Grammar and usage
Preposition + which and preposition + whom
?Revision:
What is an attributive clause?
An attributive clause is a subordinate clause used to modify a noun or a pronoun in the main clause. An attribute clause is introduced by a relative pronoun or a relative adverb.
Fill in the blanks with relative pronouns who, whom, whose, which or that and tell the functions of the relative pronouns.
1. This is the man wants to see you. ( ) 2. The film we saw yesterday is very thrilling. ( ) 3. China is no longer the country it used to be. ( )
4. Will you please pass me the dictionary cover is red? ( ) 5. At the party, I sat next to girl name is Tina. ( )
Fill in the following blanks with proper relative pronouns to complete the attributive clauses. Point out the antecedents and tell what the functions of the relative pronouns are. ①. This is the story we wrote for our storytelling contest. ②. The book I borrowed from the library is very interesting. ③. He likes the birthday gifts his friends gave him. ④. The girl you have just seen is very good at English.
⑤. I don’t know the name of the teacher I met in the computer room. (which / that) (whom / who / that) Conclusion: The relative pronouns functions as the objects of the in the attributive clauses.
⑥. Is this the play you were talking about just now? ⑦. Daniel is the person I want to make friends with. ⑧. The topic Eric is interested in is Physics.
⑨. The math teacher is the person I learned a lot from.
⑩. I will go to see the old house my grandfather used to live in. (which / that) (whom / who / that) Conclusion: The relative pronouns functions as the objects of the in the attributive clauses. ? Question: Can we move the prepositions in the attributive clause to the front of the relative pronouns? ? Direction:
In the attributive clause, when the relative pronoun functions / serves as the object of a preposition, we can move the preposition to the front of the relative pronoun to begin the attributive clause. In this case, we can only use which to refer to “things”, and use whom to refer to “people”.
⑥. Is this the play which / that you were talking about just now?
⑦. Daniel is the person whom / who / that I want to make friends with. ⑧. The topic which / that Eric is interested in is Physics.
⑨. The math teacher is the person whom / who / that I learned a lot from. ⑩. I will go to see the old house which / that my grandfather used to live in.
? Rules
The following are the basic rules for attributive clauses — “prep. + which / whom” used to begin attributive clauses. (p28)
1. We use a preposition to begin an attributive clause when the relative pronoun (which or whom) is the object of the preposition. object of preposition
● We could expect good decisions from you. ● We thought you were such a person.
? We thought you were a person whom we could expect good decisions from. ? We thought you were a person from whom we could expect good decisions.
object of preposition
●You were to buy dog food with the money. ●The money is gone.
? The money which you were to buy dog food with is gone. ? The money with which you were to buy dog food is gone.
2. In informal English, the preposition is usually at the end of the attributive clause. informal ?
● The Maths teacher is the person whom I got an 'A' from. ● Literature is a subject which I know little about.
formal ?
? The Maths teacher is the person whom I got an 'A' from. ? Literature is a subject which I know little about.
3. If the preposition is at the end of the attributive clause, whom and which can be replaced by that, and whom can also be replaced by who.
● Dad is a person whom / who / that I can easily talk to.
● Is this the play which / that you were talking about just now? ? Dad is a person whom / who / that I can easily talk to.
? Is this the play which / that you were talking about just now?
4. We often leave out which or whom in an attributive clause when the relative pronoun is the
object of the preposition and when the preposition is at the end of the attributive clause. ● The subject (which / that) Eric is interested in is Physics.
● Daniel is the person (whom / who / that) I want to make friends with. ? The subject (which / that) Eric is interested in is Physics.
? Daniel is the person (whom / who / that) I want to make friends with.
5. We use that or in which to begin an attributive clause after the noun “way”. In this case, that or in which can also be left out. ?(that or in which used as an adverbial)
● We had a good laugh over the strange way (in which / that) Matt solved the problem. ?
● I didn't like the way (in which / that) she talked to me. ?
● The way (in which / that) he teaches English is interesting. ? ? Think over:
I don’t like the way he has thought of to solve the problem.
? Exercises
A Match each sentence with an ending. Write the correct letters in the blanks. Match each sentence with an ending. Write the correct letters in the blanks. 1. The park is a place a. with whom I can discuss my homework.
2. My mother is the person b. with which I wanted to buy a new T-shirt is gone! 3. The money c. to which I often go.
4. My cousin is a person d. from whom I got money to buy my new shoes. 5. Football is the sport e. from which I get a lot of fun.
6. Family fights are the things f. with whom I stayed when I was young.
7. My grandparents are the people g. in which the main character is a musician. 8. This is the book h. about which I feel upset.
1. The park is a place ? c. to which I often go.
2. My mother is the person ? d. from whom I got money to buy my new shoes. 3. The money ? b. with which I wanted to buy a new T-shirt is gone! 4. My cousin is a person ? a. with whom I can discuss my homework. 5. Football is the sport ? e. from which I get a lot of fun. 6. Family fights are the things ? h. about which I feel upset.
7. My grandparents are the people ? f. with whom I stayed when I was young. 8. This is the book ? g. in which the main character is a musician.
B Look at the following pictures. Complete each sentence using an attributive clause.
● I know very little about art. ? Art is something .
● I bought my favourite dress in this shop.
?This is the shop .
● I told you about this photo last week. ?This is the photo .
● I got the cup from the headmaster.
?The headmaster is the person .
● We learnt how to write with brushes from Mr Ma. ?Mr Ma is the person .
? Summary
How we decide the prepositions when we use “preposition + which and preposition + whom” to introduce an attributive clause.
1. The preposition follows the verb in the attributive clause.
The dictionary on which he spent 80 yuan was published in Beijing.
2. The preposition follows the adjective in the attributive clause. The student to whom I want to be grateful is Tom.
3. The preposition is used just before a noun in the attributive clause. I don’t like the way in which he talks.
4. The preposition is decided according the meaning of the whole sentence. My computer, without which I can do nothing, broke down yesterday.
5. The preposition “of” shows possession in the attributive clause. (of所有格)
The man pulled out a gold watch, the hands of which were made of small diamonds.
Fill in the blanks with “prep. + which / whom”:
①.Are you interested in any songs you’ve listened.
②.Tomorrow is a particular day his daughter will get married. ③.This is the knife I usually cut bread.
④.We can’t live without the sun we get heat and light. ⑤.The subject Allen is fond is physics.
⑥. Do you know the girl our head teacher is shaking hands? ⑦. I can’t find my dictionary I paid $100. ⑧. This is the good car I spent all my money.
⑨. She is the teacher all his students show respect.
⑩. The teacher you have been waiting is coming in a minute.
? Consolidation
Complete the following sentences by choosing the best item from the choices A, B, C and D. 1. The class teacher is a person I can easily talk.
A. with him B. to whom C. about who D. to which 2. The pen I write my homework every day is broken, so I’ll have to buy a new one. A. in which B. with it C. in that D. with which 3. Can you please give me a large piece of paper I can write a notice?
A. on which B. with it C. with which D. in which 4. Do you know the name of the girl our teacher is talking?
A. of her B. about her C. with who D. about whom 5. In our class there are 56 students, half wear glasses.
A. in whom B. in them C. of whom D. of them 6. I don’t like the way you treat your father.
A. on which B. in which C. for which D. at which 7. I often think of the moment I saw the UFO.