Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds
In formal English, prepositions move from the end of the sentence to sit right before 'whom' or 'which'.
- Use 'whom' for people after a preposition, never 'who' or 'that'. Example: 'The man to whom I spoke.'
- Use 'which' for things after a preposition, never 'that'. Example: 'The project for which I am responsible.'
- Never use 'that' immediately after a preposition in a relative clause. Example: 'The house in which I live' (not 'in that').
Overview
dangling prepositions)。听起来好像挺疼的，但其实这只是个挺高大上的说法，指的就是你把像 with、to 或 for 这样的词放在句子的最后。在日常聊天中，我们会说："That's the guy I was talking with.« 这很自然，很简单，就是你喝咖啡聊天时会说的话。但当你写求职信或论文时，对于严格的读者来说，那个“悬空”的介词看起来会有点乱。正式英语对此有一个小妙招：我们会把介词移动到定语从句的前面。不再是 »the guy I talked with,« 而是变成了 »the person with whom I spoke." 听起来很高大上，对吧？简直像是在打字时都该穿着一件 燕尾服。这条规则讲的就是这种“前置” (front-shifting)。它能让你的句子从“窝在沙发里闲聊”瞬间变成“在做主旨演讲”。别担心，你在健身房不需要这样说话。但知道怎么做，会让你在重要时刻看起来像个专业人士。就像是给你的 LinkedIn 档案加了个秘密大招。只要记住，在 WhatsApp 群聊里过度使用这个可能会让你的朋友觉得你被一个 19 世纪的诗人给盗号了。How This Grammar Works
who、which 或 that。有时，从句里的动词需要搭配一个介词。想想 listen to、work for 或 agree with。在非正式口语中，介词留在动词后面。但在正式英语里，介词会丢下动词，“跳”到关系代词的前面。一旦发生这种情况，我们对代词的选择就会改变。你不能在介词后面用 that。你also不能用 who。你必须用 whom 来指代人，用 which 来指代事物。这是一个捆绑套餐。如果介词挪了位置，代词就必须变正式。把它看作是一个 VIP 俱乐部吧。如果你想把介词带进去，你就必须给代词穿上正装。whom 就是 who 的燕尾服版。而 which 是指代物体的唯一选择。这种模式在名词和动作之间建立了一个非常清晰的联系。它很精准，也很优雅。它还能帮助避免在长难句中产生歧义。如果你在读一份法律合同或高端的技术手册，你会发现这种用法无处不在。这就是代表清晰度和权威感的语法。
Formation Pattern
The app I told you about is great.
(that) I told you about.，介词是 about。
app 是一个物体，所以我们需要 which。如果它是个人，我们就会用 whom。
The app about which I told you is great.
Preposition + whom (例如：to whom, with whom, for whom)
Preposition + which (例如：in which, by which, at which)
to that 或 about who。这就像是穿着西装配人字拖——完全不搭。而且，that 这个词在正式版本中会完全消失，你需要把它换成更强力的 which 或 whom。
When To Use It
to whom 听起来会比 who to 好得多。然而，语境决定一切。如果你在给死党发短信订比萨时用这个，他们可能会觉得你在阴阳怪气或者脑子抽风。The pizza for which I paid has not arrived 语法上虽然完美，但在社交上非常 尴尬。看 Netflix、打游戏和闲逛时还是用非正式英语吧。把这种正式模式留给那些需要展示你已经掌握了英语“高端”版本的时刻。它在文学和新闻中也非常常见。如果你读《纽约时报》或看严肃的纪录片，你会不断听到这些结构。它赋予了说话者一种受过良好教育且严谨的气场。
Common Mistakes
with who 或 in that。在正式写作中，这些都是大忌。永远对人使用 whom，对其他一切使用 which。另一个常见的失误是“双重介词”。这发生在当你把介词挪到前面，却忘了把结尾的介词删掉。例如：✗ The office这就像是同时戴了两顶帽子。一旦介词挪到了前面，后面就没它位置了。直接说in whichI workin.
