RELATIVE CLAUSES

RELATIVE CLAUSES

RELATIVE PRONOUNS

• SUBJECT: who, which, that

• OBJECT: who/whom, which, that

• POSSESSIVE: whose

We use relative pronouns to introduce relative clauses. Relative clauses tell us more about people and things:

• Lord Thompson, who is 76, has just retired.

• This is the house which Jack built.

• Marie Curie is the woman that discovered radium.

We use:

• who and whom for people

• which for things

• that for people or things.

Two kinds of relative clause.

Type 1

We use relative clauses to make clear which person or thing we are talking about:

• This is the house which Jack built.

• Marie Curie is the woman who discovered radium.

• In this kind of relative clause, we can use that instead of who or which.

SPECIAL NOTE

We can leave out the pronoun if it is the object of the relative clause:

This is the house Jack built. (that is the object of built)

Multiple Choice

Where are the eggs _____ were in the fridge?

• that

• where

• who

Multiple Choice

My grandmother is the one ____ taught me English.

• which

• where

• who

Multiple Choice

An oven is a machine _____ is used for baking and cooking.

• which

• where

• who

Multiple Choice

That is the hospital _____ I was born.

• which

• where

• who

Multiple Choice

The man ____ lives next door is very friendly.

• which

• where

• who

BE CAREFUL

The relative pronoun is the subject/object of the relative clause, so we do not repeat the subject/object:

• Marie Curie is the woman who she discovered radium.

• (who is the subject of discovered, so we don't need she)

• This is the house that Jack built it.

• (that is the object of built, so we don't need it)

Non-defining Relative Clauses

We also use relative clauses to give more information about a person, thing or situation:

• Lord Thompson, who is 76, has just retired.

• We had fish and chips, which I always enjoy.

• I met Rebecca in town yesterday, which was a nice surprise.

• With this kind of relative clause, we use commas (,) to separate it from the rest of the sentence.

Be Careful!!!

In this kind of relative clause, we cannot use that and and we cannot leave out the pronoun:

• Lord Thompson, who is 76, has just retired.

  (NOT Lord Thompson, that is 76, has just retired.)

• We had fish and chips, which I always enjoy.

  (NOT We had fish and chips, I always enjoy.)

Multiple Choice

In non-defining relative clauses, we can also use THAT for people and things.

• True
• False

Multiple Choice

If the non-defining relative clause comes in the end of the sentence, we only use ONE comma.

• True
• False

Multiple Choice

This clause is NOT separated with commas:

• Defining Relative Clause.
• Non-definining Relative Clause.

Multiple Choice

This clause is separated with commas:

• Defining Relative Clause.
• Non-definining Relative Clause.

Multiple Choice

Stephen King, who is American, is a famous writer.
The clause in blue is an example of a...

• Defining Relative Clause.
• Non-definining Relative Clause.
• Aditional Relative Clause
• Standard Relative Clause.

Multiple Choice

The man whose bag had been stolen was angry.
The clause in red is an example of a...

• Defining Relative Clause.
• Non-definining Relative Clause.
• Aditional Relative Clause
• Standard Relative Clause.

Multiple Choice

This relative clause gives aditional information about the person/thing/possession/place.

• Defining Relative Clause.

• Non-definining Relative Clause.

• Aditional Relative Clause

• Standard Relative Clause.

Multiple Choice

This relative clause gives aditional information about the person/thing/possession/place.

• Defining Relative Clause.
• Non-definining Relative Clause.
• Aditional Relative Clause
• Standard Relative Clause.

Whose and Whom

• We use whose as the possessive form of who:

• This is George, whose brother went to school with me.

• We sometimes use whom as the object of a verb or preposition:

• his is George, whom you met at our house last year.

  (whom is the object of met)

• This is George’s brother, with whom I went to school.

  (whom is the object of with)

Nowadays we use 'who'

• This is George, who you met at our house last year.

• This is George’s brother, who I went to school with.

Multiple Choice

I have an uncle ___ lives in California.

• who

• whom

• whose

Multiple Choice

This is Mr and Mrs Andrews, ___ children I teach.

• who

• whom

• whose

Multiple Choice

The person ___ I marry will have to be someone really special.

• who

• whom

• whose

Multiple Choice

This is Harry, ___ went to school with me.

• who

• whom

• whose

Multiple Choice

Unfortunately, my new boss is someone ___ I really dislike.

• who

• whom

• whose

Multiple Choice

Yesterday I met a man ___ wife used to be my English teacher

• who

• whom

• whose