Relative Clauses-- at which

Question

Are these all grammatically correct--even though some may be awkward and never used?

Which are used and acceptable?

a. The position remains active until the listed closing date/5pm, at which we will be in contact.

b. The position remains active until the listed closing date/5pm, which we will be in contact at.

c. The position remains active until the listed closing date/5pm, at which point we will be in contact.

d. The position remains active until the listed closing date/5pm, which we will be in contact.

1. I will be around the area at 5pm, which I'll pick you up at.

2. I will be around the area at 5pm, at which I'll pick you up.

3. I will be around the area at 5pm, at which time I'll pick you up.

Thank you

Clive · Accepted Answer

Hi,

Are these all grammatically correct--even though some may be awkward and never used?

Which are used and acceptable?

a. ~~The position remains active until the listed closing date/5pm, at which we will be in contact.~~

b. ~~The position remains active until the listed closing date/5pm, which we will be in contact at.~~

c. The position remains active until the listed closing date/5pm, at which point we will be in contact.

This means you will contact 'me' at 5 pm on that day. pPerhaps you mean 'after which point'.

d. ~~The position remains active until the listed closing date/5pm, which we will be in contact.~~

1. ~~I will be around the area at 5pm, which I'll pick you up at.~~

2. I ~~will be around the area at 5pm, at which I'll pick you up.~~

3. I will be around the area at 5pm, at which time I'll pick you up.

You can't say 'until the listed closing date/5pm'.

You need to say eg 'until 5pm on the listed closing date'.

Clive

English 1b3 · Answer

Hi, thanks Clive

Can you please tell me why the ones you have crossed out are wrong? Or are you just saying they are not used/awkward?

Remember in a similar thread you answered regarding this? You said the 'time' in 'during which time' was optional? Now you are making it compulsory. Can you explain this too please?

Clive · Answer

Hi,

Can you please tell me why the ones you have crossed out are wrong? Or are you just saying they are not used/awkward? Really, some of the sentences you post are so odd that it is easy to know they are wrong and both hard and uninteresting (to me) to seek to articulate exactly why.

But I'll try.

Perhaps I can turn things around and ask you this. You seem in many cases to have a reasonable grasp of what sounds normal, so are you deliberately trying to formulate sentences in very odd ways? Do you really want to speak like this in a normal conversation, or are you just asking out of curiosity?

a. ~~The position remains active until the listed closing date/5pm, at which we will be in contact.~~

b. ~~The position remains active until the listed closing date/5pm, which we will be in contact at.~~

c. The position remains active until the listed closing date/5pm, at which point we will be in contact.

d. ~~The position remains active until the listed closing date/5pm, which we will be in contact.~~

I'd saythese are wrong.

In A and B, it's not clear what 'which' refers to. The way you have written the date and time does not help, either.

Same with C, plus a preposition is needed.

1. ~~I will be around the area at 5pm, which I'll pick you up at.~~

2. I ~~will be around the area at 5pm, at which I'll pick you up.~~

3. I will be around the area at 5pm, at which time I'll pick you up.

I'd hesitate to say these are wrong, but they are certainly awkward.

In 1 and 2, I'm still not completely clear if 'which' refers to the time or to the area.

Remember in a similar thread you answered regarding this? You said the 'time' in 'during which time' was optional? Now you are making it compulsory. Can you explain this too please?

Consider this quotatiion by Emerson.

A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds

Actually, I can't remember the sentence in question. Can you show it to me again, please?

Clive

English 1b3 · Answer

Clive
Actually, I can't remember the sentence in question. Can you show it to me again, please?

Cliveor are you just asking out of curiosity?

More or less, yes. I find I learn and understand things better by understanding the construction. Some learn by just reading and being told what sentence works and what doesn't. I like to do this, but also try to understand the constructions, how they are formed, etc

Clive
In A and B, it's not clear what 'which' refers to. The way you have written the date and time does not help, either.

Same with C, plus a preposition is needed

A preposition in d is needed is what you mean, right? I realise this much at least.

The way I have written the date and time by the way may be misleading; I meant that either phrase can exist (not both the listed closing date and 5pm).

Clive · Answer

Hi,

Yes, I meant D.

The position remains active What does this mean? You need to say it in some other way.

Clive

English 1b3 · Answer

CliveThe position remains active What does this mean?

It just means 'available,' I think... I'm still don't quite know what is wrong with the sentences you labelled as wrong. I understand you are not very interested in such matters, so I'll leave that up to someone more intersted.

Thanks for your help.

Relative Clauses-- at which

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