RELATIVE CLAUSESRELATIVE CLAUSES

1st batxiller / Col.legi Sant Pere1st batxiller / Col.legi Sant Pere

What is a relative clause?What is a relative clause?

A subordinate clause that allows us to addA subordinate clause that allows us to add

information about what we are talking to, without the need information about what we are talking to, without the need

to repeat the noun or noun phrase.to repeat the noun or noun phrase.

Eg. Eg. ‘Paul hit ‘Paul hit the ballthe ball. . The ballThe ball went over the fence’ went over the fence’

‘‘Paul hit the ball Paul hit the ball which which went over the fence’went over the fence’

They are introduced just after the antecedent and by one They are introduced just after the antecedent and by one

of the relative pronouns or adverbs; who, whom, which, of the relative pronouns or adverbs; who, whom, which,

when, where, whose, that.when, where, whose, that.

USESUSES

- WHO - THAT- WHO - THAT: referers to people.: referers to people.

Eg. Eg. ‘‘A doctor is a person A doctor is a person whowho helps people’ helps people’

- - WHICH - THATWHICH - THAT: refers to objects, animals or abstract : refers to objects, animals or abstract things.things.

Eg. Eg. ‘A pencil is a thing ‘A pencil is a thing whichwhich we use to write’. we use to write’.

- - WHEREWHERE: Refers to places.: Refers to places.

Eg. Eg. ‘A stadium is a place ‘A stadium is a place wherewhere football is played’. football is played’.

- - WHEN - THATWHEN - THAT: Refers to days, months, years…: Refers to days, months, years…

Eg. Eg. ‘I’ll never forget the day ‘I’ll never forget the day whenwhen we met’ we met’

- - WHOSEWHOSE: Refers to Possession.: Refers to Possession.

Eg. Eg. ‘This is the girl ‘This is the girl whosewhose parents are from Ireland’ parents are from Ireland’

- - WHOMWHOM: refers to people and goes after prepositions : refers to people and goes after prepositions

Eg. Eg. ‘The owner is the person to whom you have to talk’‘The owner is the person to whom you have to talk’

Two different types of Two different types of

Relative Clauses:Relative Clauses:

Defining Relative ClausesDefining Relative Clauses Non-defining Relative ClausesNon-defining Relative Clauses

Defining Relative ClausesDefining Relative Clauses Give essential information about the noun it modifies, without which Give essential information about the noun it modifies, without which

the sentence wouldn’t make sense.the sentence wouldn’t make sense.

Eg. Eg. ‘The hotel that we stayed in wasn’t bad’‘The hotel that we stayed in wasn’t bad’

((‘that we stayed in’‘that we stayed in’ tells the listener which hotel we are talking about; tells the listener which hotel we are talking about; it defines the hotel)it defines the hotel)

Who, Which, When Who, Which, When can be substituted by can be substituted by That That andand can be omitted can be omitted when they do not act as the subject of the sentence.when they do not act as the subject of the sentence.

Eg. Eg. ‘‘I saw the woman who visited youI saw the woman who visited you. . →→

Who Who is the subject of the relative clause, so it can’t be omittedis the subject of the relative clause, so it can’t be omitted

‘‘He bought the bike which he liked’ He bought the bike which he liked’ →→

Which Which is an object, so it can be omitted. The subject of the relative is an object, so it can be omitted. The subject of the relative clause is ‘he’clause is ‘he’

Defining Relative ClausesDefining Relative Clauses

Whose Whose and and Where Where can never be omittedcan never be omitted

Whom Whom is only used in formal contexts and in is only used in formal contexts and in

defining clauses but it is usually omitted and the defining clauses but it is usually omitted and the

preposition goes at the end of the relative clause.preposition goes at the end of the relative clause.

Eg. Eg. ‘He is the person to whom you have to talk’‘He is the person to whom you have to talk’(formal)(formal)

‘‘He is the person (who) you have to talk to’ He is the person (who) you have to talk to’ (informal)(informal)

Non-defining Relative ClausesNon-defining Relative Clauses

They give additional information.They give additional information.

