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20 - Relative Clauses

The document discusses different types of relative clauses including definite/indefinite clauses and identifying/non-identifying clauses. It defines relative pronouns like who, which, that and relative adverbs like when, where, why. It provides examples and notes about using relative pronouns and adverbs as well as omitting or replacing them.

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18 views

20 - Relative Clauses

The document discusses different types of relative clauses including definite/indefinite clauses and identifying/non-identifying clauses. It defines relative pronouns like who, which, that and relative adverbs like when, where, why. It provides examples and notes about using relative pronouns and adverbs as well as omitting or replacing them.

Uploaded by

alexandruneamtu44
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as DOC, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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RELATIVE CLAUSES

DEFINITE / INDEFINITE CLAUSES

 to understand better a relative clause, we must focus first


on the relative pronouns and relative adverbs:
RELATIVE PRONOUNS RELATIVE ADVERBS
WHO* WHEN
WHICH* WHERE
WHOM WHY
WHOSE HOW
THAT
WHO/WHICH – can be replaced by THAT
a) relative pronouns
=> words that are used to introduce a relative clause and they refer to :
- people = WHO
- objects or animals = WHICH
- show possession = WHOSE (instead of possessive adjectives my / your / his)
- to show the object = WHOM (we can use it instead of WHO)
of the relative clause
eg. A pilot is someone who / that flies an aeroplane.
A captain is someone whose job is very demanding.
A kangaroo is an animal which/ that lives in Australia.
A book is something which/ that some people enjoy reading.
She is a person whom I enjoy.
That is the woman whose daughter is a captain cheerleader.

!!!NOTE  relative pronouns can be sometimes omitted or not:


1. WHO / WHICH / THAT cannot be omitted if it is the SUBJECT of the
relative clause. That is, when there is not a noun or a subject pronoun
between the relative pronoun and the verb:
eg. I know a girl. She is my classmate => I know a girl who/that is my classmate.
The dog is mine. It ran away => The dog which/that ran away is mine.

2. WHO / WHICH / THAT can be omitted if it is the OBJECT of the relative


clause. That is, when there is a noun or a subject pronoun between the
relative pronoun and the verb:
eg. I spoke to a man. I met him before => I spoke to a man who/whom/that I met before.
That’s the book. I read last summer. => That’s the book which I read last summer.
WHO / THAT subject - cannot be omitted
(people) object - can be omitted

WHO/WHOM/THAT object - can be omitted


(people)

WHICH/THAT subject - cannot be omitted


(objects/animals) object - can be omitted

WHOSE possession - cannot be omitted


(people/objects/animals)

!!!NOTE  WHICH can be used to refer to a whole clause:


eg. He lent me some money. This was generous of him.
=> He lent me some money, which was generous of him.
(which refers to the fact that he lent the speaker some money => that is, it refers back to the whole clause)

!!!NOTE  we usually avoid using prepositions before relative pronouns


eg. The boat in which the oil was transported is owned by an American company
(formal English -unusual structure)

The safe which/that we keep the money in is in the basement. (usual structure)
The safe we keep the money in is in the basement. (everyday English)

!!!NOTE  a relative pronoun is not used with another pronoun (I / me /


him / you etc.)
eg. I know a girl who works in the library. (NOT – I know a girl who she works…)
The people we spoke to are from Italy. (NOT – The people we spoke to them are …)

a) relative adverbs
=> words that are used to introduce a relative clause and they refer to :
- place = WHERE
- time = WHEN
- reason = WHY
eg. The street where we used to play is very crowded now.
I’ll never forget the day when I met my best friend.
The reason why I cannot meet you tonight is that I’m working overtime.

!!!NOTE  WHERE => usually used after nouns like:


PLACE – HOUSE – STREET - TOWN - COUNTRY
 it can be replaced by WHICH/THAT + PREPOSITION
eg. The street (which) we used to play in is very busy now. (which can be omitted)

!!!NOTE  WHEN => usually used after nouns like:


TIME – PERIOD – MOMENT - DAY - SUMMER
 it can be replaced by THAT or can be omitted
eg. I’ll never forget the day (that) I met my best friend. (that can be omitted)

!!!NOTE  WHY => usually used after the word:


REASON
 it can be replaced by THAT or can be omitted
eg. The reason (that) I can’t meet you tonight is that I’m working overtime.

IDENTIFYING CLAUSES
= an identifying relative clause (definite clause) gives
necessary information about the subject or an object in the
main sentence and it is essential to the meaning of the main
sentence
 the relative pronouns can be omitted when they are the OBJECT of
the relative clause

eg. People are fined.  (Which people? => the meaning of the sentence is not clear)
People who / that pa rk illegally are fined.  (which people => those who park illegally)

The film was boring.


The film (which/ that) I watched yesterday was boring.

NON - IDENTIFYING CLAUSES


= a non – identifying relative clause (indefinite clause) gives
extra information about the subject or an object in the main
sentence and it is not essential to the meaning of the main
sentence.
 the relative pronouns CANNOT BE OMITTED
CANNOT BE REPLACED by “THAT”

 the relative clause is put in commas “(, […] ,)”


eg. The Browns live next door.  (Which people? => the meaning of the sentence is clear)
The Browns, who own a Jaguar, live next door.  (the relative clause gives extra info.)

My cat is called Luna.


My cat, (which/ that) I saved from a fire, is called Luna.

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