How to move the preposition from the end of the sentence?

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Tukanja
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How to move the preposition from the end of the sentence?

Post by Tukanja »

This sentence is a part of a joke.

"I'm the sort of brat my mummy is always telling me never to play with."

Can I replace this one with this one below?

"I'm the sort of brat with which my mummy is always telling me never to play."

Thanks
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Joe
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Re: How to move the preposition from the end of the sentence

Post by Joe »

Yes. Or, since even a brat is a person, you could say:

"I'm the sort of brat with whom my mummy is always telling me never to play."

However, remember that this structure is extremely formal. Almost no-one actually uses it in speech, though people would sometimes use it in writing.
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Tukanja
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Re: How to move the preposition from the end of the sentence

Post by Tukanja »

Thank you!

The relative pronoun whom was on my mind as well but at length I decided to use which instead of whom because the explanation was related to type of sort and not the person mentioned.

The whom would make a bit of confusion in the sentence I think, wouldn't it?
The mummy isn't telling him all the time not to play with himself, right?
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Re: How to move the preposition from the end of the sentence

Post by mess »

"whom" has the same effect as "which" in this context, just it makes sure people understand you are talking about a person and not an object.
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