4. FORMAL AND INFORMAL STRUCTURES WITH RELATIVE SENTENCES

Relative Clauses with Prepositions

Formal and informal structures practice

EXAMPLES

Formal: Mr Brown is the teacher for whom we prepared the presentation.

Informal: Mr Brown is the teacher we prepared the presentation for.

Formal: Cáceres is the town in which I spent my childhood.

Informal: Cáceres is the town I spent my childhood in.

Alternative: Cáceres is the town where I spent my childhood.

Exercise 1: Change formal → informal

1. The committee to which the proposal was submitted will announce its decision tomorrow.

The committee the proposal was submitted to will announce its decision tomorrow.

2. She is the candidate for whom the position was specifically created.

She is the candidate the position was specifically created for.

3. This is the university at which he completed his doctoral research.

This is the university he completed his doctoral research at.

4. The policy under which the company operates was revised last year.

The policy the company operates under was revised last year.

5. The colleague with whom I collaborated on the project has recently been promoted.

The colleague I collaborated with on the project has recently been promoted.

Exercise 2: Change informal → formal

1. That’s the movie I told you about.

That’s the movie about which I told you.

2. She’s the person I was talking to.

She’s the person to whom I was talking.

3. This is the café we usually meet at.

This is the café at which we usually meet.

4. That’s the problem I’m worried about.

That’s the problem about which I’m worried.

5. He’s the friend I grew up with.

He’s the friend with whom I grew up.

Exercise 3: Rewrite in formal and informal

1. This is the doctor. I told you about him.

Formal: This is the doctor about whom I told you.
Informal: This is the doctor I told you about.

2. That is the diet. She is interested in it.

Formal: That is the diet in which she is interested.
Informal: That is the diet she is interested in.

3. This is the hospital. He works at it.

Formal: This is the hospital at which he works.
Informal: This is the hospital he works at.

4. That is the exercise. They talked about it yesterday.

Formal: That is the exercise about which they talked yesterday.
Informal: That is the exercise they talked about yesterday.

5. She is the nurse. I spoke to her this morning.

Formal: She is the nurse to whom I spoke this morning.
Informal: She is the nurse I spoke to this morning.