Grammar Notes: Relative Clauses Introduction Here is a brief review of adjective clauses and relative pronouns.
An adjective
clause is used to describe describe a a noun:
The car, which was red, red, belonged to Young-Hee
relative !ron relative !ronoun oun clause:
A
is usu usually use used to
introduce an adj adject ective ive
Young-Hee, Young-H ee, who who is is a "orean student, lives in #ictoria The main relative !ronouns are: $ho: used for humans humans:: Hans, who who is is an architect, lives in %erlin
$hich: used for things and animals: animals: &ari'e has a dog which which (ollows (ollows her ever)where
That: used for humans, animals and things (but things (but see below): &ari'e is decorating a house that that Hans Hans designed
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There are two main 'inds o( adjective clause: !ive e*tra in(o Non-de(ining Non-de(i ning claus clauses: es: !i in(ormati rmation on ab abou outt th the e noun" but they are not essential:
The des' in the corner, which is covered in boo's, boo's, is mine (#e don$t need this infor%ation in order to understand the sentence. 'he des in the corner is %ine is a !ood sentence on its own we still now which des is referred to. *ote that nondefinin! clauses are usually separated by co%%as" and that is is not usually used in this ind of conte+t.)
+e(ining claus +e(ining clauses: es: noun:
!i !ive
essential essen tial in(o in(ormati rmation on ab abou outt th the e
The !ac'age that arrived this morning is morning is on the des' (#e need this infor%ation in order to understand the sentence. #ithout the relative clause" we don$t now which paca!e paca!e is bein! referred to. *ote that that is often used in non definin! relative clauses" and they are not separated by co%%as.)
djective Clauses An adjective clause is a dependent clause which takes the place of an adjective in another clause or phrase. Like an adjective, an adjective clause modifies a noun or pronoun or pronoun,, answering questions like "which?" or "what kind of?" Consider the following examples djective the red coat red coat djective clause the coat which I bought )esterda)
Like the word "red" in the first example, the dependent clause "which ! ought #esterda#" in the second example modifies the noun "coat." $ote that an adjective clause usuall# comes after what what it modifies, while an adjective usuall# comes before. before. !n formal writing, an adjective clause egins with the relative pronouns "who%m&," pronouns "who%m&," "that," or "which." !n informal writing or speech, #ou ma# leave out the relative pronoun when it is not the suject of the adjective clause, ut #ou should usuall# include the relative pronoun in formal, academic writing
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In(ormal 'he boos people read were %ainly reli!ious. ormal 'he boos that people that people read were %ainly reli!ious. In(ormal o%e firefi!hters never %eet the people they save. ormal o%e firefi!hters never %eet the people whom they whom they save.
'ere are some more examples of adjective clauses the %eat which the) ate was ate was tainted
(his clause modifies the noun "meat" and answers the question "which meat?". about the %ovie which made him cr)
(his clause modifies the noun "movie" and answers the question "which movie?". they are searchin! for the one who borrowed the boo'
(he clause modifies the pronoun "one" and answers the question "which one?". Did , tell you about the author whom I metmet-
(he clause modifies the noun "author" and answers the question "which author?".
You can use a relative pronoun to pronoun to lin' one !hrase !hrase or or clause clause to to another !hrase or clause The relative !ronouns are .who,. .whom,. .that,. and .which.
Getting student/s to !ractise Relative Clause Combine the two sentences to ma'e one, using an adjective clause or e*am!le, .I met &ar) in the hall 0he is a tour guide. becomes guide. becomes .I met &ar), who is a tour guide, in the hall. . 'he %an was was sic. sic. He He looed looed very very pale pale.. Correct answer1s2: 'he %an" who looed very pale" was sic. 'he %an" who was sic" looed very pale. 'he %an who looed very pale was sic. 'he %an who was sic looed very pale. /. He was was sittin! sittin! in the the e%er!enc e%er!ency y roo%. roo%. ,t was very very crowded. crowded. 0orrect answer(s): He was sittin! in the e%er!ency roo%" which was very crowded.
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1. A nurse nurse was was near nearby. by. He call called ed her. her. Correct answer1s2: He called a nurse" who was nearby. He called a nurse who was nearby. A nurse" who% he called" called" was nearby. A nurse who% he called called was nearby. 2. 'he nurse called called a doctor. doctor. He ca%e 3uicly. 3uicly. Correct answer1s2: 'he nurse called a doctor" who ca%e 3uicly. 'he nurse called a doctor who ca%e 3uicly. 4. 'he doctor doctor ased ased hi% to lie down. down. he looed looed very very worried. worried. Correct answer1s2: 'he doctor" who looed very worried" ased hi% to lie down.
