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This amount of electric energy is enough for the distance that the drone is expected to use to reach the point.

(I already know well there's more natural-sounding sentences, but I constructed this sentence like this on purpose to study what I want to know, so you don't need to suggest edited versions of the sentence.)

("that-relative clause" is "that the drone ... the point")

1. Is this sentence grammatically correct? My answer is yes.

2. What is the direct object of "use" in the sentence? I think the direct object is "this amount of electric energy" because it is the drone that is going to use the electric energy.

3. Given A and B, which sentence sounds more natural? I think A and B all sound natural, but A seems to be better.

A : This amount of electric energy is enough for the distance that the drone is expected to use to reach the point.

B : This amount of electric energy that the drone is expected to use to reach the point is enough for the distance.

4. Like A, if "that-relative clause" is long, in B, can I place "that the drone...to reach the point" part behind "the distance" in order to emphasize the part of "This amount of....the distance", breaking the rule that "relative pronoun" must be placed right behind its antecedent?

5. Are these sentences below grammatically correct as well? I think C, D are all correct English, except F.

C : The new game is going to be released in stores next month that is expected to be the most popular military game of the year.

D : The new game is going to be released in stores next month, which is expected to be the most popular military game of the year.

F : The new game is going to be released in stores next month which is expected to be the most popular military game of the year.

6. Are "that" and "which" referring back to "The new game" ? My answer is yes.

7. As shown above, is it common to place back "that-relative clause" because of the reason I gave in 4? and is this grammatically and stylistically acceptable?

8. If you provide similar examples, it would be of a great help to me.

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  • Asking for professional answers is not a valid question.
    – Lambie
    Commented Aug 14, 2019 at 17:18
  • @Lambie Could you suggest an appropriate title for this question? But well, I think I should delete my question. It was very reckless to ask a question with a sentence that seems not grammatical or semantically correct. I thought the main sentence could be marginally correct.
    – GKK
    Commented Aug 14, 2019 at 17:22
  • correct placement of that and which clauses :)
    – Lambie
    Commented Aug 14, 2019 at 17:28
  • Your cited example is "incorrect" because drones / planes / cars/ etc. don't use "distance" - they travel [some distance] (or fly)
    – FumbleFingers
    Commented Aug 14, 2019 at 17:43
  • @FumbleFingers That's the reason why I think the direct object of "use" is "the amount of electric energy".
    – GKK
    Commented Aug 14, 2019 at 17:46

2 Answers 2

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  1. Is semantically incorrect because "that" applies to "distance" and not to "energy".

  2. "Use" refers to "distance", but you don't "use distance".

  3. More natural and grammatical than A or B is IMO

This amount of electric energy is enough for the distance that the drone is expected to fly.

  1. Pass about breaking rules.

  2. I don't think any of C, D or E are correct. I would use one of these:

The new game which is going to be released in stores next month is expected to be the most popular military game of the year.

The new game, which is going to be released in stores next month, is expected to be the most popular military game of the year.

  1. It was a failed attempt.

7, 8. I have already given examples.

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2
  • Have you ever seen a native speaker or writing mistakenly break the rule of placing a relative pronoun right after its antecedent? I want to know whether you have seen in order to read broken English sentences correctly.
    – GKK
    Commented Aug 14, 2019 at 18:38
  • Of course I have, but this site is not here to advise about broken English.
    – Weather Vane
    Commented Aug 14, 2019 at 18:42
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Sample:
This amount of electric energy is enough for the distance the drone is expected to use to reach the point.

No, the sentence is not semantically correct.

Rewrite:

This amount of electric energy is enough for the distance the drone is expected to fly to reach the target.

Note: first you say we shouldn't propose any edits then you say your sentence is correct. Well, it simply is not correct.

Sample:

The new game is going to be released in stores next month that is expected to be the most popular military game of the year.

The sentence above is not grammatical because the phrase about the new game and expectations for it have to be placed one after the other.

Rewrite:

1) The new game - expected to be the most popular military game of the year - will be released in stores next month. 2) The new game, expected to be the most popular military game of the year, will be released in stores next month.

that and which clauses must accompany the noun phrases or nouns they relate to.

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  • Have you never seen those sentences breaking the rule "that and which clauses must accompany the noun phrases or nouns they relate to"?
    – GKK
    Commented Aug 14, 2019 at 17:29
  • One breaks the rules after learning them, if applicable. :)
    – Lambie
    Commented Aug 14, 2019 at 17:29
  • Imo, your variant (though being correct) is not semantically identical with the OP's. My shot: This amount of electric energy the drone is expected to use to reach the point is enough for the distance.
    – Michael Login
    Commented Aug 14, 2019 at 17:36
  • Do poor Engish writers sometimes make the mistake of not placing a relative pronoun right behind its antecedent like my sentences in my question? I want to know whether this mistake is sometimes made by native speakers who don't have a lot of knowledge in English grammar so that I can read those ungrammatical sentences correctly. This is a very important point I really want to know.
    – GKK
    Commented Aug 14, 2019 at 17:38
  • 1
    @SinK I see bad writing everywhere and it's only getting worse. That said, in prestigious publications the writing is fine. It's the blogs and so forth where the bad writing proliferates. And your English is not bad at all.
    – Lambie
    Commented Aug 14, 2019 at 17:56

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