preposition + relative pronoun (in which / to whom)
preposition + relative pronoun (in which / to whom) means “Formal relative clauses put the preposition before which/whom: the house in which I grew up, the person to whom I spoke”. In formal English the preposition can come at the front of the relative clause, directly before which (things) or whom (people): the company for which she works, the man to whom I wrote. Formation: preposition + which/whom + clause
Formal relative clauses put the preposition before which/whom: the house in which I grew up, the person to whom I spoke
B2Formation
preposition + which/whom + clause
Explanation
In formal English the preposition can come at the front of the relative clause, directly before which (things) or whom (people): the company for which she works, the man to whom I wrote. In everyday English the preposition usually stays at the end and the pronoun is often dropped: the company she works for, the man I wrote to. After a fronted preposition you must use whom, not who, and which, not that.
Examples
Note
A preposition can never be followed by that: not the house in that I grew up — use which. And a fronted preposition always requires whom (people) or which (things), never who.
FAQ
preposition + relative pronoun (in which / to whom) — what does it mean and how is it used?
Formal relative clauses put the preposition before which/whom: the house in which I grew up, the person to whom I spoke. In formal English the preposition can come at the front of the relative clause, directly before which (things) or whom (people): the company for which she works, the man to whom I wrote. In everyday English the preposition usually stays at the end and the pronoun is often dropped: the company she works for, the man I wrote to. After a fronted preposition you must use whom, not who, and which, not that.
preposition + relative pronoun (in which / to whom) — how do you form it?
preposition + which/whom + clause
preposition + relative pronoun (in which / to whom) — any usage notes?
A preposition can never be followed by that: not the house in that I grew up — use which. And a fronted preposition always requires whom (people) or which (things), never who.