The office in which I work 就好。第三个错误是在不需要的时候使用这种模式。有时候，挪动介词会让句子变得太沉重，让人喘不过气。如果你的句子里有三个介词，千万别把它们全挪到前面，否则你听起来会像一份 1750 年的法律文件。要保持平衡。最后，别忘了逗号规则。通常，如果从句是“额外信息”（非限定性），你需要逗号；如果是核心信息，则不需要。但介词前置的规则在两种情况下都适用。Contrast With Similar Patterns
The person I was talking to.（完全没有代词！在英语口语中非常常见）。
The person（友好，给同事发邮件很正常）。whoI was talkingto.
The person to whom I was talking.（专业、学术、礼貌）。to 是如何慢慢从结尾迁移到前面的。同时也注意 who 到 whom 的转变。还有一个词 whose 的对比。我们用 whose 表示所有关系（例如：The man whose car I borrowed）。你也可以在 whose 前面放介词，比如 The man in whose house I stayed. 那就是 4 级正式度了——超级精英版！另一个对比是和关系副词如 where 或 when。你通常可以用 where 代替 in which。The room in which we met = The room where we met. in which 版本只是更正式、更精准的亲戚。日常生活用 where，硕士论文用 in which。Quick FAQ
whom 要凉了吗？
这话人们都说了 100 年了！它在日常口语中确实基本消失了，但在这种特定的正式模式中，它依然活力十足。
我能在介词后面用 that 吗？
绝对不行。in that 只能作为连词使用，意思是“因为”。对于定语从句，永远是 in which。
这对短语动词有效吗？
看情况！有些短语动词像 look after 是不可分割的。你通常不会说
The child after whom I look. 这听起来太怪了。还是用更简单的动词吧。
为什么我的语法检查工具一直提示这个？
一些现代的检查工具（如 Grammarly）更倾向于随意风格。它们可能会建议你把介词挪回结尾。如果你是在为学校或工作写作，可以忽略那个建议。
是
To who it may concern 还是 To whom it may concern？
永远是 To whom。这是这条规则在固定表达中的经典例子。
Formal Relative Clause Formation
| Referent Type | Preposition | Relative Pronoun | Example Structure |
|---|---|---|---|
|
People
|
to / with / for
|
whom
|
The person to whom...
|
|
Things
|
in / at / for
|
which
|
The car in which...
|
|
Possession
|
of / for
|
whose (+ noun)
|
The man for whose son...
|
|
Places
|
in / at
|
which
|
The house in which...
|
|
Time
|
at / on / in
|
which
|
The day on which...
|
Meanings
A formal grammatical construction where a preposition (like to, for, with, in) is placed before the relative pronoun (whom or which) instead of at the end of the clause.
Formal People Reference
Using 'preposition + whom' to refer to a person in a highly professional or academic context.
“The professor to whom I sent my thesis was very helpful.”
“She is the candidate for whom I voted.”
Formal Object Reference
Using 'preposition + which' to refer to objects, ideas, or places in formal writing.
“This is the document to which I was referring.”
“The city in which he was born is now a major tech hub.”
Legal and Academic Precision
Using this structure to avoid ambiguity in complex sentences where multiple nouns are present.
“The terms under which the contract was signed are binding.”
“The environment in which these bacteria grow must be sterile.”
Reference Table
| 非正式 (口语) | 正式 (指人) | 正式 (指物) |
|---|---|---|
|
The friend I spoke *to*.
|
The friend *to whom* I spoke.
|
N/A
|
|
The team I work *with*.
|
The team *with whom* I work.
|
N/A
|
|
The book I referred *to*.
|
N/A
|
The book *to which* I referred.
|
|
The goal I aimed *for*.
|
N/A
|
The goal *for which* I aimed.
|
|
The colleague I depend *on*.
|
The colleague *on whom* I depend.
|
N/A
|
|
The report they approved *of*.
|
N/A
|
The report *of which* they approved.
