BASIC Relative clauses

Based on A. Aguado’s examples.

Changed, Revised, and Completed

by Nur Garriga

RELATIVE CLAUSES

NON-DEFINING

EXTRA INFORMATION

Between COMMAS

THAT

DEFINING

ESSENTIAL INFORMATION

COMMAS

THAT

RELATIVE PRONOUNS: used for Clauses beginning with

Question Words

THAT: as WHICH OR WHO

WHICH: OBJECTS, THINGS,

IDEAS, SITUATIONS, FACTS

WHO/WHOM: PEOPLE

WHEN: TIME

WHAT: THE THING/S WHICH

WHOSE: POSSESSIVE for

PEOPLE or THINGS

WHERE / IN WHICH:

PLACES

WHY: THAT’S THE REASON

WHY

OTHER RELATIVESWHATEVER: ANYTHING THAT…

E.g. Let’s do whatever you like, it’s your birthday!

WHENEVER: ANYTIME THAT…

E.g. Visit us whenever you can.

WHEREVER: ANYWHERE

E.g. With this cell phone you’ll have coverage anywhere, wherever you are.

ANYHOW/ANYWAY: THE WAY IN WHICH…

E.g. I’ll do that anyhow, I’m determined to do it.

WHOEVER: ANYBODY/ANYONE WHO…

E.g. Whoever you see and whatever you hear, pretend you are talking to me on the phone.

Defining clauses give essential information about the noun/clause.

Examples:

She’s the teacher. this is incomplete, it needs a defining clause.

• She’s the teacher who gave me interesting lessons.

• Math is the subject. this is incomplete, it needs a defining clause.

• Math is the subject that gives me most problems.

• The girl who/that works at the library is very friendly.

• You’re the person the person who/thatwho/that gets the highest marks.

• School is a place which/thatwhich/that gives you education & knowledge.

• There are times whenwhen my mind goes completely blank during his lessons.

• You need to find a room wherewhere you can study properly.

• That’s the girl whosewhose brother plays basketball.

Whose Whose versusversus Who’s Who’s

Whose refers to possession.Examples: He’s the person whose book I lost. They held a meeting whose target I did not understand.

Who’s is the contracted form of

who is or who has.Examples: He’s the one who’s very intelligent. (who is) He’s the boy who’s lived in Boston for many years. (who has).

Omission of object pronounsOmission of object pronouns

We can omit the relative pronoun if it connects the object with the relative clause.Examples: That’s the film (that/which) we saw. He’s the teacher (that/who) I can’t stand. That’s the person (that/who) I truly love.

We often omit the relative pronouns: that, that, which which and who who in speech.

We can’t omit the relative pronoun whosewhose.

Non-definingNon-defining give extra information which is not essential.

We cannot omit the relative pronoun.

Examples:• Ana has just passed a B-level in English.

• Last year, when I passed the A-levels, I met Steven who is my boyfriend now.

• The teachers at Miquel Biada School, where he took the exam, are delighted.

We can also combine two simple sentences by using a non-defining relative clause.

Examples:

Jaime’s sister is called Pilar. She’s a teacher.

Jaime’s sister, , whowho’s’s a teacher, a teacher, is called Pilar.

Jaime’s sister, who’s called Pilar, is a teacher.

BASIC RELATIVE PRONOUNS & CLAUSES

THE END