RELATIVE CLAUSES

RELATIVE CLAUSES

RELATIVE CLAUSES 1. Subject and Object Relative clauses give extra information about a noun in the main clause. They can refer to this as subject or object. “That’s the woman who bought my car”  Subject “That’s the flat that I was looking for” 

Object

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 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 78, goes swimming every day” 

RELATIVE CLAUSES Omitting the relative pronoun 1. 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” 

RELATIVE CLAUSES Which, Who and That 1. That  That instead instead of which of which That is That  is often used instead of which of  which in speech. “ Is this the house that you bought?” 

2. That  That instead instead of who of who That can That  can also refer to people in everyday speech. “ Have you met the boy  that Sue is going to marry?” 

3. Which in non-defining clauses That cannot That  cannot be used to introduce a non-defining clause. “ The hotel, which was a hundred years old, was very  comfortable” 

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

“ This is the car (that/which) (that/which) I paid £ 2000”  (everyday speech) “ This is the car  for which I paid £ 2000”  (formal)

RELATIVE CLAUSES

Whose and Whom

1. Whose 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. Whom is the object for of who of who,, and has to be used after prepositions. “ This is the person I sold my car to”  (everyday speech) “ This is the person to whom I sold my car.”  (formal)

RELATIVE CLAUSES Exercises (I) 1. Choose the most suitable word in each sentence. a) My friend Jack, that/who/whose parents live in Glasgow, invited me to spend Christmas in Scotland. b) Here’s the computer program that/whom/whose I told you about. c) I don’t believe the story that/who/whom she told us. d) Peter comes from Witney, that/who/which is near Oxford. e) This is the gum with that/whom/which the murder was commited. f) Have you received the parcel that/whom/which we sent you? g) Is this the person who/which/whose you asked me about? h) That’s the girl that/who/whose brother sits next to me at school. i) The meal, that/which/whose wasn’t very tasty, was quite expensive.  j) We didn’t enjoy the play that/who/whose we went to see.

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 at the gate, has 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 change cha 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.