|
正式程度
The gentleman to whom I was speaking was very helpful. (Customer service feedback)
The man I was speaking to was very helpful. (Customer service feedback)
The guy I was talking to was great. (Customer service feedback)
That dude I was chatting with was chill. (Customer service feedback)
正式定语从句
关键代词
- Whom 用于人（宾语）
- Which 用于物/概念
介词位置
- 前置 位于 whom/which 之前
- 不在句末 不以介词结束从句
常用介词
- To 表示方向/接收者
- For 表示目的/受益者
- With 表示伴随/手段
非正式 vs 正式定语从句
我该使用“正式介词前置”吗？
语境是否正式（学术论文、专业邮件、演讲）？
你描述的名词是“人”吗？
你描述的名词是“物”或“概念”吗？
正式定语从句常用介词
用于人
- • to whom
- • for whom
- • with whom
- • about whom
用于物
- • to which
- • for which
- • with which
- • on which
按水平分级的例句
The girl I talk to is nice.
The house I live in is big.
The man I work with is tall.
The music I listen to is loud.
The person who I travel with is my sister.
The hotel which we stayed in was cheap.
The company that he works for is famous.
The subject that I am interested in is history.
The manager to whom you sent the email is away.
The project for which I am responsible is nearly finished.
The city in which the conference is held is very beautiful.
The people with whom I share the office are very quiet.
The theory upon which his argument is based has been disproven.
There are several issues about which we need to be careful.
He is a leader for whom many people have great respect.
The speed at which the virus spreads is alarming.
The circumstances under which the decision was made remain unclear.
She is a colleague for whose expertise I have the highest regard.
The degree to which this affects the economy is debatable.
It was a situation from which there was no easy escape.
The mechanism whereby the cells regenerate is not yet fully understood.
The parties between whom the dispute arose have reached a settlement.
It is a principle to which all members must strictly adhere.
The extent to which cultural bias influences the results must be considered.
容易混淆
Learners often use 'who' after prepositions because 'whom' feels old-fashioned.
Learners think 'that' can be used anywhere 'which' is used.
Both refer to places, so learners mix them up.
常见错误
The man to who I talk.
The man I talk to.
The book in that I read.
The book I read in.
The friend with who I play.
The friend I play with.
The house where I live in.
The house I live in.
The company for that he works.
The company he works for.
To who are you speaking?
Who are you speaking to?
The car in which I go in.
The car in which I go.
The person to who I sent the file.
The person to whom I sent the file.
The situation in that we find ourselves.
The situation in which we find ourselves.
The project which I am responsible for it.
The project for which I am responsible.
The degree with which he succeeded.
The degree to which he succeeded.
句型
The person to whom I ___ is ___.
This is the tool with which we ___.
The conditions under which they ___ were ___.
He is a man for whose ___ I have ___.
Real World Usage
The experiment in which the variables were controlled...
The manager to whom I reported was very supportive.
The terms under which this agreement operates...
To whom should I address this letter?
The suspect, for whom a warrant was issued...
The process by which the data was collected...
什么时候用 Whom
to whom。正式场合避开 That
which。阅读正式文本
the framework within which we operate。
看场合使用
to whom 会显得太刻板，甚至有点搞笑。留给面试或论文吧！练习“介词前置”
the man I talked to变成
the man to whom I talked。
Smart Tips
Use 'to whom' or 'with whom' to immediately signal to the employer that you have high-level communication skills.
Eliminate that option immediately. It is a common 'distractor' in exams like TOEFL or IELTS.
Try the 'Him' test. If you can say 'to him', use 'to whom'.
If you have too many 'in which' or 'to whom' phrases, try replacing them with 'where' or 'when' to make the sentence breathe.
发音
Whom vs. Who
The 'm' in 'whom' is often soft. In fast formal speech, 'to whom' sounds like one word /tuːhuːm/.
Preposition Stress
When the preposition is at the front, it is usually unstressed. The stress falls on the relative pronoun or the following noun.
Formal Rising-Falling
The city in which he LIVES ↘ is old.
Conveys a sense of completeness and authority.
记住它
记忆技巧
Whom follows a preposition like a shadow follows a person.
视觉联想
Imagine a preposition (like a small dog) being 'walked' by the relative pronoun (the owner). In formal English, the owner (Whom/Which) keeps the dog (Preposition) on a short leash right in front of them.
