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ESL forum > Grammar and Linguistics > Which or Where in relative clause    

Which or Where in relative clause



kara305
Vietnam

Which or Where in relative clause
 
Hi everyone,

I understand that I should use WHICH in this situation, but can hardly explain why i shouldn �t use WHERE. Anyone can give an explaination?

We often visit our grandma in Norwich, ________ is in East Anglia

Thanks

3 Apr 2013      





firstime
France

I think it �s because "where" can �t be in the position of the subject of the second sentence (except in questions)

3 Apr 2013     



florimago
Spain

HI, Kara305: In your sentence, you can only use which or that (which or that are functioning as subject in the sentence "_____is in East Anglia" and we use them (that or which)cause the antecedent (Norwich) is not a person (in this case we would use that or who). I �ll give you an example with "where" : we often visit our grandma in Norwich where my little sister lives too. In this sentence, it�s referring to the place where the action takes place (and at the same time referring of course to the antecedent) . Hope it�s useful Flori

3 Apr 2013     



kara305
Vietnam

Got it, thanks Firstime and Flori

3 Apr 2013     



Rahil_el
Iran

Hi!

it is obvious dear, because we want to give more information about a non- human and in fact it is a defining relative clause.

3 Apr 2013     



oumsalsabil
Algeria

Both  WHICH & WHERE are relative pronouns we use to replace the repeated word in the two sentences if it refers to a place such as: hospital, school, town.... In your sentence we use WHICH and not WHERE cause it replaces the subject  of the 2nd sentence .WHICH replaces "the place" if it functions as a subject or object of the action . WHERE replaces "the place" if it is used as a phrase indicating  the place of the action (not its sub/obj)
compare: 
My son studies in a primary school. This  school is the best in the town.
To avoid repetition and link the 2 sentences we use WHICH since THIS SCHOOL  is a subject.
Another eg:
 My son studies in a primary school.  I like this primary school more than  any other one.
Here again we use WHICH because THIS PRIMARY SCHOOL is the object of the verb.
Now in the third example we will use WHERE or IN WHICH:

This primary school is the best in the town. My son studies in this  primary school. 
"THIS PRIMARY SCHOOL is used in sentence 2 AS REFERENCE TO THE PLACE OF THE ACTION. 
SO we say : The primary school, where/in which my son studies, is the best in the town.
HOPE IT IS NOT CONFUSING 

4 Apr 2013