“Ma, do you know where my favorite shoes are at,” was a common question I’d ask my mother when I was growing up and leaving my shoes and books and clothes all over the house instead of putting things in my room where they were supposed to go.
“Behind that preposition ‘at’,” she’d say to me.
Of course, at nine years of age I had no idea what she was talking about. My mother, the high school teacher, was trying to give me an English lesson, and I just wanted to find out where I’d left my shoes.
“Why do you always say that when I ask you something?!?!” I finally wanted to know one day, after hearing her say this over and over and over again, and being no closer to finding my shoes or favorite hat or library book. Continue reading Do You Write Like You Talk?