Of Which?

Question

Can someone explain what "of which" means?
I've read that having a preposition in front of a relative pronoun is just a more formal way of writing - so a prep is not at the end of a sentence. But I can't think of a sentence using "which" with "of" at the end of it.

Thanks!

Clive · Accepted Answer

Hi,

eg I broke the clock which this hand is part of.

Clive

Cool Breeze · Answer

TerCan someone explain what "of which" means?

You are on the wrong track if you try to figure out what of which means. It doesn't really mean anything on its own. You should think of it as a preposition (of) and a relative pronoun (which). Which does not require of. Of is used because of some other word or expression that requires it.

Some examples:
I think of it every day.
We took care of his car.
I have a picture of his house.

If you use any one of these structures or any other structure that has of in it in a relative clause, you can place of before the relative pronoun or at the end of the relative clause.

Examples:

This is the place of which I think every day. (formal)

This is the place [which/that] I think of every day. (fluent, informal)

The car, of which we took care, is parked in the street.

The car [which/that] we took care of is parked in the street.

The last two sentences have different types of relative clauses. You can learn more about them by typing "restrictive relative clause" or "non-restrictive relative clause" in the search box.

CB

Anonymous · Answer

Is there a single word I can use instead of "of which?" Maybe something similar to "whence" or "wherefore?" Also, is there a single word I can use instead of "to which?" Searching for a possible solution to my problem, Google brought me here.

Anonymous · Answer

Can 'of which' be used in plural subjects?

Cool Breeze · Answer

AnonymousCan 'of which' be used in plural subjects?

Yes. English relative pronouns make no distinction between singular and plural.

I have a car, which I drive every other day.
I have two cars, which I drive every other day.

This is a book which I think of every day.
These are books which I think of every day.

CB

Anonymous · Answer

Cool BreezeYou are on the wrong track if you try to figure out what of which means. It doesn't really mean anything on its own

I think there is one case where "of which" means one thing by its own
(from http://www.tolearnenglish.com/exercises/exercise-english-2/exercise-english-33681.php): possession.

My sister is young. The bicycle of my sister is blue.
=> My sister, whose bicycle is blue, is young.

I cannot remember the title of this play. This play was written by Miko.
=> The play, the title of which I cannot remember, was written by Miko.

("whose" is used for person. "of which" is used for non-person; similar to "who" is for person and "which" is for non-person).

Mister Micawber · Answer

Anonymous("whose" is used for person. "of which" is used for non-person; similar to "who" is for person and "which" is for non-person).

Not necessarily; 'of which' in many situations is hyper-formal and better replaced by 'whose', as in your own example:

The play, whose title I cannot remember, was written by Miko.

Anonymous · Answer

Can ‘of which’ as a whole be used as a relative-possessive determiner?

Mister Micawber · Answer

AnonymousCan ‘of which’ as a whole be used as a relative-possessive determiner?

As in what sentence? Though I doubt that the pronoun can be extricated from its role as prepositional object.

Anonymous · Answer

Is it correct to say:
The book of which I was one of the editors

Of Which?

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