RELATIVE CLAUSES

(1)

RELATIVE CLAUSES

(2)

1. Subject and Object

Relative

Relative clauses give

clauses give extra

extra information

information about a

about a noun

noun

in the main clause. They can refer to this as subject or

object.

“That’s the woman who bought my car”

“That’s the flat that I was looking for”

2. Combining sentences

Note how sentences are combined.

Subject :

“This is Sofia. She bought my car”

“

Sofia is the person who bought my car”

Object :

“That is the flat. I was looking for it”

“

That is the flat that I was looking for”

RELATIVE CLAUSES

Subject Subject Object Object

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RELATIVE CLAUSES

1. Defining Clauses

Defining clauses tell us which person or thing, or which

kind of person or thing, is meant.

“ Paris is a city I’ve always wanted to visit”

2. Non-Defining Clauses

Non-defining clauses add extra information,

separated by commas in writing, and intonation

in speaking.

“ Tom’s mother,

who is 78who is 78

_{, goes swimming}

every day”

(4)

RELATIVE CLAUSES

Omitting the relative pronoun

1.

1. Object

Object

Clauses

The relative pronoun can be left out in object clauses in

both speaking and writing if they are defining.

“ That‘s the flat I

was looking for”

2. Non-Defining Clauses

The relative pronoun cannot be left out in a

non-defining clause.

“ I poured him a glass of wine, which he drank

at once”

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RELATIVE CLAUSES

Which, Who and That

1.

1. That

That

instead of

which

That

That is often used instead of is often used instead of whichwhich in speech.in speech. “ Is this the house

“ Is this the house that that _{you bought?”}_{you bought?”}

2.

2. That

That

instead of

who

That

That can also refer to people in everyday speech.can also refer to people in everyday speech. “ Have you met the boy

“ Have you met the boy that that _{Sue is going to marry?”}_{Sue is going to marry?”}

3.

3. Which

Which

in non-defining clauses

That

That cannot be used to introduce a non-defining clause.cannot be used to introduce a non-defining clause. “ The hotel, which was a

“ The hotel, which was a hundred years old, was very hundred years old, was very

comfortable”

4. Prepositions

That

That cannot be used after a preposition.cannot be used after a preposition.

“ This

is the

car (that

/which) I

paid

£ 2000”

(everyday speech)

“ This is the car

for whichfor which

_I

_paid

_£

_2000”

(formal)

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RELATIVE CLAUSES

Whose and Whom

1.

1. Whose

Whose

means of whom

means

of whom

and usually refers

to people.

“ This is Jack. His sister is staying with us.”

“ This is Jack

whose sister is staying with us.”

2.

2. Whom

Whom

is the object for of

is the object for of who

who

,

, and

and has

has to

to

be

be used

used after

after prepositions.

prepositions.

“ This is the person I sold my car to”

(everyday speech)

“ This is the person

to whom

_{I sold my car.”}

(formal)

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RELATIVE CLAUSES

Exercises (I)

1. Choose the most suitable word in each sentence.

a) My friend Jack,

a) My friend Jack, that/who/whosethat/who/whose parents live in Glasgow,parents live in Glasgow, invited me to spend Christmas in Scotland.

invited me to spend Christmas in Scotland. b) Here’s the computer program

b) Here’s the computer program that/whom/whosethat/whom/whose I toldI told you about.

you about.

c) I don’t believe the story

c) I don’t believe the story that/who/whomthat/who/whom she told us.she told us. d) Peter comes from Witney,

d) Peter comes from Witney, that/who/whichthat/who/which is nearis near Oxford.

Oxford.

e) This is the gum with

e) This is the gum with that/whom/whichthat/whom/which the murderthe murder was commited.

was commited.

f) Have you received the parcel

f) Have you received the parcel that/whom/whichthat/whom/which

we sent you? we sent you?

g) Is this the person

g) Is this the person who/which/whosewho/which/whose you asked me about?you asked me about? h) That’s the girl that/who/whose brother sits next to me at h) That’s the girl that/who/whose brother sits next to me at school.

school.

i) The meal,

i) The meal, that/which/whosethat/which/whose wasn’t very tasty, was quitewasn’t very tasty, was quite expensive.

expensive.

j) We didn’t enjoy the play

(8)

RELATIVE CLAUSES

Exercises (II)

1. Put a suitable relative pronoun in each space, or leave the

space blank wherever possible.

a) The person ... fingerprints are on the gun was the person ...

killed Dr. Martin.

b) My bike, ...I have left

b) My bike, ...I have left at the gate, has

at the gate, has disappeared.

disappeared.

c) The shoes .... I finally bought were the ones .... I tried on first.

d) The bag in .... the robbers put the money was found outside the

bank.

e) The medicine ... the doctor gave me had no effect at all.

f) Peter, ... couldn’t see the screen, decided to cha

f) Peter, ... couldn’t see the screen, decided to change his seat.

nge his seat.

g) The present .... you gave me was the one .... I gave you last year!.

h) I really liked the tea ... you made me this morning.

i) What was the name of your friend .... tent we borrowed?.

j) He is the person .... I wrote to.