English grammar
Relative clauses: dropping 'that' and moving the preposition
Say 'that/who' after a preposition, informally and formally.
From the scene The suit I got married in
In short
In speech, drop that or who and put the preposition at the end: the suit I got married in.
Your turn
Which one goes with informal, pronoun dropped?
Options: the friend you lent it to · the suit I got married in · the suit in which I got married
Show answer
informal, pronoun dropped → the friend you lent it to
How it works
A relative clause describes a noun using that, who or which.
Your turn
Pick the word that fits the line.
Don Ramón, and the woman (blank) married?
Options: that · you · who
Show answer
Don Ramón, and the woman you married?
Don Ramón, ¿y la mujer con la que se casó?
Good to know
In natural speech you can drop that or who and put the preposition at the end: the suit (that) I got married in, the friend (who) you lent it to.
Your turn
Pick the word that fits the line.
Forty years together. She was the person I argued (blank) most... and loved most.
Options: on · with · to
Show answer
Forty years together. She was the person I argued with most... and loved most.
Cuarenta años juntos. Fue la persona con quien más discutí... y más quise.
Good to know
Formal English puts the preposition before which or whom: the suit in which I got married, the person with whom I argued most.
informal: preposition at the end the suit I got married in
Ramón
The suit I got married in.
El traje con el que me casé.
Your turn
What fills the gap?
(blank).
Options: The suit in which I got married · The suit I got married in · The friend you lent it to
Show answer
Ramón
The suit I got married in.
El traje con el que me casé.
informal, pronoun dropped the friend you lent it to
Tomás
And the friend you lent it to?
¿Y el amigo a quien se lo prestó?
Your turn
What fills the gap?
And (blank)?
Options: the friend you lent it to · the suit I got married in · the suit in which I got married
Show answer
Tomás
And the friend you lent it to?
¿Y el amigo a quien se lo prestó?
formal: preposition + which/whom the suit in which I got married
for people, formal the person with whom I argued most
Your turn
What goes with the person with whom I argued most?
Options: for people, formal · informal: preposition at the end · informal, pronoun dropped
Show answer
the person with whom I argued most → for people, formal
Practise it in the story
Meet this rule inside a short animated scene. Answer as it plays, then say the lines yourself.
Practise free in the appSee all forms
| informal: preposition at the end | the suit I got married in |
|---|---|
| informal, pronoun dropped | the friend you lent it to |
| formal: preposition + which/whom | the suit in which I got married |
| for people, formal | the person with whom I argued most |
More lines from the story
- JaviDon Ramón, and the woman you married?Don Ramón, ¿y la mujer con la que se casó?
- RamónForty years together. She was the person I argued with most... and loved most.Cuarenta años juntos. Fue la persona con quien más discutí... y más quise.
- RamónHe got married wearing it... and got divorced a year later.Se casó con él puesto... y se divorció al año.
- TomásThanks, Don Ramón, but... I'll stick with the suit I came in.Gracias, Don Ramón, pero... mejor el traje con el que vine.