Relative Clauses1

7/28/2019 Relative Clauses1

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RELATIVECLAUSES


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Relative

Clauses are

formed by

joining 2sentences:

- Peter is the student+ Hecomes from Glasgow:

Peter is the student WHOcomes from Glasgow.

- The books are on the table +Theyare mine:

The books WHICH are on thetable are mine.

- Ive just met Tom + Tomseems to be a nice guy: Ivejust met Tom,WHO seems to

be a nice guy- Id love to visit London+ It is

a beautiful city:

- Id love to visit London,WHICH is a beatiful city


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Remember:

When we join 2sentences with aRelative Pronoun orAdverb, we have to omitthe noun/ pronoun/possessive that theRelative replaces (In theprevious sentences: He/

They/Tom /it)

Relative Clauses goRIGHT AFTER the Nounthey modify.


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1. Defining Relative Clauses

They define, give us essentialinformation about a generalterm or expression. DefiningRelative Clauses are not putin commas:- I talked to the man who gave

you the news.- I read the letter which camethis morning.

(Which man ? The one who gaveyou the news.)

(Which letter? the one thatarrived this morning.)


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Remember:

Use WHO to refer topeople and WHICH torefer to animals, things,

THAT can replace WHOand WHICH in DefiningRelative Clauses :Did you know the girlWHO/THAT came to the

party yesterday?The book WHICH/THATIm reading is veryinteresting.


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OMISSION OF

WHO, WHICH

AND THAT:

WHO, WHICH and THATcan be the Subject of the

Relative Clause:- Ive talked to the manWHO sold me his car.(Whoreplaces The man

and is the Subject of theClause sold me his car)

- The dog WHICH barksevery night is my

neighbours. (Whichis theSubject of the clausebarks every night)


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They can also be the Objector go after a preposition:

- I loved the film (WHICH/THAT) we saw last night.

- The man (WHO/THAT/WHO) you mentioned is awriter.

- Ive found the keys for(WHICH/THAT) I was looking.

=> I found the keys I waslooking for.

- Who was the boyto (who)you were talking? => Who wasthe boyyou were talking to?

When The Relative is theObject, it can be (and it isusually) omitted in DefiningRelative Clauses.


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Other

Relatives:WHEN (THAT)

shows Time:

- I will never forget the day + Imet my best friend that day:

Ill never forget the day

(WHEN/THAT) I met my best

friend.(WHEN can also be omitted

in Defining Relative

Clauses).


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WHERE

refers to Places:

-This is the hotel + We are

staying at the hotel next

weekend:This is the hotel WHERE we

are staying next weekend.

-The city is interesting + my

sister is living in the city:The cityWHERE my sisteris living is interesting.


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WHOSE

shows Possession and itreplaces a Possessiveadjective or an spossessive:

- The man was crying + Hishouse was on fire:

The man WHOSE housewas on fire was crying.

- Have you met the people?

+ Their son is moving toWashington: Have you metthe people WHOSE son ismoving to Washington?


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WHOM

is used instead of WHO inFormal Speech when it is

the Object of the Relative

Clause or after a

preposition:

- I couldnt talk to a friend +

I called him last night: I

couldnt talk to the friend

WHOM I called last night.

- I dont know the student +The teacher was shouting at

the student: I dont know

the student at WHOM the

teacher was shouting.


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2. Non-Defining Relative Clauses

They give us more (extra)information about a

person, animal, thing,

already identified ( by a

name, a possessive, ).

They go between

commas.

- Your brother,who gave

me the news, saw the

accident himself .

- I read Martins letter,

which was full of gossip.


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In Non-Defining RelativeClauses we cant use

THAT and we cant omitthe Relatives:

-I liked Toy Story,whichIve seen recently. (notthat, no Omission)

-Shakespeare, whom youjust mentioned, is themost famous Britishplaywright. (not that, noOmission)

-Ive found my keys, whichI had been looking for.(not that, no Omission)


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Defining

or Non-Defining?

Remember:

Defining Relative Clauses:

- Dont take commas.

- That can replace Who,Which and When.

- You can omit Who, Which,When and That when theyare not the Subject of the

Relative Clause.

Non-Defining RelativeClauses:

- Go between commas.

- You cant use That.

- You cant omit the Relatives.


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Compare:-The neighbours who

live next door are veryfriendly.

-My neighbours, wholive next door,are

- I enjoyed the film(which/that) yourecommended.

- I enjoyed Little MissSunshine, which yourecommended.

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Relative Clauses1