the study of the systems in which words are organized to make sentences?

[Maggie]

Hi,guys

Grammar is the study of the systems ___ words are organized to make sentences.

(A)which (B)in which (C)that (D)in that

The correct answer is (B).

1.There is one example about how to use 'in which'. I make sense it.

a. This is the room.
b. I study English in the room every night.

The is the room in which I study English in the room every night.
This is the room which I study English in the room in every night.

But I don't understand the sentense I list.I get confused when I should use 'in which'. I made the sentense myself.

Grammar is the study of the systems which words are organized to make sentences in.

2.I don't make sense what does 'words are organized to make sentences' mean?

3.Could I choose the answer(C) or (D)? Why or why not?

Thanks in advance.

Maggie
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In my view,the more mistakes someone else corrects me,the more I could learn.
And welcome to my blog: http://0rz.tw/793HL

[Mister Micawber]

.
1. The following are all OK (as amended), but the 2nd one has a bit too much text between 'which' and 'in' to be a good choice:

Grammar is the study of the systems in which words are organized to make sentences.
Grammar is the study of the systems which words are organized to make sentences in.
This is the room in which I study English every night.
This is the room which I study English in every night.

The 2nd and 4th sentences (with 'stranded prepositions') are informal; the 1st and 3rd are formal.

2. 'Words are organized to make sentences' = words are joined together in a certain order to construct sentences.

3. C and D are no good. C makes no sense, and we do not make prepositional complements of 'that'-- just 'which' (to/for/with/etc which), 'whom' (to/for/with/etc whom) and informally, 'who' (who...to/for/with/etc)
.
_________________
Canadian-American native speaker
who teaches English for a living at Mister Micawber's
ESL cafe: Interview with Mister Micawber

[Maggie]

Hi,Mister Micawber

Thanks for your detailed explanations. May I ask one more question? When should we add the preposistion 'in' and when shouldn't we add it? I list one example to let my question to be clearer.

The car which Maggie bought last week is very expensive.

In this example,we don't add 'in',do we?

Thanks so much again.

Maggie^^
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In my view,the more mistakes someone else corrects me,the more I could learn.
And welcome to my blog: http://0rz.tw/793HL

[Mister Micawber]

.
No 'in'.

Use 'in' when sense calls for it: The car in which Maggie left her purse drove away rapidly.
_________________
Canadian-American native speaker
who teaches English for a living at Mister Micawber's
ESL cafe: Interview with Mister Micawber

[Maggie]

I got it,and thanks a lot.
_________________
In my view,the more mistakes someone else corrects me,the more I could learn.
And welcome to my blog: http://0rz.tw/793HL