The clause goes between comas (,)The clause goes between comas (,)

More common in written language.More common in written language.

We can’t use We can’t use That That instead of instead of Which, Who Which, Who or or When.When.

And we can’t omit them.And we can’t omit them.

Eg. Eg. ‘My friend Andrew, ‘My friend Andrew, whowho is Scottish, plays rugby’ is Scottish, plays rugby’

EXERCISES:EXERCISES:

1.1. Here is the computer program Here is the computer program that/ whom/ whosethat/ whom/ whose I told you about I told you about

2.2. My friend Jack, My friend Jack, that/ who/ whosethat/ who/ whose parents live in Glasgow, invited me to parents live in Glasgow, invited me to

spend Christmas in Scotland.spend Christmas in Scotland.

3.3. I don’t believe the story I don’t believe the story that/ who/ whomthat/ who/ whom she told us. she told us.

4.4. This is the room This is the room when/ where/ whichwhen/ where/ which I found 25 € I found 25 €

5.5. Peter comes from Witney, Peter comes from Witney, that/ who/ whichthat/ who/ which is near Oxford. is near Oxford.

6.6. This is the gun with This is the gun with where/ whom/ whichwhere/ whom/ which the murder was comitted. the murder was comitted.

7.7. That was the day That was the day which/ when/ wherewhich/ when/ where we first saw each other. we first saw each other.

8.8. The meal, The meal, that/ which/ whosethat/ which/ whose wasn’t very tasty, was really expensive. wasn’t very tasty, was really expensive.

9.9. Venice, Venice, which/ when/ wherewhich/ when/ where we spent our last holiday, is a very we spent our last holiday, is a very

beautiful place beautiful place

10.10. We didn’t enjoy the play We didn’t enjoy the play that/ who/ whosethat/ who/ whose we went to see. we went to see.

Complete the blanks with Complete the blanks with information that is true for you:information that is true for you:

___ is the day in my country when ___ is the day in my country when ____.____.

___ is a person I know who ___.___ is a person I know who ___. ___ is the room in my house where ___ is the room in my house where

___.___. ___ is a time of year when ___.___ is a time of year when ___. ___ is the part of my town where ___ is the part of my town where

___.___. ___ is the reason why ___.___ is the reason why ___.

Read the sentences. Then decide Read the sentences. Then decide which option, a or b, is correct.which option, a or b, is correct.

My sister, who lives in Los Angeles, My sister, who lives in Los Angeles, is a designer.is a designer.a) I have one sister.a) I have one sister.b) I have more than one sister.b) I have more than one sister.

The athletes who tested positive for The athletes who tested positive for doping were suspended.doping were suspended.a) All the athletes tested positive for a) All the athletes tested positive for doping.doping.b) Some athletes didn’t test positive b) Some athletes didn’t test positive for doping.for doping.

Flat screen televisions, which are very Flat screen televisions, which are very expensive, have a better image quality.expensive, have a better image quality.a) All flat screen televisions are very a) All flat screen televisions are very expensive.expensive.b) Some flat screen televisions are cheap.b) Some flat screen televisions are cheap.

The teachers at this school who arrive late The teachers at this school who arrive late for class will be suspended.for class will be suspended.a) Only some teachers arrive late for class.a) Only some teachers arrive late for class.b) All the teachers in the school arrive late b) All the teachers in the school arrive late for class.for class.

The company president who works in The company president who works in Berlin is moving to London.Berlin is moving to London.a) There is only one company president.a) There is only one company president.b) There is more than one company b) There is more than one company president.president.

Add one or more non-defining Add one or more non-defining relative clauses to the sentencerelative clauses to the sentence

1. The princess kissed the prince.1. The princess kissed the prince.

2. The doctor had a glass of whisky.2. The doctor had a glass of whisky.

3. The mayor drove a very expensive 3. The mayor drove a very expensive

Jaguar to his house.Jaguar to his house.

4. The football team’s captain cried 4. The football team’s captain cried

after the match.after the match.

END!!!END!!!

… … DOUBTS???DOUBTS???