Rhyme
If a preposition starts the track, 'Who' and 'That' must both stay back.
Story
A very fancy butler named Mr. Whom always carries a tray (the preposition) in front of him. He never leaves his tray at the end of the hallway; he always brings it to the front of the conversation.
Word Web
挑战
Write three formal sentences about your current job or studies using 'to whom', 'in which', and 'for which'.
文化笔记
British academic standards are often very strict about avoiding dangling prepositions in formal essays. Using 'to whom' is seen as a sign of high-level education.
In US legal contexts, 'to whom it may concern' is the standard formal salutation, preserving the 'whom' form even as it disappears from common speech.
Using 'whom' correctly is sometimes used as a 'meme' or a way to sound 'fancy' ironically. However, in LinkedIn posts or professional networking, it remains a serious tool.
This construction is a result of 17th and 18th-century grammarians trying to make English more like Latin.
对话开场白
Tell me about a teacher for whom you have a lot of respect.
What is a project for which you are currently responsible?
Describe a city in which you would love to live.
Think of a historical figure to whom you would like to ask a question.
日记主题
常见错误
Test Yourself
The candidate, _____ the committee voted unanimously, accepted the position.
选择正确的句子：
Find and fix the mistake:
This is the objective to who we are striving.
Arrange the words in the correct order:
All words placed
Click words above to build the sentence
Score: /4
练习题
8 exercisesThe client ___ ___ I was talking is from Japan.
Find and fix the mistake:
This is the report for that I am responsible.
Which is correct?
Formal version:
You can use 'who' immediately after a preposition in formal writing.
A: To whom should I address this letter? B: You should address it to the manager ___ ___ you spoke yesterday.
Select the formal option:
Match '...I am looking for' with:
Score: /8
Practice Bank
11 exercisesThe challenges, _____ we are constantly adapting, require innovative solutions.
The department, in that I work, has a new policy.
哪句话是正确的？
翻译成英语：'Esa es la razón por la cual aplazamos el evento.'
排列单词：
将非正式短语与其对应的正式表达匹配：
The guidelines, _____ compliance is mandatory, are attached.
The client, on who we depend, is very important.
哪句话既正确又正式？
翻译成英语：'El documento al que se refirió está en el archivo.'
The period, _____ we are discussing, was pivotal for the company.
Score: /11
常见问题 (8)
In casual speech, yes. Most people say `who` even when `whom` is technically correct. However, in formal writing and exams, `whom` is still strictly required after a preposition.
Only in the specific phrase `in that`, which means 'because'. In a relative clause describing a noun, you must use `in which`.
Because prepositions require the 'object' form of a pronoun. Just as we say `to him` (not `to he`), we must say `to whom` (not `to who`).
No, it is perfectly fine in modern English. However, moving it to the front makes your writing sound more professional and academic.
Look at the verb. If the verb is `apply`, the preposition is `for` (`the job for which I applied`). If the verb is `depend`, it is `on` (`the person on whom I depend`).
Yes, `where` is a great alternative for places and is often less 'stiff' than `in which`. Just don't use both: say `the city where I live` OR `the city in which I live`.
No, `whom` is used whenever the person is the object of the verb, even without a preposition (e.g., `The man whom I saw`). But it is most common after prepositions.
No, `which` is only for things. For people, you must use `for whom`.
Scaffolded Practice
1
2
3
4
Mastery Progress
Needs Practice
Improving
Strong
Mastered
In Other Languages
con quien / en el que
Spanish cannot 'strand' prepositions at the end of a sentence.
avec qui / dans lequel
French uses 'lequel' to match the gender of the object, which English doesn't do.
mit dem / in dem
German pronouns change based on case (Dative/Accusative) after the preposition.
Noun-modifying clause
Japanese has no relative pronouns at all.
Al-lathi + resumptive pronoun
Arabic requires a pronoun at the end of the clause that English must omit.
...de + Noun
Chinese uses word order and particles instead of relative pronouns.
Learning Path
Prerequisites
Learn These First
Continue With
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