11.4 Relative Pronouns as Objects of Prepositions

COMPREHENSION Based on the reading, write T for true or F for false.

1. Meetup members first make contact online. 2. All Meetup groups are for the purpose of having fun together. 3. Scott Heiferman got his idea for Meetup after the tragedy of September 11, 2001.

THINK ABOUT IT Discuss the questions with a partner or in a small group.

1. Think of an interest or hobby you have. Do you think there is a Meetup for that? Would you be interested in joining such a Meetup? If there isn’t such a Meetup, would you like to create such a group? Why or why not? 2. Read the quote at the end of the article. In what ways do you think Meetup members are able to make a difference?

A relative pronoun can be the object of a preposition.

I want to find people.

prep. object I can go to a play with them.

who(m) I want to find people Ø I can go to a play with. (informal) that

I want to find people with whom I can go to a play. (formal)

prep. object We are interested in different types of books. My friend and I like different books. that I did not like the book Ø she told me about. (informal) which

I did not like the book about which she told me. (formal)

Notes: 1. Informally, we put the preposition at the end of the adjective clause. The relative pronoun is usually omitted. The most common way to say the above sentences is: I want to find people I can go to a play with. I did not enjoy the book you told me about. 2. In very formal English, the preposition comes before the relative pronoun, and only whom and which may be used. That and who are not used directly after a preposition. I want to find people with whom I can go to a play. (not with who or with that) I did not enjoy the book about which you told me. (not about that) Punctuation Notes: 1. When the adjective clause is not essential to identify the noun, we set it apart from the rest of the sentence with commas. Heiferman, who(m) we read about, is a member of a Meetup. (We know who Heiferman is without the adjective clause.) 2. A nonessential adjective clause begins with who, whom, which, where, when, or whose. We don’t use that.

EXERCISE 7 Change these sentences to make them more informal.

1. I’d like to find people with whom I can go hiking.

I’d like to find people I can go hiking with.

2. A woman with whom I work started a Meetup for young Hispanic professionals.

3. Scott Heiferman, about whom we read, is a member of a parents’ Meetup.

4. He pays attention to the Meetups for which people are signing up.

5. People want to get together with others with whom they share a common interest.

6. The office in which Scott works is located in New York City.

EXERCISE 8 Change these sentences to make them more formal.

1. What is the name of the high school you graduated from?

What is the name of the high school from which you graduated?

2. He found a friend that he served in the military with.

3. I can’t find the friend I was looking for.

4. The high school she graduated from was torn down.

5. Do you remember the teacher I was talking about?

6. In high school, the activities I was interested in were baseball and band.