Close
  • Podcasts
    • Grammar Girl
    • Curious State
    • Get-Fit Guy
    • Money Girl
    • Project Parenthood
    • Relationship Doctor
    • Modern Mentor
    • Nutrition Diva
    • Savvy Psychologist
    • Who Knew?
    • Unknown History
    • Ask Science
  • Books
  • Categories
    • Health & Fitness
    • House & Home
    • Parenting
    • Relationships
    • Pets
    • Education
    • Tech
    • Productivity
    • Business & Career
    • Money & Finance
  • Offers
  • About QDT
What's Hot

7 Proven Strategies That Will Help Engage Remote Employees More Effectively

August 15, 2022

When to Capitalize Degree Names

August 15, 2022

How to prepare for potential layoffs

August 9, 2022
Facebook Twitter Instagram
Quick and Dirty Tips ™
  • Podcasts
    • Grammar Girl
    • Curious State
    • Get-Fit Guy
    • Money Girl
    • Project Parenthood
    • Relationship Doctor
    • Modern Mentor
    • Nutrition Diva
    • Savvy Psychologist
    • Who Knew?
    • Unknown History
    • Ask Science
  • Books
  • Categories
    • Health & Fitness
    • House & Home
    • Parenting
    • Relationships
    • Pets
    • Education
    • Tech
    • Productivity
    • Business & Career
    • Money & Finance
  • Offers
  • About QDT
Facebook Twitter Instagram Pinterest
Quick and Dirty Tips ™
You are at:Home » ‘Where’ Versus ‘In Which’
Grammar Girl

‘Where’ Versus ‘In Which’

The word "where" can be tricky. Sometimes, "which" or "in which" is better, but they can also sound more formal.

By Bonnie MillsAugust 26, 2021No Comments4 Mins Read
Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn Tumblr Email
 Apple Podcast Page  Spotify Podcast Page  Google Podcast Page  Sticher Podcast Page
Share
Facebook Twitter Pinterest WhatsApp Email

Today we’ll be looking at two constructions that are correct, but which one you choose depends on your audience.

“In Which” Versus “Where”

The expressions that concern us today are “which” and “where.” We’ll be comparing sentences like these: “This is the store at which I met my friend” and “This is the store where I met my friend.” As you can probably guess, “which” is more formal than “where.”

Relative Pronouns

In the two sentences about the store, the words “which” and “where” both function as relative pronouns. Relative pronouns, such as “who” and “that,” introduce dependent clauses (1). So in the sentence “The dog that I adopted needed its shots,” the clause “that I adopted” is a dependent clause headed up by the relative pronoun “that.” The relative pronouns “which” and “where” specifically describe place.

[block:qdt_book=qdt_book]

When to Use “Which”

If you wanted to discuss where you adopted the puppy, you might say, “The pound at which I found Spot was on State Street.” That’s a pretty formal-sounding sentence, though. You might say that sentence in a courtroom or in another formal situation.

Other than maintaining formality, there are two valid reasons you might want to use “which” instead of “where.” Many times, you can add a preposition before the relative pronoun “which” to make your sentence quite precise (2). For example, “The house at which I saw you” has a slightly different meaning from “The house in which I saw you.” If you use “where,” you lose the subtle distinction: “The house where I saw you.”


The other reason you might want to use “which” is to avoid using a preposition at the end of a sentence, which is considered informal (3). For example, the sentence “This is the desk in which the papers are stored” is probably more appropriate to say in a formal setting than its informal counterpart: “This is the desk that the papers are stored in.” Some sticklers might object to that informal sentence. However, if you are talking informally, it is fine to end a sentence with a preposition or to use “where” instead of “in which,” as here: “This is the desk where the papers are stored.”

If you are talking informally, it is fine to end a sentence with a preposition or to use “where” instead of “in which,” as here: “This is the desk where the papers are stored.”

When to Use “Where”

Think back to the puppy sentence we said at the beginning. You probably wouldn’t say “the pound at which” to a friend in normal conversation. You would most likely say, “The pound where I found Spot was on State Street.” You might also find yourself saying, “I found Spot at the State Street pound,” bypassing the “which” or “where” conundrum altogether.

