[alexlearner]

I would like to make up a few simple sentences.

(1) John and I are going to meet in the school my uncle used to work in.

(2a) Mary is going to take two English courses next month to improve her English skills.

(2b) Mary is going to take two English courses to improve her English skills next month.

In (1), is it necessary to put another "in" at the end of the sentence?

In (2), which order of the words, highlighted in red, is correct?

Thank you very much for your help.

[susan53]

1. Yes - they're two different clauses, : You're going to meet in the school and your uncle used to work in the school - so you either need to add "in" after "work" or use "where :
John and I are going to meet in the school (which) my uncle used to work in.
John and I are going to meet in the school where my uncle used to work.

2. Either is possible though 1a sounds most likely to me in most contexts.But it depends what you want to emphasise - why she is doing the courses (in which case use 1a) or when she is doing them (in which case possibly 1b).

A I heard Maria didn't get the job because she doesn't speak any foreign languages well.
B : Yes - so she's decided to take a couple of courses next month to improve her English skills.

A : I want Maria to go to the conference in Japan in three weeks time.
B : She can't. HRD is sending her on a couple of courses to improve her English skills next month. She'll be in London then.

[newlearner]

Thank you so much again, Sue.

I have just come up with two more pairs of similar sentences. Could you please explain them?

(3a) We will meet in the school John graduated from last year.

(3b) We will meet in the school where John graduated from last year.

(4a) I can add up all the big numbers on the calculator for you within an hour.

(4b) I can add up all the big numbers for you on the calculator within an hour.

In both 3 a and b, I think you need "from" because "in" connects "our meeting" to "the school" and "John's graduation" to the "school".

In (4), I am not sure which one sounds more natural to native English speakers.

Please help me. Thank you very much.

[susan53]

3) Remember - if you use a preposition it must be paired with an "ordinary" relative pronoun (who, which, that). These may, as in your example sometimes be omitted but are still "understood". So :

We'll meet in the school (which) John graduated from last year.
That's the school (that) John studied in.
Tuesday? That's the day (which) my interview is on.


If you use "when" or "where", the concept of time or place is already included, so the preposition is irrelevant.

We'll meet in the school where John graduated.
That's the school where John studied.
Tuesday? That's the day when my interview is.


4. Either is possible - the word order is flexible here.