relative adverb

[arieljeong]

(1) They must be productive in the area in which their company specializes.
(2) They must be productive in the area where their company specializes.

My question is very simple.
Can (1) be changed into (2)?

 

[Charlie Bernstein]

Yes.

You might also ask whether there's a difference or what is more natural in different contexts.

Did you make them up? Always tell us the source of your examples.

 

[jutfrank]

My question is very simple.
Can (1) be changed into (2)?

It isn't as simple as you might think. You can change anything you want, but that doesn't mean you should. If you mean to ask whether you should change it, the answer is no.

 

[Phaedrus]

(1) They must be productive in the area in which their company specializes.
(2) They must be productive in the area where their company specializes.

My question is very simple.
Can (1) be changed into (2)?

As I understand the sentences, (1) cannot be "changed into (2)," with preservation of meaning, if (1) is speaking of "specializing in something."

Similarly, the question "What does their company specialize in?" does not mean the same thing as "Where does their company specialize?"

The two sentences can have the same meaning, however, if "the area" refers to a place where the company's specialization takes place.

In that case, "the area" could, for example, be replaced by "the city": "They must be productive in the city where their company specializes."