Q. What is the grammatical rule for ending a sentence with a preposition? I thought this was a grammatical no-no, yet I've seen a fair number of sentences in articles of the Courier that end in "for" and "to."
A. The rule came from English grammarians a few centuries ago who thought Latin the perfect language and tried to force many of its strictures onto English. But English is a very different language than Latin, and following that rule can sometimes make for very awkward or stilted sentences. Here is what Strunk and White's classic "The Elements of Style" says: "Years ago students were warned not to end a sentence with a preposition; time, of course, has softened that rigid decree. Not only is the preposition acceptable at the end, sometimes it is more effective in that spot than anywhere else."
Q. Why has the Oprah show been running re-runs now for over a month? Is her final season completed? If not, when will it start up with new shows?
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A. There has been considerable unhappiness on fan forums with the number of "Oprah" reruns this season. But new shows should return this month; right now her final show is scheduled for May 25.
Q. "Harry's Law" is my favorite show. Has this show been renewed for next year?
A. As of April 11, NBC hadn't announced its decision, but the odds look pretty good for the show, which has had decent ratings.
Q. Where is Curacao? And what is the weather like there?
A. Curacao is located in the southwestern Caribbean Sea, off the Venezuelan coast, and is 2.5 hours by air from Miami, according to the Curacao Tourist Board. The tropical island has a warm, sunny climate year-round with an average temperature the mid-80s. Cooling trade winds blow constantly from the east, picking up in the spring months. The rainy season, which is between October and February, is usually marked by short, occasional showers, mostly at night, and continued sunny weather during the day. Total annual rainfall averages 22 inches.
Q. Who was the youngest Iowan to serve in the Civil War?
A. According to the Iowa National Guard, the youngest Iowan to serve may have been Cyrus Lichty of Cedar Falls. Lichty was only 12 when he enlisted as a drummer boy in 1861. He survived until 1940.
Q. What makes texting dangerous while driving?
A. The activity, which is barred in Iowa, is particularly problematic because it features each of three types of driver distraction, visual, manual and cognitive, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation. Drivers take their eyes, hands and minds off what they should be paying attention to - controlling their vehicle. People who violate Iowa's laws prohibiting texting by all drivers and using electronic communication and entertainment devices by teenage drivers will be issued a warning until June 30. After that, they will get a ticket.
