Reply to comment about "“That” is a tricky one"

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Submitted by Language Portal of Canada on December 12, 2024, at 22:44

The relative pronoun “where” means “in which” or “at which,” so it already contains the idea of the preposition, and it would be wrong to use a preposition with it. Thus, in a sentence like the one you have given as an example, you have two options:

• use the relative pronoun “which” or “that” with a preposition; or
• use the relative pronoun “where” (without a preposition)

Examples

• This is the hotel in which we are staying. (formal)
• This is the hotel which/that we are staying in. (The relative pronoun could be omitted here: “… the hotel we are staying in”)
• This is the hotel where we are staying.