English question.........?

Question

I'd like to ask something about English.

a. I kept watching it for two hours on end.

b. I watched it for two hours on end.

Do you think (on end) in (a.) is redundant?

Any sugggestions are appreciated. Thanks in advance.

Answer 1

The "on end" in both sentences is incorrect (not redundant, just incorrect).  The phrase "hours on end" implies a long, unspecified time (and, by implication, longer than the speaker would have wished -- the phrase conveys a sense of boredom).  Since you have specified a time -- two hours -- the phrase can't be "hours on end".

Answer 2

I don't think that 'on end' is correct at all, given that it's most commonly used when there is no time frame; for example: "He watched tv for hours on end."  You're best off saying "I watched it for two hours."  That's a definite time frame.  

Answer 3

yes, on end is redundant.

instead say:

a. I kept watching it for two hours.

or

b. I watched it for two hours.

Answer 4

Yes, "on end" is redundant in sentence A.  By saying you kept watching, the implication is that there was no break. Hence, you don't need to say it was "on end".  In the second sentence, you need the qualifier to tell the reader that there was no break in your watching.

Answer 5

Usually, the phrase "on end" is used when describing an amount of time which has not been specified or that is approximated.

For example, you would use "on end" if you were to say, "I watched it for hours on end." With your examples, however, you have specified for how long "it" had been watched, so, yes, it would be redundant to use "on end."  

If you're trying to specify that you watched it for two hours uninterrupted, though, you could say something like, "I watched it for two hours straight," or use a similar means of description.