Relative pronoun that












4














I was doing a composition and I had to use the relative pronoun in the pair of sentences.




This is the path.
He came by this path.




And its answer was This is the path by which he came.



But is this grammatically correct to say?




This is the path that he came by.







pronouns relative-pronouns







share|improve this question





























    4














    I was doing a composition and I had to use the relative pronoun in the pair of sentences.




    This is the path.
    He came by this path.




    And its answer was This is the path by which he came.



    But is this grammatically correct to say?




    This is the path that he came by.







    pronouns relative-pronouns







    share|improve this question



























      4












      4








      4







      I was doing a composition and I had to use the relative pronoun in the pair of sentences.




      This is the path.
      He came by this path.




      And its answer was This is the path by which he came.



      But is this grammatically correct to say?




      This is the path that he came by.







      pronouns relative-pronouns







      share|improve this question















      I was doing a composition and I had to use the relative pronoun in the pair of sentences.




      This is the path.
      He came by this path.




      And its answer was This is the path by which he came.



      But is this grammatically correct to say?




      This is the path that he came by.







      pronouns relative-pronouns




      pronouns relative-pronouns






      share|improve this question















      share|improve this question













      share|improve this question




      share|improve this question








      edited yesterday









      ColleenV♦

      10.4k53159




      10.4k53159










      asked yesterday









      Kshitij Singh

      1979




      1979






















          3 Answers
          3






          active

          oldest

          votes


















          6















          This is the path that he came by.




          Yes this makes sense, and personally sounds better than the answer you gave. ( That sounds a little bit literary for me, I wouldn't say that in real life probably).



          However this sentence also has an additional meaning. It can also mean that he ( the person) could have been walking, and stumbled upon/ found a path.



          Ex.




          Bob was walking in the forest and happened to come by a path.







          share|improve this answer





















          • I think it's worth pointing out that the usage to come by something (by chance) has massively declined relative to come across it over the past couple of centuries.
            – FumbleFingers
            yesterday










          • @FumbleFingers for sure, I see it in fiction books quite a bit though. I would never say it in real life sounds awkward
            – bobbin
            yesterday










          • This second meaning of "came by" is almost always used with a qualifier stating when or what he was doing, as in your example sentence. You wouldn't normally say just "He came by this path." So it's an extremely unlikely interpretation of the sentence in the question; in that context, it almost certainly means the OP's interpretation.
            – Barmar
            yesterday



















          3















          This is the path by which he came - fine
          This is the path which he came by - fine
          This is the path that he came by - fine
          This is the path he came by - fine
          This is the path by that he came - NOT VALID




          The first four all mean exactly the same, and it's a bit meaningless to say that any of them are "better" or "worse" than any others. The same principle applies to other prepositions in similar constructions...




          This is the house in which he lives, ...which he lives in, etc., but NOT in that he lives
          This is the company for which I work, ...which I work for, etc.... but NOT for that I work

          ...







          share|improve this answer























          • I feel like "This is the path by that he came" is something that would be said in an old book from the 1500's and 1600's though. Sounds like something you would hear in a shakespear play lol
            – bobbin
            yesterday










          • I just checked Google Books for all written instances of by that before 1810. There are only a couple of pages, and not one of those where I can read the context is relevant to the usage here.
            – FumbleFingers
            17 hours ago



















          0














          It is correct.



          You could also say:




          This is the path he came by



          This is the path he came on



          This is the path he walked on







          share|improve this answer





















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            3 Answers
            3






            active

            oldest

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            3 Answers
            3






            active

            oldest

            votes









            active

            oldest

            votes






            active

            oldest

            votes









            6















            This is the path that he came by.




            Yes this makes sense, and personally sounds better than the answer you gave. ( That sounds a little bit literary for me, I wouldn't say that in real life probably).



            However this sentence also has an additional meaning. It can also mean that he ( the person) could have been walking, and stumbled upon/ found a path.



            Ex.




            Bob was walking in the forest and happened to come by a path.







            share|improve this answer





















            • I think it's worth pointing out that the usage to come by something (by chance) has massively declined relative to come across it over the past couple of centuries.
              – FumbleFingers
              yesterday










            • @FumbleFingers for sure, I see it in fiction books quite a bit though. I would never say it in real life sounds awkward
              – bobbin
              yesterday










            • This second meaning of "came by" is almost always used with a qualifier stating when or what he was doing, as in your example sentence. You wouldn't normally say just "He came by this path." So it's an extremely unlikely interpretation of the sentence in the question; in that context, it almost certainly means the OP's interpretation.
              – Barmar
              yesterday
















            6















            This is the path that he came by.