Another time you would probably favor “where” over “which” is when you’re using an informal contraction in your sentence. Take a sentence quoted in Garner’s Modern American Usage. Mr. Garner says, “In the following example, the contraction ‘I’ve’ might not comfortably fit in the same sentence as ‘in which’—hence ‘where’ is justifiable: ‘I’ve deliberately chosen an example where this unspeakable cluster did not stand out’” (4). I’m not sure what cluster this person is talking about, but that is irrelevant for our current discussion. We’re just pointing out that a formal “which” doesn’t sound right alongside an informal “I’ve.”


It’s Your Decision But Beware

Every time you write something, you as the author have to decide which words or phrases are appropriate. So it’s up to you to decide whether to use “which” or “where” in your particular sentence. If your audience expects formal grammar, use a “which” construction. If your audience is more relaxed, you can use “where.”

If you do choose to use “where,” though, you need to be aware of one common error. When you use “where,” you need to ensure that you’re talking about place, not time. For example, it would be incorrect to use a form of “where” in this sentence: “He was born somewhere around 1970.” The year 1970 is a time, not a place, so you would have to say, “sometime” instead of “somewhere.”

The Curious Case of the Misplaced Modifier & The Grammar Devotional

This podcast was written by Bonnie Trenga, author of The Curious Case of the Misplaced Modifier, who blogs at sentencesleuth.blogspot.com, and I’m Mignon Fogarty, the author of The Grammar Devotional—featuring 365 bite-size writing tips, fun quizzes and puzzles, and efficient memory tricks.

References

1. Stilman, A. Grammatically Correct. Cincinnati: Writer’s Digest Books, 1997, p. 244.

2. https://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/grammar/learnit/learnitv286.shtml. Accessed Sept. 24, 2009.

3. https://www.uhv.edu/ac/student/writing/grammartip2004.07.13.html. Accessed Sept. 24, 2009.

4. Garner, B. Garner’s Modern American Usage. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2003, p. 830.

 

Bonnie Mills

Bonnie Mills has been a copyeditor since 1996.

Add A Comment

Comments are closed.

Don't Miss

7 Proven Strategies That Will Help Engage Remote Employees More Effectively

By Jeff Broth, ContributorAugust 15, 2022

Since the start of Covid-19, remote working has boomed across practically every industry that could…

When to Capitalize Degree Names

August 15, 2022

How to prepare for potential layoffs

August 9, 2022

Insurance, Budget, and Long-Term Storage: What to Consider Before Committing to a Loft Conversion

August 9, 2022
Stay In Touch
  • Facebook 12K
  • Twitter 25.7K
  • Pinterest 18.5K
  • Instagram 123K
  • YouTube 23K
  • Vimeo 11.2K
Our Picks

7 Proven Strategies That Will Help Engage Remote Employees More Effectively

By Jeff Broth, ContributorAugust 15, 2022

When to Capitalize Degree Names

By Heather SaundersAugust 15, 2022

How to prepare for potential layoffs

By Rachel CookeAugust 9, 2022
Demo

Subscribe

 Apple Podcast Page  Spotify Podcast Page  Google Podcast Page  Sticher Podcast Page

Books

Amazon.comBarnesIndiBOundApple iBookstoreIndiBOund
Amazon.comBarnesIndiBOundApple iBookstore

Don't miss

Never miss another tip! Join our list to get updates from your favorite hosts delivered straight to your inbox
Sign Up
ABOUT US
logo-img

Whether you want to manage your money better, rock your professional life, stay fit and eat healthy, or discover the keys to better mental health, Quick and Dirty Tips delivers short-form podcasts and articles every week to keep you at the top of your game, usually in ten minutes or less!

Email: contact@quickanddirtytips.com

QUICK LINKS
  • Health & Fitness
  • House & Home
  • Parenting
  • Relationships
  • Pets
  • Education
  • Tech
  • Productivity
  • Business & Career
  • Money & Finance
  • How to listen
  • Privacy notice
  • Ads & Cookies
  • Terms of Use
  • About QDT
  • Our Hosts
OUR PICKS

7 Proven Strategies That Will Help Engage Remote Employees More Effectively

August 15, 2022

When to Capitalize Degree Names

August 15, 2022

How to prepare for potential layoffs

August 9, 2022
Facebook Twitter Instagram
Copyright © 2022 Macmillan Publishing Group, LLC. Quick & Dirty Tips™ and related trademarks appearing on this website are the property of Mignon Fogarty, Inc. and Macmillan Publishing Group, LLC.

Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.