Parts of speech...Pronoun (Part4b): Relative Pronouns as object of preposition.

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Mohammad Abdullah

Relative pronouns as objects of prepositions

In certain cases, relative pronouns can be used as objects of prepositions, meaning the relative pronoun works in conjunction with a preposition to modify the subject or verb of the relative clause. Only whose, which, and whom can function as objects of prepositions.

In more formal English, we place a preposition before the pronoun. Here are some of the combinations you might see:

  • with whom
  • to whom
  • for whom
  • through which
  • of which
  • about which
  • from which
  • at whose
  • in whose
  • with whose

 

In modern English, positioning prepositions in front of relative pronouns often sounds overly formal, in particular when it comes to the relative pronoun whom. As a result, it is generally acceptable for a preposition to come after a relative clause instead of before a relative pronoun. For example:

  • “The teacher with whom I spoke had many interesting things to say.” (Very formal)
  • “The teacher whom/who/that I spoke with had many interesting things to say.” (Less formal. Whom is most often replaced by either who or that, and the preposition with is moved to the end of the relative clause.)
  • “The teacher I spoke with had many interesting things to say.” (Most casual. The relative pronoun is omitted, and the preposition is kept at the end of the relative clause.)

 

It is also acceptable to place a preposition at the end of a relative clause when using the pronoun which:

  • “The home in which I grew up holds many dear memories for me.” (Very formal. In this case, you cannot replace which with that, as that cannot be used as an object of a preposition in a relative clause.)
  • “The home that/which I grew up in holds many dear memories for me.” (less formal)
  • “The home I grew up in holds many dear memories for me.” (most casual)

 

The pronoun whose follows this same pattern of prepositional placement, except that it cannot be substituted with another pronoun and it cannot be omitted:

  • “My friend, in whose house I’m staying, invited me to see a movie with him.” (very formal)
  • “My friend, whose house I’m staying in, invited me to see a movie with him.” (less formal)

 

When and Where:-

When and where are also used as relative pronouns, especially in less formal writing and conversation. They are always used in restrictive relative clauses.

 

We use when to describe antecedents that have to do with time, as in:

  • “That’s the day when we met.”
  • “I’m looking forward to a time when the world will be at peace.”

 

We use where to describe antecedents that have to do with location, as in:

  • “The café where we went on Sunday was very nice.”
  • “The town where she lives is only an hour away.”

 

Using prepositions for formal English:-

In more formal English, where and when are often replaced with a preposition + which to mark precise locations or points in time. For example:

  • “We preferred a part of the country where we could live in peace and quiet.”
  • “We preferred a part of the country in which we could live in peace and quiet .”
  • “Ben is looking forward to the day when he can finally join the army.”
  • “Ben is looking forward to the day on which he can finally join the army.”

 

Quiz:-

  1. Which of the following is not one of the five most commonly used relative pronouns?
  • whom
  • where
  • whose
  • which

 

  1. Which of the following sentences uses a relative pronoun incorrectly?
  • “She tried to fix the mirror whom had broken many years earlier.”
  • “I watched a dog that was chasing its tail.”
  • “He decided to take the mysterious motorcycle, whose owner had seemingly disappeared.”
  • “The bartender took the day off, which gave her some time to relax.”

 

  1. Choose the sentence that contains a non-restrictive relative clause.
  • “Mrs. Anderson reread the book she’d loved as a child.”
  • “I can’t help but wonder where they’re going.”
  • “I sit right beneath a light that constantly flickers.”
  • “They moved to Florida, which they hoped would lead to better job prospects.”

 

  1. Which of the following sentences is the least formal?
  • “The box I’d returned appeared on my doorstep again.”
  • “The box which I’d returned appeared on my doorstep again.”
  • “The box that I’d returned appeared on my doorstep again.”
  • “The box whom I’d returned appeared on my doorstep again.”

 

 

  • Select the relative pronoun that correctly completes the following sentence: “The pizza, ____ was pepperoni, was left in the oven too long.”
  • which
  • that
  • who
  • whom

 

  • Select the relative pronoun that correctly completes the following sentence: “The male candidate, ____ I hadn’t voted for, won the election anyway.”
  • which
  • whose
  • that
  • who/whom

Answer:-

Source:- The Farlex English Grammar Book By Peter Herring.