The future of streaming - Part 2

The future of streaming - Part 2 Grammar - Relative clauses

A relative clause is a part of a sentence that begins with which, who, that, where, when or whose. They give more information about something. There are two types of relative clause. Study the table below and the examples from the text. 

Defining relative clauses

Type 1 relative clauses give necessary information. Without this information, we do not know which person or thing somebody is talking about. For example, that own a TV ... tells us which households the writer is talking about. Without this information, it is not clear.

Look at these examples to see how defining relative clauses are used.

• Are you the one who sent me the email?

• The phone which has the most features is also the most expensive.

• This is the video that I wanted to show you.

• The person they spoke to was really helpful.

  
  

We usually use a relative pronoun or adverb to start a defining relative clause: who, which, that, when, where or whose.

• We can use who or that to talk about people. that is more common and a bit more informal.

• She's the woman who cuts my hair.

• He's the man that I met at the conference.

• 
  

We usually use a relative pronoun or adverb to start a defining relative clause: who, which, that, when, where or whose.

•  We can use which or that to talk about things. that is more common and a bit more informal.

• There was a one-year guarantee which came with the TV.

• he laptop 

  I3 bought last week has started making a strange noise!

Other pronouns

• when can refer to a time.

  Summer is the season when I'm happiest.

• where can refer to a place.

  That's the stadium where Real Madrid play.

• whose refers to the person that something belongs to.

  He's a musician whose albums have sold millions. 

  
  

Multiple Select

The woman ___ called said she'd ring again later.

• who

• which

• that

Multiple Select

One of the people ___ I admire the most is Nelson Mandela.

• who

• whose

• that

• -

Multiple Select

That's the man ___ daughter is a professional footballer.

• who

• whose

• that

• which

Multiple Select

Where's the book ___ Paul lent you?

• who

• whose

• that

• which

Multiple Select

I'm looking for something ___ will clean glass.

• who

• whose

• that

• which

Multiple Select

The day ___ they met was her birthday.

• who

• whose

• when

• where

Multiple Select

He called a plumber ___ he found online.

• who

• that

• -

• whose

Multiple Select

They ate at a restaurant ___ serves only vegan dishes.

• where

• that

• -

• which

Multiple Select

The passengers ___ flights were cancelled got a refund.

• whose

• who

• where

• that

Multiple Select

That's the woman ___ bought my old car.

• who

• –

• which

• that

Multiple Select

That's the hospital ___ I was born.

• whose

• who

• where

• when

 When who/that/which ... is the object of the verb, we can leave it out:

• They didn’t have the brand that I wanted to buy.

• They didn’t have the brand I wanted to buy.

• In the above sentence, that (= the brand) is the object of the verb buy. But if who/that/which is the subject of the verb, we cannot leave it out:

• I know a woman who works for KP Lewis.

• (NOT: I know a woman works for KP Lewis.)

Omitting the relative pronoun

• Sometimes we can leave out the relative pronoun. For example, we can usually leave out who, which or that if it is followed by a subject.

• The assistant [that] we met was really kind.

    (we = subject, can omit that)

• We can't usually leave it out if it is followed by a verb.

• The assistant that helped us was really kind.

    (helped = verb, can't omit that)

• 
  

Practice - Type 1 relative clauses

Create a sentence from the parts. In which sentences can you omit the word who, which, where, why, etc.?

Fill in the Blanks

1. who lent me / is here. / The guy / his laptop

Fill in the Blanks

2. the pen / I borrowed / That’s / which / from you.

Fill in the Blanks

3. the company / that / as a junior software developer. / This is / I worked for

Fill in the Blanks

4. the day / That was / I / first met the boss. / when

Fill in the Blanks

5. I didn’t come / was because / The reason / I had an important meeting. / why

Fill in the Blanks

6. a businessman / Steve Jobs / died in 2011. / was / who

Fill in the Blanks

7. That’s / for. / the guy / company / whose / I work

Fill in the Blanks

8. Did you / the invoice / I sent / that / I / you? / get

Fill in the Blanks

9. where / room service. / She has never stayed / a hotel / at / you can order

Fill in the Blanks

10. I’ve ever met. / the most talented / man / He’s / that

Fill in the Blanks

6. a businessman / Steve Jobs / died in 2011. / was / who

Omitting the relative pronoun

The assistant [that] we met was really kind.

  (we = subject, can omit that)

We can't usually leave it out if it is followed by a verb.

The assistant that helped us was really kind.

  (helped = verb, can't omit that)

• Sometimes we can leave out the relative pronoun. For example, we can usually leave out who, which or that if it is followed by a subject.

• The assistant [that] we met was really kind.

    (we = subject, can omit that)

• 
  

• 
  

• 
  

Omitting the relative pronoun

The assistant [that] we met was really kind.

  (we = subject, can omit that)

We can't usually leave it out if it is followed by a verb.

The assistant that helped us was really kind.

  (helped = verb, can't omit that)

• 
  

• 
  

• 
  

• 
  

• 
  

Non-defining relative clause

Type 2 relative clauses give extra information. Without this information, we still know which person or thing somebody is talking about. For example, ..., who ran the music streaming application Bloom.fm, is extra information about Oleg Fomenko. Without this information, it is still clear which person the writer is talking about.