            Yes this makes sense, and personally sounds better than the answer you gave. ( That sounds a little bit literary for me, I wouldn't say that in real life probably).



            However this sentence also has an additional meaning. It can also mean that he ( the person) could have been walking, and stumbled upon/ found a path.



            Ex.




            Bob was walking in the forest and happened to come by a path.







            share|improve this answer





















            • I think it's worth pointing out that the usage to come by something (by chance) has massively declined relative to come across it over the past couple of centuries.
              – FumbleFingers
              yesterday










            • @FumbleFingers for sure, I see it in fiction books quite a bit though. I would never say it in real life sounds awkward
              – bobbin
              yesterday










            • This second meaning of "came by" is almost always used with a qualifier stating when or what he was doing, as in your example sentence. You wouldn't normally say just "He came by this path." So it's an extremely unlikely interpretation of the sentence in the question; in that context, it almost certainly means the OP's interpretation.
              – Barmar
              yesterday














            6












            6








            6







            This is the path that he came by.




            Yes this makes sense, and personally sounds better than the answer you gave. ( That sounds a little bit literary for me, I wouldn't say that in real life probably).



            However this sentence also has an additional meaning. It can also mean that he ( the person) could have been walking, and stumbled upon/ found a path.



            Ex.




            Bob was walking in the forest and happened to come by a path.







            share|improve this answer













            This is the path that he came by.




            Yes this makes sense, and personally sounds better than the answer you gave. ( That sounds a little bit literary for me, I wouldn't say that in real life probably).



            However this sentence also has an additional meaning. It can also mean that he ( the person) could have been walking, and stumbled upon/ found a path.



            Ex.




            Bob was walking in the forest and happened to come by a path.








            share|improve this answer












            share|improve this answer



            share|improve this answer










            answered yesterday









            bobbin

            812




            812












            • I think it's worth pointing out that the usage to come by something (by chance) has massively declined relative to come across it over the past couple of centuries.
              – FumbleFingers
              yesterday










            • @FumbleFingers for sure, I see it in fiction books quite a bit though. I would never say it in real life sounds awkward
              – bobbin
              yesterday










            • This second meaning of "came by" is almost always used with a qualifier stating when or what he was doing, as in your example sentence. You wouldn't normally say just "He came by this path." So it's an extremely unlikely interpretation of the sentence in the question; in that context, it almost certainly means the OP's interpretation.
              – Barmar
              yesterday


















            • I think it's worth pointing out that the usage to come by something (by chance) has massively declined relative to come across it over the past couple of centuries.
              – FumbleFingers
              yesterday










            • @FumbleFingers for sure, I see it in fiction books quite a bit though. I would never say it in real life sounds awkward
              – bobbin
              yesterday










            • This second meaning of "came by" is almost always used with a qualifier stating when or what he was doing, as in your example sentence. You wouldn't normally say just "He came by this path." So it's an extremely unlikely interpretation of the sentence in the question; in that context, it almost certainly means the OP's interpretation.
              – Barmar
              yesterday
















            I think it's worth pointing out that the usage to come by something (by chance) has massively declined relative to come across it over the past couple of centuries.
            – FumbleFingers
            yesterday




            I think it's worth pointing out that the usage to come by something (by chance) has massively declined relative to come across it over the past couple of centuries.
            – FumbleFingers
            yesterday












            @FumbleFingers for sure, I see it in fiction books quite a bit though. I would never say it in real life sounds awkward
            – bobbin
            yesterday




            @FumbleFingers for sure, I see it in fiction books quite a bit though. I would never say it in real life sounds awkward
            – bobbin
            yesterday












            This second meaning of "came by" is almost always used with a qualifier stating when or what he was doing, as in your example sentence. You wouldn't normally say just "He came by this path." So it's an extremely unlikely interpretation of the sentence in the question; in that context, it almost certainly means the OP's interpretation.
            – Barmar
            yesterday




            This second meaning of "came by" is almost always used with a qualifier stating when or what he was doing, as in your example sentence. You wouldn't normally say just "He came by this path." So it's an extremely unlikely interpretation of the sentence in the question; in that context, it almost certainly means the OP's interpretation.
            – Barmar
            yesterday













            3















            This is the path by which he came - fine
            This is the path which he came by - fine
            This is the path that he came by - fine
            This is the path he came by - fine
            This is the path by that he came - NOT VALID




            The first four all mean exactly the same, and it's a bit meaningless to say that any of them are "better" or "worse" than any others. The same principle applies to other prepositions in similar constructions...




