course, if you don’t like how awkward the correct double word is, you rewrite.

To what lengths will be go to be with her?

To be with her, what lengths will he go to?

If it means being with her, what’s he willing to do?

What’s he willing to do to be with her?

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A few days ago
Next evolutionary step…
Hmm I would write:

To what lengths would he go for her” as it is past tense question…I may be wrong??

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