Non-defining relative clauses

Non-defining relative clauses

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.

• Type 2 relative clauses must be separated from the rest of the sentence with a comma (,).

 We cannot use that in Type 2 relative clauses:

• This coffee, that which Joanne bought for me yesterday, tastes really good.

• We cannot leave out who/which/where in Type 2 relative clauses: This coffee, which Joanne bought for me yesterday, tastes really good.

• (NOT: This coffee, Joanne bought for me yesterday, tastes really good.)

We always use a relative pronoun or adverb to start a non-defining relative clause: who, which, whose, when or where (but not that). We also use commas to separate the clause from the rest of the sentence. 

• My grandfather, who's 87, goes swimming every day.

• The house, which was built in 1883, has just been opened to the public.

• The award was given to Sara, whose short story impressed the judges. 

who, which and whose

We can use who to talk about people, which to talk about things and whose to refer to the person or thing that something belongs to.

• Yesterday I met my new boss, who was very nice.

• The house, which is very big, is also very cold!

• My next-door neighbour, whose children go to school with ours, has just bought a new car.

• After the port there is a row of fisherman's houses, whose lights can be seen from across the bay.

Places and times

• We can use which with a preposition to talk about places and times. In these cases it's more common to use where or when instead of which and the preposition.

• City Park, which we used to go to, has been closed down.

  City Park, where we used to go, has been closed down.

• December, which Christmas is celebrated in, is a summer month for the southern hemisphere.

  December, when Christmas is celebrated, is a summer month for the southern hemisphere.

• 
  

However, when we use which without a preposition, we can't use where or when.

-Centre Park, which we love, is always really busy on Saturdays.

-February, which is my favourite month, lasts 29 days this year.

Practice - Type 2 relative clauses

Make sentences using the extra information below. 

Multiple Select

She comes from Tehran,

• when she lived in Japan

• who was president of South Africa

• which is the capital of Iran

• who works in my office

• where I have an account

Multiple Select

Derek is a lawyer,

• when she lived in Japan

• who was president of South Africa

• which is a well-paid job

• who works in my office

• where I have an account

Multiple Select

She worked for Toyota in 2007,

• when she lived in Japan

• who was president of South Africa

• which is a well-paid job

• who works in my office

• where I have an account

Multiple Select

The camera costs over 1000 dollars,

• which is very difficult to learn

• who was president of South Africa

• which is a waste of money

• who works in my office

• where I have an account

Multiple Select

He often plays cricket,

• which is very difficult to learn

• which is a very slow sport

• which is a waste of money

• who works in my office

• where I have an account

Multiple Select

She speaks fluent Chinese,

• which is very difficult to learn

• which is a very slow sport

• which is a waste of money

• who works in my office

• where I have an account

Multiple Select

Nelson Mandela, __________, died in 2013.

• which is very difficult to learn

• which is a very slow sport

• which is a waste of money

• who was president of South Africa

• where I have an account

Multiple Select

Barclays Bank,_____________, is one of the world’s biggest banks

• which is very difficult to learn

• which is a very slow sport

• which is a waste of money

• who was president of South Africa

• where I have an account