            This is the house in which he lives, ...which he lives in, etc., but NOT in that he lives
            This is the company for which I work, ...which I work for, etc.... but NOT for that I work

            ...







            share|improve this answer























            • I feel like "This is the path by that he came" is something that would be said in an old book from the 1500's and 1600's though. Sounds like something you would hear in a shakespear play lol
              – bobbin
              yesterday










            • I just checked Google Books for all written instances of by that before 1810. There are only a couple of pages, and not one of those where I can read the context is relevant to the usage here.
              – FumbleFingers
              17 hours ago
















            3















            This is the path by which he came - fine
            This is the path which he came by - fine
            This is the path that he came by - fine
            This is the path he came by - fine
            This is the path by that he came - NOT VALID




            The first four all mean exactly the same, and it's a bit meaningless to say that any of them are "better" or "worse" than any others. The same principle applies to other prepositions in similar constructions...




            This is the house in which he lives, ...which he lives in, etc., but NOT in that he lives
            This is the company for which I work, ...which I work for, etc.... but NOT for that I work

            ...







            share|improve this answer























            • I feel like "This is the path by that he came" is something that would be said in an old book from the 1500's and 1600's though. Sounds like something you would hear in a shakespear play lol
              – bobbin
              yesterday










            • I just checked Google Books for all written instances of by that before 1810. There are only a couple of pages, and not one of those where I can read the context is relevant to the usage here.
              – FumbleFingers
              17 hours ago














            3












            3








            3







            This is the path by which he came - fine
            This is the path which he came by - fine
            This is the path that he came by - fine
            This is the path he came by - fine
            This is the path by that he came - NOT VALID




            The first four all mean exactly the same, and it's a bit meaningless to say that any of them are "better" or "worse" than any others. The same principle applies to other prepositions in similar constructions...




            This is the house in which he lives, ...which he lives in, etc., but NOT in that he lives
            This is the company for which I work, ...which I work for, etc.... but NOT for that I work

            ...







            share|improve this answer















            This is the path by which he came - fine
            This is the path which he came by - fine
            This is the path that he came by - fine
            This is the path he came by - fine
            This is the path by that he came - NOT VALID




            The first four all mean exactly the same, and it's a bit meaningless to say that any of them are "better" or "worse" than any others. The same principle applies to other prepositions in similar constructions...




            This is the house in which he lives, ...which he lives in, etc., but NOT in that he lives
            This is the company for which I work, ...which I work for, etc.... but NOT for that I work

            ...








            share|improve this answer














            share|improve this answer



            share|improve this answer








            edited yesterday

























            answered yesterday









            FumbleFingers

            43.8k154117




            43.8k154117












            • I feel like "This is the path by that he came" is something that would be said in an old book from the 1500's and 1600's though. Sounds like something you would hear in a shakespear play lol
              – bobbin
              yesterday










            • I just checked Google Books for all written instances of by that before 1810. There are only a couple of pages, and not one of those where I can read the context is relevant to the usage here.
              – FumbleFingers
              17 hours ago


















            • I feel like "This is the path by that he came" is something that would be said in an old book from the 1500's and 1600's though. Sounds like something you would hear in a shakespear play lol
              – bobbin
              yesterday










            • I just checked Google Books for all written instances of by that before 1810. There are only a couple of pages, and not one of those where I can read the context is relevant to the usage here.
              – FumbleFingers
              17 hours ago
















            I feel like "This is the path by that he came" is something that would be said in an old book from the 1500's and 1600's though. Sounds like something you would hear in a shakespear play lol
            – bobbin
            yesterday




            I feel like "This is the path by that he came" is something that would be said in an old book from the 1500's and 1600's though. Sounds like something you would hear in a shakespear play lol
            – bobbin
            yesterday












            I just checked Google Books for all written instances of by that before 1810. There are only a couple of pages, and not one of those where I can read the context is relevant to the usage here.
            – FumbleFingers
            17 hours ago




            I just checked Google Books for all written instances of by that before 1810. There are only a couple of pages, and not one of those where I can read the context is relevant to the usage here.
            – FumbleFingers
            17 hours ago











            0














            It is correct.



            You could also say:




            This is the path he came by



            This is the path he came on



            This is the path he walked on







            share|improve this answer


























              0














              It is correct.



              You could also say:




              This is the path he came by



              This is the path he came on



              This is the path he walked on







              share|improve this answer
























                0












                0








                0






                It is correct.



                You could also say:




                This is the path he came by



                This is the path he came on



                This is the path he walked on







                share|improve this answer












                It is correct.



                You could also say:




                This is the path he came by



                This is the path he came on



                This is the path he walked on








                share|improve this answer












                share|improve this answer



                share|improve this answer










                answered yesterday









                Daniil Manokhin

                1,467117




                1,467117






























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