Prepositions

Complex grammatical structures can improve the clarity and tone of written communication, but those who employ such structures must ensure that they use them correctly.

“for which”

Example: In the November 2006 issue of Harper’s Magazine, the following statement about the economics of ethanol appears in an article about US Senator Barack Obama: “It is not, of course, family farmers who primarily benefit from the program but rather the agribusiness giants such as Illinois-based Aventine Renewable Energy and Archer Daniels Midland (for which ethanol accounts for just 5 percent of its sales but an estimated 23 percent of its profits).”

What’s wrong: The prepositional phrase “for which” refers to corporation Archer Daniels Midland, so it is unnecessary—and incorrect—to add the possessive pronoun “its.”

Correct usage: “It is not, of course, family farmers who primarily benefit from the program but rather the agribusiness giants such as Illinois-based Aventine Renewable Energy and Archer Daniels Midland (for which ethanol accounts for just 5 percent of sales but an estimated 23 percent of profits).”

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