torn between all these sentences..... please help me out..TT

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karma78
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Joined: Tue Mar 09, 2004 6:21 am

torn between all these sentences..... please help me out..TT

Post by karma78 » Fri Apr 09, 2004 12:50 am

This is the house which I was born in.
This is the house I was born in.
This is the house in which I was born.
This is the house where I was born.
This is where I was born.

All of these sentences are correct, right?
Then can I also say "This is the house I was born" without in at the end of the sentence?...
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Lorikeet
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Re: torn between all these sentences..... please help me out

Post by Lorikeet » Fri Apr 09, 2004 1:31 am

karma78 wrote:This is the house which I was born in.
This is the house I was born in.
This is the house in which I was born.
This is the house where I was born.
This is where I was born.

All of these sentences are correct, right?
Then can I also say "This is the house I was born" without in at the end of the sentence?...
All of the first five sentences are correct, with varying degrees of formality. However, "This is the house I was born" is not correct. You can put the "in" at the end as in your first example, or before "which" as in your third example. The only time you don't need it is if you use "where"--at least that's how I see it. ;)
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LarryLatham
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Post by LarryLatham » Fri Apr 09, 2004 4:42 am

All of these sentences are correct, right?
Then can I also say "This is the house I was born" without in at the end of the sentence?...
Yes.
No.

I am with Lorikeet. :)

Larry Latham
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Stephen Jones
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Joined: Sun May 18, 2003 5:25 pm

Post by Stephen Jones » Fri Apr 09, 2004 11:22 am

Lorikeet and Larry are correct as usual.

I would add the caveat that
This is the house in which I was born.
should only be used in formal written English. In normal spoken or written English it would sound stilted.
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Duncan Powrie
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Post by Duncan Powrie » Sat Apr 10, 2004 8:00 am

You could always just say "You see that house? I was born there/in it" (or, speaking more "suddenly", "I was born in this/that house" (pointy wointy pointing to it). Rather than juggle the grammar, instead imagine the scene/context, step into it, roll out a blanket, crack open that imaginary beer, and let the language "come naturally", MAN 8)

Sorry that I can't share more of my "wisdom" with you guys, but my new job is sucking me dry (not that I had much brain juice in me in the first place). I hope I get a two-day weekend sometime soon, so I can contemplate if not begin reading closely the mass of posts that have built up in the forum these past few weks...
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