Relative clauses

Relative clauses

by Duyen Le

Relative Clauses

Defining Relative Clauses

London is the city where I was born.

It's the house which has a white door.

What relative pronoun fits in the blank?

My uncle, who lives in America, is a rich man.

Here , MC- My uncle is a rich man.

DC- who lives in America (additional information but not essential)

Hence, non-defining relative clause

Sydney is my friend who is a painter.

Here, who is a painter is an essential information about Sydney and hence Defining Relative Clause

Sydney, who is my friend, is a painter.

Non-essential information and hence Non-defining Relative Clause

​ Defining relative clause (MĐQH xác định)

​- gives essential information about a person or thing

- comes immediately after the noun it describes

- is not separated by a comma

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​There are several matters which we need to discuss.

​ Non-defining relative clause (MĐQH không xác định)

​- gives extra information which does not identify the person or thing

- is separated from the main clause by commas

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​Paris, which I’ve visited several times, is my favourite city.

​ People + who / whom

​People + who + V

Do you know the examiner who asks the questions in the IELTS speaking test?

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​People + whom + S + V

There were several people whom I did not recognize.

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​ Things + which

​Things + which + V

This is the equipment which gave us a lot of problems.

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​Things + which + S + V

It is subject which Professor James knows a great deal about.

​ People + whose + N + V

​ Things

​People + whose + N + V

The police want to interview anyone whose car has been vandalized recently.

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​Things + whose + N + V

One of the cars, whose wheels had been removed, had to be taken to a garage.

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​ Prepositions and relative pronouns

​The goods, which we had already paid for, had to be returned to the factory. (less formal)

​= The goods, for which we had already paid, had to be returned to the factory. ​(formal)

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​The professor whom I attended the conference with offered me a research post. (less formal)

​= The professor with whom I attended the conference offered me a research post. ​(formal)

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​ When / Where / Why

​Time + when

Monday was the day when the results were expected.

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​Place + where

I stopped at the top of the stairs, where there was a window.

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​Reason + why

​This lack of preparation was the main reason why the project was a failure.

​ Reduced relative clauses

Verb in active form

Most of the people who waited for tickets went away disappointed.

​= Most of the people waiting for tickets went away disappointed.

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​Verb in passive form

This is the only painting which was sold during the exhibition.

​= This is the only painting sold during the exhibition.

​ Quantifier + of which / of whom

All / part / both

​Most / many /some + of which / of whom

​[Number]

​​Neither / none

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​There are three castles, one of which has Roman origins.

Ten people were rescued from the crash, none of whom was badly injured.

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In some adjective clauses, the relative pronoun is the subject of the clause. In other adjective clauses, the relative pronoun is the object of the clause

Who as subject = (The people are the guests)

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The people who are the guests should bring gifts

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​Who as object = (You invite the people)

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​The people who you invite should bring gifts

When a relative pronoun is an object of a clause, use who, that or whom for people and that for things. The​ relative pronoun is often omitted, especially in speaking.

The people who (that/whom) you invite should bring gifts

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The gifts that you bring should be inexpensive

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​The people you invite should bring gifts

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​The gifts you bring should be inexpensive

​Note: whom is very formal

Be careful!

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When the relative pronoun is the subject of the clause, it can NOT be omitted

Don't say: The people are the guests should bring gifts

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Do not use an object pronoun after the verb

Don't say: The people who you invite them should bring gifts​

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