the way/ the way that / the way in which

[Subhajit12]

Hi there, which of the following sentences is correct? And have I used the way Correctly?


Here are the example:

1. I love the way John solves every problem in his life.
2. I love the way that John solves every problem in his life.
   
3. I love the way in which John solves every problem in his life.

 

[jianghuicecile]

I think the first one is the same with the second one, the "that" is not essentail here as the attributive clause is integrated, and the third one is not correct in my opinion, as "in which" is used as a substitute for "where" when its antecedent denotes a place, just FYI, PLEASE wait for more answers from native speakers

 

[Uncle Jack]

Jianghuicecile has given you a good answer for (1) and (2), but "in which" has more uses than as a substitute for "where" (though it is used like this).

(1) and (2) contain two ideas: The speaker is impressed that John solves every problem in his life, and they like the method that he uses.

Using "in which" only expresses love for the method John uses, not to the fact that he solves his problems.

 

[jianghuicecile]

Jianghuicecile has given you a good answer for (1) and (2), but "in which" has more uses than as a substitute for "where" (though it is used like this).

(1) and (2) contain two ideas: The speaker is impressed that John solves every problem in his life, and they like the method that he uses.

Using "in which" only expresses love for the method John uses, not to the fact that he solves his problems.

So you interpretate the three sentences semantically, could you give us more examples for another usage for "in which" instead of as a substitute for "where", as you know, as a non-native speaker, we learn English more grammatically, in the third sentence, here "in which" still guide an attributive clause? what's the difference between "where" and "in which" when they guide an attribute clause? Could you explain it more grammatically.

Thanks in advance!

 

[dojibear]

My comments match Uncle Jack's comments in #3. I'll give examples that do not use "the way" to express my meaning.

Sentences 1 and 2 means the same as 2a. Sentence 3 means the same as 3a.

1. I love the way John solves every problem in his life.
2. I love the way that John solves every problem in his life.
1a. I love the fact that John solves every problem in his life.

3. I love the way in which John solves every problem in his life.
3a. I love the method John uses to solve every problem in his life.

 

[dojibear]

"in which" is used as a substitute for "where" when its antecedent denotes a place

Can you give an example sentence? Or a pair of examples, one using "in which" and the other using "where"? Your description does not make it clear to me what sentences you are talking about. Thanks.

 

[jianghuicecile]

Can you give an example sentence? Or a pair of examples, one using "in which" and the other using "where"? Your description does not make it clear to me what sentences you are talking about. Thanks.

I don't think he can use "in which" in the third sentence, only in the following sentences "in which" can be used:

This is the supermarket where I always go shopping with my friends
This is the supermarket in which I always go shopping with my friends(in which=where)
This is the room in which i lived= This is the room where i lived

that is to say, only when "in which" denotes a place in a attributive clause, this is based on most of our grammar system, but as you know, we are non-native speakers, we might be instructed by false grammar system, so how about your comments about it? Could you illustrate more examples when "in which" is not used as a substitute for "where" in a attribute clause?

Thanks in advance!

 

[dora01]

Your confusion comes from the fact that you associate the preposition "in" only with its spacial meaning.
"He couldn't find it in the room where he had left it." - "He couldn't find it in the room in which he had left it."

Keep in mind that in English the preposition "in" can be governed by many other nouns, verbs etc. without denoting location.
"She was interested in the job and she told them about it." - "She told them about the job in which she was interested."

It may also have a temporal reference:
"She was born in April, it was her favourite month." - "Her favourite month was the one in which she was born."

 

[Uncle Jack]

This is the supermarket where I always go shopping with my friends
This is the supermarket in which I always go shopping with my friends(in which=where)
This is the room in which i lived= This is the room where i lived

I think you may misunderstand the role of "in which" when it means "where". Your second sentence does not really work; what is the function of "in"?

We use "in which" where "in" is an ordinary preposition, and the sentence can be rearranged with "in" moved to a different position, omitting "which"

This is the room in which i lived
This is the room I lived in
It is in this room that I once lived (rather literary, not recommended for everyday use!)​

This use of "in which" can be replaced by "where", but only when "in" refers to place/position

This is the room where I lived​

If "in" refers to time, then the replacement word is "when"

April is the month in which I was born
April is the month I was born in
April is the month when I was born​

The use of "in which" in the OP is different. "In" cannot be moved anywhere else in the sentence:

I love the way in which she moves
I love the way she moves in
I love the way where she moves ​

 

[jianghuicecile]

I think you may misunderstand the role of "in which" when it means "where". Your second sentence does not really work; what is the function of "in"?

We use "in which" where "in" is an ordinary preposition, and the sentence can be rearranged with "in" moved to a different position, omitting "which"

This is the room in which i lived
This is the room I lived in
It is in this room that I once lived (rather literary, not recommended for everyday use!)​

This use of "in which" can be replaced by "where", but only when "in" refers to place/position

This is the room where I lived​

If "in" refers to time, then the replacement word is "when"

April is the month in which I was born
April is the month I was born in
April is the month when I was born​

The use of "in which" in the OP is different. "In" cannot be moved anywhere else in the sentence:

I love the way in which she moves
I love the way she moves in
I love the way where she moves ​

Thanks a lot for your intensive explanation, but what does OP stand for in your last examples?

Thanks in advance

 

[Uncle Jack]

OP = Original Post (the first post in a thread); occasionally, the original poster (the person who created the thread)

 

[jianghuicecile]

OP = Original Post (the first post in a thread); occasionally, the original poster (the person who created the thread)

OK, thanks