Come if you like to.

Question

Hi, all.I don't know why I am confused with this, but I am.Please see the following sentence.1. Come if you like to.2. Come if you like.I usually use 2, but sometimes 1 sounds right to me also.And, I think I saw some sentences like 1. (one that ends with 'to')Thank you very much for all your answers.

Regards · Accepted Answer

Hi,

If you like is already an idiomatic expression. Use the second one.

Regards

Springmeans · Answer

Hi, Regards!
I am not sure if I understood your explanation right.

Peter: I heard you are having a party. Can I come?
Sam: Um... Ok. Come if you want to.

-> Is that a right use (as well as ' Come if you want.')

Everlastinghope · Answer

It's perfectly correct to end a sentence with a preposition;it's part of the structure of modern English.
There are sentences where you must end with a preposition either because it doesn't work or it sounds too contrived,and there are other sentences that don't require an ending preposition because the meaning doesn't change.

see http://grammar.quickanddirtytips.com/ending-prepositions.aspx

Edmond H. Weiss.,author of Writing Remedies,wrote " A preposition is a word you should not end a sentence with".(the author said that and indeed put a preposition at the end of the sentence).

Your sentences are both correct,but I'd rather say " Come if you want to."

Springmeans · Answer

Oh, I see. Thank you for your answer as well as the link. I am going through the grammar girl posting now. Thanks.

Where are you?
Where are you at?

How long have you been here?
How long have you been here for?

I don't know if I want.
I don't know if I want to.

[my understanding is...]
These sentences above mean all same, but you would use one with a preposition.
But, you can also leave it out if the sentence is understandable without it.

*But the following is a different case.
I have no one to talk. (x)
I have no one to talk to. ( o )

* Is this idea (leaving a preposition out) same as 'preposition+whom' sentence (and not preposition at the end of sentence)?
Hope my question makes sense.

Everlastinghope · Answer

Does your question mean that leaving out a preposition is like the use of "preposition+ whom" ?
Could you explain more.I'm afraid I didn't get it right.

Springmeans · Answer

Oh, sorry for not being clear enough.

You know how we do not end with a preposition when we have a relative clause 'whom', but the preposition that was at the end of the sentence gets repositioned before 'whom'?

I was wondering if this came from the same idea that we went through before?

Do you know to whom the prize went? (<- this sentence sounds ok without a preposition at the end.)
Do you know who the prize went to?

I guess I have gone to far, which is not necessary to link with.

Maybe you should bother answering this question ;;;

Everlastinghope · Answer

No need to be sorry.I sometimes make myself unclear too

.No worries.
Indeed,a preposition "to" is required before "whom",and whenever we use "who","to" should be put at the end.
But the idea we went through before doesn't contain "wh" question.It's almost not the same because we have to look whether the sentence needs a preposition or not.
In "wh question",there are some cases where the preposition is at the end or just before "wh".
see http://www.grammar-quizzes.com/preps-placement.html

Everlastinghope · Answer

springmeansI guess I have gone too far, which is not necessary to link with. Maybe you should bother answering this question ;;;

Not at all,whenever I know something,it's always my great pleasure to reply.Otherwise,I wait other answers like you.

Enoon · Answer

springmeansOh, I see. Thank you for your answer as well as the link. I am going through the grammar girl posting now. Thanks.Where are you?Where are you at?How long have you been here?How long have you been here for?I don't know if I want.I don't know if I want to.[my understanding is...]These sentences above mean all same, but you would use one with a preposition.But, you can also leave it out if the sentence is understandable without it.*But the following is a different case.I have no one to talk. (x)I have no one to talk to. ( o )* Is this idea (leaving a preposition out) same as 'preposition+whom' sentence (and not preposition at the end of sentence)?Hope my question makes sense.

The "at" in "where (are) you at" is not only unnecessary, it is excrescent and non-standard. It is common enough in my dialect, but it is of low register, to say the least, and many consider it illiterate. It is best avoided at all times. It is different from your other examples in that respect. This "at" does seem to have some meaning among those of us who use it, but we can never put our finger on it.

Everlastinghope · Answer

This is in fact the explanation given in Grammar Girl(website mentioned above).
People say "where are you at "and sometimes "where you at" by leaving out the vrb "are".Because both sentences mean the same,it's not necessary to put a preposition at the end.

Come if you like to.

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