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The person to whom I spoke, versus the person I spoke to.
Why you specifically
Mệnh đề quan hệ tiếng Anh có thể đặt giới từ ở hai vị trí: cuối mệnh đề hoặc trước đại từ quan hệ. Trong tiếng Anh giao tiếp và văn viết tự nhiên, giới từ thường để ở cuối: the person I spoke to, the house we lived in. Trong văn phong trang trọng, đặc biệt là bài viết học thuật hoặc IELTS, giới từ có thể chuyển lên trước đại từ quan hệ: the person to whom I spoke, the house in which we lived. Cách này thường trang trọng hơn và hay đi với whom hoặc which hơn là who. Một số động từ luôn cần giới từ đi kèm, ví dụ: refer to, look for, live in, work in, sit on, speak to. Khi dùng mệnh đề quan hệ, giới từ đó phải được giữ lại; nếu bỏ đi thì câu sẽ sai hoặc thiếu nghĩa. Mẹo cho người học IELTS là: khi nói tự nhiên, có thể để giới từ ở cuối mệnh đề; khi viết trang trọng, có thể đặt giới từ trước đại từ quan hệ. Cả hai đều đúng nếu dùng đúng cấu trúc, nhưng không được bỏ mất giới từ cần thiết.
The rule
Relative clauses can place the preposition either at the end of the clause or before the relative pronoun. In informal English, the end position is common: the person I spoke to, the house we lived in. In formal English, especially in writing and IELTS, the preposition can move before the relative pronoun: the person to whom I spoke, the house in which we lived. This formal pattern is more common with whom/which than with who, and it is often used when the clause sounds more academic or careful. Some verbs need a preposition, and that preposition must be kept in the relative clause. For example, refer to, look for, live in, work in, sit on, speak to. If the preposition is missing, the sentence is wrong or incomplete. A useful rule for IELTS is: use the informal pattern when it sounds natural, and use the formal pattern when you want a more academic style. Both can be correct, but do not mix them incorrectly inside the clause.
The trap
The woman to whom I was talking is my neighbour.
The woman who I was talking to is my neighbour.
In informal English, the preposition often stays at the end of the relative clause. This is natural and correct.
The house in which we lived was very old.
The house which we lived in was very old.
The preposition can stay at the end of the clause in everyday English. This is usually the natural choice in speech and informal writing.
The report which she referred was useful.
The report which she referred to was useful.
You need the preposition with the verb in the relative clause. Without it, the meaning is incomplete.
The person whom I spoke to was very helpful.
The person to whom I spoke was very helpful.
In formal English, the preposition can come before the relative pronoun. This is correct, but it is more formal than placing the preposition at the end.
Prove it
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