Copywriting
Tactic
End Sentences With a Concrete Image
"When are you leaving" is better than "What time are you leaving at?"
Overview
You might be tempted to end sentences with prepositions:
- What time are you leaving at?
- What are you waiting for?
- Where did you come from?
Sure, those sentences are grammatically correct. But they’re ugly.
These dangling prepositions feel jarring because readers expect something to appear after them.
But the reciprocal variation might be worse (e.g., at what time are you leaving).
Instead, say:
- When are you leaving?
- Why are you waiting?
- Where were you?
Each sentence begins and ends with a concrete word.