A good way to test a clause like this is to take it out of its sentence and make it an independent sentence, replacing "which" with its referent.  This will give you something like 

Constructivist teaching is not the primary approach those classes.  

This clearly doesn't work without the "in" because, of course, "which" is the object of the preposition "in" and the preposition can't be deleted.  She could replace "which" with "where" if she doesn't want to repeat "in".  The semicolon should be a comma, if, that is, she intends this to be a non-restrictive relative clause.  If it's restrictive it should have no punctuation around it.





Herbert F. W. Stahlke, Ph.D.
Professor of English
Ball State University
Muncie, IN  47306
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>>> [log in to unmask] 11/14/01 03:06AM >>>
Hi all,

I have a problem with the grammar structure/puctuation of the sentence
below, that one student used in an essay.

"In those classes, which Constructivist teaching is not the primary
approach; I have had some good encounters and some not so good encounters."

My correction was to add "in" before "which", so that it reads:

"In those classes in which Constructivist teaching is not the primary
approach; I have had some good encounters and some not so good encounters."

My opinion is that the "which" clause in its original version is not
entirely grammatical, since the referent is not "classes which
contructivist teaching", but we are talking about classes "in which"
constructivism is not used. If you miss the "in", it looks like the classes
themselves are attached a "constructivist teaching" condition, which makes
for an awkard reading.

Could you comment on the correctness (prescriptive or descriptive) and
clarity of the original sentence?

Also, what about the use of the semi-colon? Would that be something to
change also?

One of the problems is, this student says her mother is an English teacher,
and she didn't see anything wrong  with the version without the "in"
particle. Can I make a case for the contrary? If I can't, I don't have any
problem accepting an impartial, unbiased, professional opinion, even if it
contradicts my intuitive opinion. That's why I'm asking in the forum  :-)

Thanks in advance.


Roberto Perez
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