Explaining preposition + relative in clauses - E5-05W

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Behind the technicalities of grammar lie two principles: to make communication as clear as possible; to give it the maximum range and flexibility. The subject of this file is the use of the combination: preposition + relative pronoun. The benefit we obtain from this is a great increase in the flexibility of our written language.

Notice the word written in the last sentence. The language we are exploring here is important in formal written English; we also show how, in spoken English, we do something different.

As with all other study of clauses, our aim is to find suitable ways to put together two or more ideas in the most attractive manner. Look at these two ideas, each contained in a separate sentence:

She pointed out the Bank of England. I had never previously paid any attention to it.

(She pointed out the Bank of England, which I had never previously paid any attention to.) – spoken English

She pointed out the Bank of England, to which I had never previously paid any attention.

The structure preposition + relative pronoun introduces a non-defining relative clause, and again hereq:

Sir George Marshall has died at the age of 81. I worked under him at the Foreign Office for many years.

Sir George Marshall, under whom I worked for many years at the Foreign Office, has died at the age of 81.

In both these cases, notice that the thing (Bank of England) or person (Sir George Marshall) is the OBJECT of the verb in the relative clause. This is the only case in contemporary English where the object form of who - i.e. whom – must be used. Notice how, in spoken English, we avoid the ‘whom’ by using ‘who’ and putting the preposition - to – at the end of the sentence. In the second example, we can’t do this, so we would, in spoken English, keep the two sentences, not try to combine them.

‘Forrest Gump’ is a film. I’ve heard many people talk about it.

(‘Forrest Gump’ is a film which / that / (x) I’ve heard many people talk about.)

Forrest Gump is a film about which I’ve heard many people talk.

In this case, we have the same structure being used  to introduce a defining relative clause. This means that in spoken English, we would most likely drop the relative, leaving only the preposition at the end:

Forrest Gump is a film (x) I’ve heard many people talk about.

Or similarly:

Believe me, he’s a bloke (x) you don’t want to work for.

I reckon human greed is something (x) you just can’t get away from.

In formal style, these would be something like this:

He is a man for whom it is not advisable to work.

I consider that human greed is something from which one / we / you just cannot get away.

This construction can be used with a wide range of prepositions. Here are some more examples.

The inevitability of death is a fact of existence. You can do nothing against it.

The inevitability of death is a fact of existence against which you can do nothing.

This divorce is a regrettable business. The less said about it, the better.

This divorce is a regrettable business, about which the less said, the better.

These are the methods. This prototype was created by using them.

These are the methods by which this prototype was created.

In all the examples in this file, notice also how the object pronoun necessary in the second of the pair of sentences: - it, him, them, her – disappears in the combined sentence.

Finally:

This is Angela Grey. She plays the role of Celia. The whole film is based on her.

This is Angela Grey, who plays the role of Celia, on whom the whole film is based.

NOTE: This principle can be extended to the use of a number of other expressions combined with whom / which – by means of, according to, in relation to…

This is the plane by means of which the first solo crossing of the Atlantic was achieved.

My sister, according to whom Charles Dickens is not much of a writer, is still looking for a publisher for her first novel.