When / Where: adding descriptive information for time or place

"Flower Child" in San Francisco
in the 1960s.

A modifying clause uses pronouns to connect the dependent clause to the independent clause.

WHEN - REPLACES AN OBJECT NOUN	WHERE - REPLACES AN OBJECT NOUN
When is a time-relative pronoun that joins a modifying clause. In the example below, the clause modififies the city.	Where is a location-relative pronoun that joins a modifying clause. In the example below, the clause modififies the years.
The city where the "flower children" lived, is a colorful city. The "flower children" lived there. colorful = interesting and unusual	The years when the "flower children" thrived, was a colorful decade. The "flower children" thrived then. decade = 10 year period; thrive = to live well and expand

WHEN - REPLACES AN OBJECT NOUN

WHERE - REPLACES AN OBJECT NOUN

When is a time-relative pronoun that joins a modifying clause. In the example below, the clause modififies the city.

Where is a location-relative pronoun that joins a modifying clause. In the example below, the clause modififies the years.

The city where the "flower children" lived, is a colorful city.
The "flower children" lived there.

colorful = interesting and unusual

The years when the "flower children" thrived, was a colorful decade.
The "flower children" thrived then.

decade = 10 year period; thrive = to live well and expand

JOIN THE SENTENCES	INDEPENDENT CLAUSE	DEPENDENT CLAUSE
	The city is a colorful place.	The "flower children" lived in this city.
1. Replace the object pronoun city with where.
2. Move the relative pronoun to the front of the sentence.		where the "flower children" lived
3. Insert the clause into the main sentence.	The city	where the "flower children" lived is a colorful place.
4. Add punctuation if the clause is nonidentifying.	San Francisco,	where the "flower children" lived, is a colorful place. (Use commas.)

JOIN THE SENTENCES	INDEPENDENT CLAUSE	DEPENDENT CLAUSE
	The time was a colorful decade.	The "flower children" thrived in this time.
1. Replace the object pronoun 1960s with when.
2. Move the relative pronoun to the front of the sentence.		when the "flower children" thrived
3. Insert the clause into the main sentence.	The time	when the "flower children" thrived was a colorful decade.
4. Add punctuation if the clause is nonidentifying.	The 1960s,	when the "flower children" thrived, was a colorful decade. (Use commas.)

thrive (v.) – to become very successful or very strong and healthy

AT WHICH	ON WHICH	IN WHICH
exact address or residence	floor, street location, geographical place	city, area, state, country
the house at which I work is nearby.	the floor on which I work is the twelfth.	the room in which I work is here.
the building at which I work is nearby.	the street on which I work is nearby.	the city in which I work is nearby.
the address at which I work is 310 Elm St.	the corner on which I work	the state in which I pay taxes is Utah.
the location at which I work	the island on which I work	the country in which I pay taxes is the U.S.A.

* No commas are used.

AT WHICH	ON WHICH	IN WHICH
hour, time of the day	day	month, season, year, decade, century
the time at which I eat lunch is noon.	the day on which I was born was snowy.	the month in which I pay taxis is April.
the hour at which I eat lunch is 12:00–1:00 p.m.	the day on which I was born was Tuesday.	the season in which I vacation is summer.
the time at which I eat lunch is 12:00 p.m.	the day on which I started school was June 1.	the years in which I worked were 2000-2011.

AN IDENTIFYING CLAUSE	A NON-IDENTIFYING CLAUSE
No commas are used to set off a clause that provides information that helps identify the noun.	Commas are used to set off a modifying clause that provides additional information about a noun that is already clearly identified.
The area where the "flower children" lived was a colorful section of San Francisco.	The Haight, where the "flower children" lived, was a colorful area in San Francisco.
The years when the "flower children" thrived was a colorful decade.	The 1960s, when the "flower children" thrived, was a colorful decade.

Change the sentence with "when' or "where" to a sentence with "in which", "on which" or "at which".
Change the second sentence into a clause. (Leave the prepositions at the end of the sentence.)

#	YOUR RESPONSE	CHECK ANSWER
1	Monday is the day when we begin the work week. Monday is the day we begin the work week.
2	Midnight is the time when the date changes. Midnight is the time the date changes.
3.	Three-fifty Main street is the address where you can write me. Three-fifty Main street is the address you can write me.
4.	The lake where we swam was clean and clear. The lake we swam was clean and clear.
5.	2001 was the year when the new century began. 2001 was the year the new century began.
6.	Seven o'clock is the time when I get up. Seven o'clock is the time I get up.
7.	California is the state where I live. California is the state I live .
8.	Parking lot D is the place where I parked my car. Parking lot D is the place I parked my car.

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