Dave's ESL Cafe's Student Discussion Forums

[Marrion]

The house is my uncle's. + You can see its red roof over there.
[1]=The house of which the red roof you can see over there is my uncle's.

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There are some people that tell that "[1]" must be the wrong expression in English. But I have been taught that "[1]" is right.

I want to know whether '[1]' is right or not.

[IanT]

It's not quite right.

"The house of which you can see the red roof over there is my uncle's."

would be correct, or

"The house the red roof of which you can see over there is my uncle's."

But both sound very formal and awkward, and would not be used in conversation.

You'd say "You can see the roof of my uncle's house over there. The red one."

Hope helps,
Ian
_________________
All my answers refer to British English.

www.EnglishSwearing.com - How to use all the bad words! ... and ... www.throdworld.com - Silly verses to make you happy.

You decide the price for both!

[Marrion]

Thank you for your answer!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


May you be in happiness!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[pugachevV]

If you're at all interested in punctuation, you could separate the subordinate clause with a couple of commas.

Like this: The house, the red roof of which you can see over there, is my uncle's.

[pugachevV]

If you're at all interested in punctuation, you could separate the subordinate clause with a couple of commas.

Like this: The house, the red roof of which you can see over there, is my uncle's.

[IanT]

You would think so, wouldn't you? I almost did so myself.

But in fact the subordinate clause here is a defining one, establishing which house is being spoken of, and so would not normally be separated by commas.

I know it doesn't look or sound quite natural, but there you go.
_________________
All my answers refer to British English.

www.EnglishSwearing.com - How to use all the bad words! ... and ... www.throdworld.com - Silly verses to make you happy.

You decide the price for both!