"ways that" vs. "ways in which"

[XemaSab]

Is one of these right or wrong?

I got dinged for this on an assignment, and I don't understand why this is a problem. :shrug:

[NJCher]

1. well, first

Would you provide the complete sentence?

Also, did your teacher 'splain or did the prof just mark it up?


Cher

[WinkyDink]

2. There are ways that can help, ways in which you were not educated. (Does that help?) :-)

[elleng]

3. 'Ways that can help' = noun/subject; 'ways in which' = noun/object?

[WinkyDink]

4. It's a matter of how the "ways" are to be described. "In which" prevents ending in a preposition:

See above. The alternative = "ways that you were not educated in." This is okay, but not "correct." I imagine this is the syntax your teacher criticized.

However, "ways that can help" can't be written as "ways in which can help." This is nonsensical, as well as ungrammatical.

It's all noun-followed-by-adjective-clause constructions.

[elleng]

5. Not 'my' teacher! Just hanging around here!