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疑()問()文()での前()置()詞()の置()き場() Where the Preposition Goes

疑()問()文() Questions

What are you looking at? のように、前()置()詞()は文()の最()後()に残()るのが標()準()です。前()に出()した At what are you looking? は、間()違()いではありませんが非()常()に硬()く、日()常()ではまず使()いません。大()事()なのは、疑()問()文()にしても前()置()詞()は消()えないということ。落()としてしまうと文()が成()り立()ちません。

The preposition normally stays at the end: "What are you looking at?" Fronting it as "At what are you looking?" isn't wrong, but it's stiff enough that you'll almost never hear it. The real point is that turning something into a question doesn't make the preposition disappear. Drop it and the sentence falls apart.

疑()問()詞()だけが前()に出()る

Only the Wh- Word Travels

組()み立()ての手()順()で考()えると分()かりやすくなります。You are looking at that. の that を what に替()えて先()頭()へ出()す。at はその場()に残()る。結果()として What are you looking at? になります。移()動()するのは疑()問()詞()だけで、前()置()詞()は置()き去()りにされる、と覚()えてください。この置()き去()りが不()自()然()に見()えるかもしれませんが、英()語()ではこちらが標()準()です。

It helps to build one step by step. Start from "You are looking at that," swap that for what, and move what to the front. The at stays behind. You end up with "What are you looking at?" Only the wh- word travels; the preposition gets left where it was. That stranding may look odd, but in English it's the standard shape.

前()置()詞()は残()る The preposition stays

Who did you go with?

誰()と行()ったの?

go with someone の with が末()尾()に残()る。 The with from go with someone is left at the end.

Where are you from?

ご出身()はどちら?

from を落()とすと別()の意()味()になる。Where are you? は居()場()所()を尋()ねる文()。 Drop the from and the meaning shifts: "Where are you?" asks your location.

What is this made of 動()詞()が決()める 【be made of = 何()でできているか】 What is this made of? が「材()質()は何()か」を尋()ねる定()型()。文()末()に前()置()詞()だけが残()るのは、of の相()手()が疑()問()詞() what になって文()頭()へ出()ているため。 ?

これ、何()でできてるの?

be made of の of が末()尾()に。素()材()を尋()ねる定()型()。 The of from be made of lands at the end. The set way to ask about material.

後()ろに残()す(標()準())

会()話()でも書()き言葉()でも、これが普()通()の形()。 The ordinary shape, in speech and in writing alike.

Who are you waiting for?

誰()を待()ってるの?

前()に出()す(かなり硬()い)

who を前()置()詞()ごと前()に出()すときは whom に変()わる(which や what はそのまま: In which year …?)。式()辞()や法()律()文()書()のような場()面()に限()られる。 When who fronts with its preposition it becomes whom; which and what front unchanged, as in "In which year …?" Either way it belongs to ceremonies and legal prose.

For whom are you waiting?

どなたをお待()ちでしょうか。

よくある間()違()い Common Mistake

Who did you go to the concert?

誰()とコンサートに行()ったの?(のつもりで)

Who did you go to the concert with?

誰()とコンサートに行()ったの?

with が抜()けています。「誰()と」という日本語()には助()詞()の「と」が入()っていますが、英()語()では前()置()詞()がその役()割()を担()い、しかも文()の最()後()に置()かれるため、書()き忘()れやすいのです。防()ぎ方()は組()み立()ての順()序()を守()ること。まず平()叙()文() You went to the concert with Tom. を作()り、Tom を who に替()えて前()へ出()す。残()った with はそのまま末()尾()に置()く。この手()順()を踏()めば落()としません。

The with is missing. English hands that relationship to a preposition, and since the preposition ends up at the far end of the sentence, it's easy to lose track of it. The cure is to build the question in order: start from the statement "You went to the concert with Tom," swap Tom for who and move it forward, and leave with sitting at the end. Follow that path and it won't go missing.

  • Where are you from? ご出身()はどちらですか from を落()とすと居()場()所()を尋()ねる文()になる。初()対()面()の定()番()。 Without from it asks where you physically are. A first-meeting staple.
  • What's it like? どんな感()じ? like は前()置()詞()なので末()尾()に残()る。好()き嫌()いの like ではない。 Here like is a preposition and strands at the end. Not the like that means enjoy.
  • Who's this for? これ、誰()宛()? for が末()尾()。宛()先()や用()途()を尋()ねる短()い型()。 For at the end. A compact way to ask about the recipient or purpose.
  • What are you talking about? 何()の話()をしているの? talk about の about が残()る。強()く言()うと詰()問()にもなる。 The about from talk about stays put. Said sharply, it turns into a challenge.

まとめ Summary

  • 前()置()詞()は文()末()に残()るのが標()準()。前()に出()すのは非()常()に硬()い。 Stranding at the end is standard; fronting is markedly formal.
  • 移()動()するのは疑()問()詞()だけ。前()置()詞()は置()き去()りにする。 Only the wh- word moves. The preposition is left behind.
  • 平()叙()文()から組()み立()てると、前()置()詞()を落()とさない。 Building from the statement first keeps the preposition from vanishing.
  • 「文()末()の前()置()詞()は誤()り」という指()導()は実態()に合()わない。 The rule against final prepositions doesn't reflect how English is used.

内()容()確()認()日(): 2026-07-25 Last checked: 2026-07-25