Level 09 – Step 09 : Advanced Relative Clauses (Preposition + Relative Pronoun) (The house in which she grew up is old. The person to whom I spoke was kind.)
/Level 09 – Step 09 : Advanced Relative Clauses (Preposition + Relative Pronoun) (The house in which she grew up is old. The person to whom I spoke was kind.)
🚪 Let’s Begin
/🚪 Let’s Begin
🦉Professor Owl: Today we will learn advanced relative clauses that include a preposition before a relative pronoun.
/🦉Professor Owl: Today we will learn advanced relative clauses that include a preposition before a relative pronoun.
🐧Igupen: Like “in which” and “to whom”? They sound a little formal.
/🐧Igupen: Like “in which” and “to whom”? They sound a little formal.
🦉Professor Owl: Yes — they are more formal but very clear.
/🦉Professor Owl: Yes — they are more formal but very clear.
They help connect places, people, and things with prepositions when we want to be precise.
/They help connect places, people, and things with prepositions when we want to be precise.
📚 Lesson
/📚 Lesson
What are preposition + relative pronoun clauses?
/What are preposition + relative pronoun clauses?
These are relative clauses where the preposition comes before a relative pronoun which, whom, or where and they show relationships of place, direction, reason, or connection.
/These are relative clauses where the preposition comes before a relative pronoun which, whom, or where and they show relationships of place, direction, reason, or connection.
Common forms include preposition + which: the place in which, the reason for which.
/Common forms include preposition + which: the place in which, the reason for which.
Common forms also include preposition + whom: the person to whom, the friend with whom.
/Common forms also include preposition + whom: the person to whom, the friend with whom.
You can use where as a shorter, less formal alternative for places.
/You can use where as a shorter, less formal alternative for places.
They sound more formal and clear, especially in writing or polite speech.
/They sound more formal and clear, especially in writing or polite speech.
They help avoid ending sentences with a preposition when you want a formal style: The house in which she grew up instead of The house she grew up in.
/They help avoid ending sentences with a preposition when you want a formal style: The house in which she grew up instead of The house she grew up in.
Quick patterns: The house in which she grew up = the house + in which + she grew up.
/Quick patterns: The house in which she grew up = the house + in which + she grew up.
The person to whom I spoke = the person + to whom + I spoke.
/The person to whom I spoke = the person + to whom + I spoke.
Use whom after a preposition when referring to a person in formal writing.
/Use whom after a preposition when referring to a person in formal writing.
In speech, many native speakers use who informally, but whom is correct after prepositions in formal contexts.
/In speech, many native speakers use who informally, but whom is correct after prepositions in formal contexts.
🦉Professor Owl’s one-point tip
/🦉Professor Owl’s one-point tip
If the clause refers to a place, try “in which” or “where.”
/If the clause refers to a place, try “in which” or “where.”
If it refers to a person and a preposition is needed, use “to whom,” “with whom,” or “for whom” for formal clarity.
/If it refers to a person and a preposition is needed, use “to whom,” “with whom,” or “for whom” for formal clarity.
Quick checks inside the lesson
/Quick checks inside the lesson
Place: in which or where both work but “in which” is more formal.
/Place: in which or where both work but “in which” is more formal.
Person after preposition: use whom in formal writing.
/Person after preposition: use whom in formal writing.
Informal speech often uses who and places the preposition at the end: the person I spoke to.
/Informal speech often uses who and places the preposition at the end: the person I spoke to.
🌼 Sample Sentences
/🌼 Sample Sentences
No.01 The house in which she grew up is old.
/No.01 The house in which she grew up is old.
No.02 The city in which he was born is famous.
/No.02 The city in which he was born is famous.
No.03 The person to whom I spoke was kind.
/No.03 The person to whom I spoke was kind.
No.04 The colleague with whom I worked moved away.
/No.04 The colleague with whom I worked moved away.
No.05 The reason for which she left was private.
