
A basic grammar rule, which is admittedly sometimes broken, is not to end a sentence with a preposition. This is why “Where you at?” is not correct grammar.
How do you correct it? Simple:
“Where you at?” = incorrect
“Where are you?” = correct
Not only does “Where you at?” end in a preposition, it also is missing the verb “are.” Every sentence, whether interrogative or otherwise, needs a verb.
Another example:
“Where’s the ticket at?”
Again, the fix is simple:
“Where’s the ticket?”
Simply removing the preposition at the end of the question, in this case, solves the problem.
“I don’t know where he’s at,” similarly, can become simply “I don’t know where he is.”
When I first started teaching, I was pretty vigilant against this type of formulation: “Where’s it at?” etc. It seemed to become popular around 2010, signaling a decline in grammar and possibly a drop in national IQ as well. I hardly bother correcting people on it anymore, given how overwhelmingly frequent its usage has become. Admittedly, it does kind of roll off the tongue to end a sentence with “at.” You hit the “t” consonant like a snare drum, putting a fine point on your ungrammatical statement or question.
If you’re trying to come off as someone with a degree of literacy, however, this will not do. Better to stick to that classic grammar rule: Don’t end a sentence with a preposition.
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