To which or where

[Enjoyenglish]

Hello.
Yesterday we visited the city museum, __________ I'd never been before.
A- where
B- to which (key)
I have been taught that WHERE is the same as A PREPOSITION + WHICH. So why isn't A chosen please?

 

[Matthew Wai]

https://www.usingenglish.com/forum/threads/136096-a-new-place-where-I-ve-never-been-to
Having read the above, I think A is also correct.

 

[PaulMatthews]

"Yesterday we visited the city museum, where /to which I'd never been before".

Neither is especially natural. The relative clause with "where" means, effectively, "I'd never been to x before", in which the "to" component is contributed by "where" together with its location function. (The symbol "x" relates to the antecedent "the city museum").

 

[PaulMatthews]

That is not what the OP wrote. Look at the their example!

 

[PaulMatthews]

What you're missing is the fact that in my opinion the OP's example as written with either "where" or "to which" is not especially natural. What bit of that don't you understand?

 

[PaulMatthews]

No you did not. You said: "I'd never been to the city museum before' sound perfectly natural to me"'.

But that is not what the OP wrote. I commented that the OP's example (not a paraphrase of the relative clause) as submitted was not especially natural.

 

[PaulMatthews]

Well, you should have made that clear, instead of quoting my paraphrase of the relative clause in your post.

I actually said not especially natural. That's my opinion; it may not be yours.

In any case, I dealt with the main point of the OP's question which was about relative "where". If they've got any further concerns, I'm sure they'll come back.

 

[GoesStation]

The key says this is the correct choice: Yesterday we visited the city museum, to which I'd never been before. Although it's grammatically correct, I find it hard to imagine any American saying that. I have a feeling it's rather strained in BrE, too.

 

[Matthew Wai]

I think it is grammatical to write 'Yesterday we visited the city museum; I had never been there before', but I don't know whether native speakers would say it.

Although it's grammatically correct, I find it hard to imagine any American saying that.

Is there a way for a learner like me to imagine whether a grammatically correct sentence would not be used by native speakers?

 

[GoesStation]

Is there a way for a learner like me to imagine whether a grammatically correct sentence would not be used by native speakers?

Only experience can teach you that: lots of exposure to the dialect you're studying.