Prepositions

Q. What’s your current recommendation on ending a sentence with a preposition? Current example: “[Nurses bound the] wounds of the men they were taking care of.”

Q. Choosing between in or at: When referring to a specific area on a slide presentation, would you say “in the top right-hand corner” or “at the top right-hand corner”? Are there rules that help one determine when to use in or at?

Q. When did The Chicago Manual of Style first state that ending a sentence with a preposition is not wrong (paragraph 5.180 in the current edition of CMOS)?

Q. My editors cannot seem to agree on whether to use in or to in the following (and similar) sentences: (1) The bill (or law) makes technical changes in the insurance statutes; (2) The bill (or law) makes technical changes to the insurance statutes. What is the difference between “changes in” and “changes to,” and how does one determine which construction to use?

Q. Hi there. I have a question regarding the use of double prepositions. Is there a rule against it? I tried to check for rules in CMOS, but I didn’t see any. I also checked a dictionary, and it says that “off of” is an idiom and is therefore correct.

Q. Dear Sir or Madam, I’m having a disagreement with a coworker on a particular subject, and as my CMOS is at home, I can’t go to it for a ruling. I’m arguing that the prohibition against ending a sentence with a preposition is an invalid injunction—one that often serves to confuse and befuddle the reader by forcing tortured and mangled word placements. She says that the “rule” must be followed. So, is it appropriate to end a sentence with a preposition? Thank you.

Q. I do not know how to deal with a sentence with two prepositions very close to each another: Drill pilot holes through the bottom and top panels into the side panels. Everyone at my workplace thinks I should add “and” so it reads: Drill pilot holes through the bottom and top panels and into the side panels. I have five people saying to use the “and.” I’m truly torn.

Q. My question regards the use of “as per.” Example: “As per your request, I enclose a check.” This use has always sounded redundant to me, and pretentious. Isn’t it more correct to say, “As you requested” or “Per your request”?