which

[navi]

Are these sentences correct:

1-We had a blueprint for the machine which it was our goal to build.
2-We had a blueprint for the machine it was our goal to build.

[OddThomas]

First rule: the subordinate clause never takes two pronouns. That, therefore, makes sentence #1 incorrect because it has a relative pronoun (which) and personal pronoun (it) side by side. Drop one--and I recommend dropping the personal pronoun (it) since clauses of this sort call for relative pronouns. That means sentence #2 is incorrect, too.

Second rule: use that for this restrictive clause and save which for non restrictive clauses. (Half the English speaking world resents this rule, and the other half depends on it to understand the language. I recommend following it.)

My recommended sentence:We had a blueprint for the machine that was our goal to build.

[Eddie88]

I don't understand your first rule. Two pronouns in one subordinate clause can occur. And you even showed in another post that this is so. (the man whom it was nice seeing).

What are you saying? Are you just saying it never takes two pronouns in this sentence?

Edd

[Marius Hancu]

Simpler:

We had a blueprint for the machine we intended/wanted/targeted to build.

We had a blueprint for the target machine.

We had a blueprint for the machine to build.

[OddThomas]

OK, the rule is poorly stated and I should have tested it several times before I wrote it. Nevertheless, the error needs a rule, and when I get the wording worked out I will restate it.