/No.05 The reason for which she left was private.
No.06 The school at which they teach is near the river.
/No.06 The school at which they teach is near the river.
No.07 The writer about whom we read won an award.
/No.07 The writer about whom we read won an award.
No.08 The place where we met is now a cafe.
/No.08 The place where we met is now a cafe.
No.09 The friend for whom I baked cookies is my neighbor.
/No.09 The friend for whom I baked cookies is my neighbor.
No.10 The book in which the map appears is in the library.
/No.10 The book in which the map appears is in the library.
🎓 Practice exercises
/🎓 Practice exercises
Note: Think first, then check the answers.
/Note: Think first, then check the answers.
Q1: Choose the best formal phrase: “The office (that / in which) she works is closed.”
/Q1: Choose the best formal phrase: “The office (that / in which) she works is closed.”
Q2: Fill in the blank with “to whom” or “who”: “The teacher _____ I gave the note is new.” (formal)
/Q2: Fill in the blank with “to whom” or “who”: “The teacher _____ I gave the note is new.” (formal)
Q3: Rewrite formally: “The town he lives in is quiet.” (use “in which”)
/Q3: Rewrite formally: “The town he lives in is quiet.” (use “in which”)
Q4: True or False: Use “whom” after a preposition in formal writing.
/Q4: True or False: Use “whom” after a preposition in formal writing.
Q5: Choose the correct formal sentence: A) The person with who I spoke left. B) The person with whom I spoke left.
/Q5: Choose the correct formal sentence: A) The person with who I spoke left. B) The person with whom I spoke left.
Q6: Fill in the blank with “for whom” or “who”: “The woman _____ I bought the gift is my aunt.” (formal)
/Q6: Fill in the blank with “for whom” or “who”: “The woman _____ I bought the gift is my aunt.” (formal)
Q7: Replace with a formal relative clause: “The restaurant we ate at has closed.” (use “at which”)
/Q7: Replace with a formal relative clause: “The restaurant we ate at has closed.” (use “at which”)
Q8: Choose the best phrase: “The poem (about which / who) we talked was sad.”
/Q8: Choose the best phrase: “The poem (about which / who) we talked was sad.”
Q9: Fill in the blank: “The author _____ book you read is visiting.” (use formal relative form)
/Q9: Fill in the blank: “The author _____ book you read is visiting.” (use formal relative form)
Q10: Rewrite formally: “The students the teacher works with are talented.” (use “with whom”)
/Q10: Rewrite formally: “The students the teacher works with are talented.” (use “with whom”)
◆ Answers
/◆ Answers
A1: in which
/A1: in which
A2: to whom
/A2: to whom
A3: The town in which he lives is quiet.
/A3: The town in which he lives is quiet.
A4: True
/A4: True
A5: B
/A5: B
A6: for whom
/A6: for whom
A7: The restaurant at which we ate has closed.
/A7: The restaurant at which we ate has closed.
A8: about which
/A8: about which
A9: whose
/A9: whose
A10: The students with whom the teacher works are talented.
/A10: The students with whom the teacher works are talented.
🦉 Closing
/🦉 Closing
🦉Professor Owl: Well done.
/🦉Professor Owl: Well done.
Using preposition + relative pronoun makes your writing clear and polite, especially for places and people.
/Using preposition + relative pronoun makes your writing clear and polite, especially for places and people.
🐧Igupen: I’ll practice “in which” and “to whom” so my sentences sound more careful.
/🐧Igupen: I’ll practice “in which” and “to whom” so my sentences sound more careful.
🦉Professor Owl: Great — try writing five sentences: two with “in which” or “at which,” two with “to/with/for whom,” and one with “whose.”
/🦉Professor Owl: Great — try writing five sentences: two with “in which” or “at which,” two with “to/with/for whom,” and one with “whose.”
You’re building precise and mature English.
/You’re building precise and mature English.
Keep going!
/Keep going!
