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Today’s lesson begins with the challenge dictated by the topic — and, already, I can hear what some people are saying, thanks to my supernatural powers. They say the question mark should not be there. But this thinking is not correct because the statement, ‘Where are you going to?’, is a direct question that should end with the punctuation mark. I can hear someone also say ‘were’ should have been used instead of ‘are’. This too is not valid because both verbs can be used in the context, depending on the tense being expressed.
Now, someone mutters: “The question should start with ‘to”. In other words, the fellow prefers “To where are you going?” This means that they prefer the one that conforms to the old rule that a clause/sentence should not end with a preposition. The rule had indicated that an expression such as ‘I don’t know whom he collected the book from’ should be ‘I don’t know from whom he collected the book.’ Note, however, that the rule was interred a long time ago. As a matter of fact, I attended its funeral held in London decades back and it was a hell of fun! Then, where is the error in ‘Where are you going to?’
The issue with the clause is that the preposition ‘to’ is needless. It is redundant because ‘Where are you going’ already indicates the direction it is supposed to be expressing. Unlike ‘Who did he refer you to’ where the preposition is required to complete the sentence, ‘to’ is an overkill in ‘Where are you going to?:
Where is Duke going to? (Redundant)
Where is Duke going? (Correct)
Did Ken tell you where he was going to? (Redundant)
Did Ken tell you where he was going? (Correct)
Exception: ‘To’ is required when the statement specifically refers to an element:
Is he too going to Ghana tomorrow?
Headed for or headed to?
Connect ‘Where are you going to’ to ‘Where are you headed to?’/‘Where are you headed for?’ Although the latter is also commonly used, the prepositions ‘to’ and ‘for’ are irrelevant because the verb, ‘headed,’ amply captures the direction:
Where were you headed for when I saw you? (Redundant)
Where were you headed when I saw you? (Correct)
Where were you headed to when I saw you? (Redundant)
Where were you headed when I saw you? (Correct)
Note, however, that, in some situations, ‘heads towards’ and ‘heads out’ are acceptable. Here are some examples from Oxford Advanced Learners Dictionary, which defines ‘head’ as to move in a particular direction:
Where are we heading?
Where are you two headed?
Let’s head back home.
She headed for the door.
We headed north.
Head towards the mall.
The boat was heading out to sea.
(figurative)
Can you forecast where the economy is heading?
Discuss about?
Here is another common problematic saying. You discuss something, not about it:
We will soon discuss about the matter. (Wrong)
We will soon discuss the matter.
They were discussing about the protests when I got there. (Wrong)
They were discussing the protests when I got there. (Correct)
Order for?
Remember that the use of ‘for’ with order, solicit, advocate, demand etc. is also unacceptable, when the words are used as verbs. You order, request, advocate or solicit something, you don’t order for it:
I want to order for yam and beans. (Wrong)
I want to order yam and beans. (Correct)
They demanded for reduction in fuel price. (Wrong)
They demanded reduction in fuel price. (Correct)
The lawyer advocated for a unicameral legislature. (Wrong)
The lawyer advocated a unicameral legislature. (Correct)
Yet, the following are correct because the words are now functioning as nouns:
Demand for bread has risen.
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