5. he !ave !ave the the %an an injectio injection. n. ,t %ade %ade hi% !o to sleep. sleep. Correct answer1s2: he !ave the %an an injection" which %ade hi% !o to sleep. he !ave the %an an injection which %ade hi% !o to sleep. he !ave the %an an injection that %ade hi% !o to sleep. 6. 'he 7ly%pic 7ly%pic snowbo snowboardin ardin! ! event was was e+citin!. e+citin!. 8any 8any people people watched watched it on '9. Correct answers: 'he 7ly%pic snowboardin! event" which %any people watched on '9" was e+citin!. 'he 7ly%pic snowboardin! event that %any people watched on '9 was e+citin!. . ,t was the first first ti%e snowboar snowboardin! din! had had been included included in in the 7ly%pics. 7ly%pics. nowboardin! is a new sport. Correct answers: ,t was the first ti%e snowboardin!" which is a new sport" had been included in the 7ly%pics. ;. 'he co%pe co%petition tition was was very very e+citin!. e+citin!. A 0anad 0anadian ian won won it. Correct answers: 'he co%petition" which a 0anadian won" was very e+citin!. <. 'he winner" =oss =eba!liati" lives in #histler" B0. 8any youn! snowboarders ad%ire hi%. Correct answers: 'he winner" =oss =eba!liati" who% %any youn! snowboarders ad%ire" lives in #histler" B0. 'he winner" =oss =eba!liati" who %any youn! snowboarders ad%ire" lives in #histler" B0
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djective Clauses: &ulti!le Choice 3*ercises 4sing Relative 5ronouns In each sentence, choose the correct relative pronoun to introduce the clause.
'he cou!ar is a %e%ber of the cat fa%ily >>>>>> !rows to around feet in len!th. A. who B. which 0. who% D. that / 'he cou!ar lives in deserts" forests" plains and %ountains" but accordin! to scientists >>>>>>>> have studied the ani%al" it is beco%in! endan!ered in so%e areas. areas. A. who B. which 0. who% D. whose 1 'he cou!ar has powerful le!s" >>>>>>>> it uses to cli%b and to ju%p into trees. A. who B. which 0. who% D. whose
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2 0ou!ars so%eti%es prey on sheep and !oats" so they %ay be illed by the far%ers >>>>>>>> ani%als ani%als they attac. A. who B. which 0. who% D. whose 4 However" cou!ars very rarely attac hu%ans" of >>>>>>>> they are usually afraid. A. who B. who% 0. which D. that
How to orm Relative Clauses ,%a!ine" a !irl is talin! to 'o%. ?ou want to now who she is and as a friend whether he nows her. ?ou could say:
A !irl is talin! talin! to 'o%. Do you now the !irl-
'hat sounds rather co%plicated" doesn$t it- ,t would be easier with a relative clause: you put both pieces of infor%ation into one sentence. tart with the %ost i%portant thin! @ you want to now who the !irl is.
Do you now the !irl
As your friend cannot now which !irl you are talin! about" you need to put in the additional infor%ation @ the !irl is talin! to 'o%. se Cthe !irl only in the first part of the sentence" in the second part replace it with the relative pronoun (for people" use the relative pronoun Cwho). o the final sentence is: Do you now the !irl who is who is talin! to 'o%-
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Relative 5ronouns =elative pronoun
use
E+a%ple
who
subject or object pronoun for people
, told you about the wo%an who lives who lives ne+t door.
which
subject or or object pr pronoun fo for an ani%als an and thi thin!s Do yo you see see the the cat cat which is which is lyin! on the roof-
which
referrin! to a whole sentence
He couldnFt read which surprised which surprised %e.
whose
possession for people ani%als and thin!s
Do yo you n now th the bo boy whose %other whose %other is a nurse-
who%
object pronoun for people" especially in non , was invited by the t he professor whom , whom , defini definin! n! relat relative ive clause clauses s (in defin definin! in! relati relative ve %et at the conference. clauses we collo3uially prefer who) who)
that
subject or or ob object pr p ronoun fo f or pe people" an a ni%als , donFt lie the table that stands stands in the and thin!s in definin! relative clauses ( who oritchen. which are which are also possible)
0ubject 5ronoun or 6bject 5ronoun7 ubject and object pronouns cannot be distin!uished by their for%s who" which" that are used for subject and object pronouns. ?ou can" however" distin!uish distin!uish the% as follows: ,f the relative pronoun is followed by a verb" the relative pronoun is a subject pronoun. pronoun. ubject pronouns %ust always be used.
the apple which is lyin! is lyin! on the table
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,f the relative pronoun is not followed by a verb (but by a noun or pronoun)" the relative pronoun is an object pronoun. pronoun . 7bject pronouns can be dropped in definin! relative clauses" which are then called Contact Clauses. Clauses.
the apple 1which2 George lay George lay on the table
Relative dverbs A relative adverb adverb can be used instead instead of a relative pronoun pronoun plus preposition. preposition. 'his often %aes the sentence easier to understand.
'his is the shop in which , which , bou!ht %y bie. G 'his is the shop where , where , bou!ht %y bie.
relative adverb
%eanin!
use
E+a%ple
when
inon which
refers to a ti%e e+pression
the day when we when we %et hi%
where
inat which
refers to a place
the place where we where we %et hi%
why
for which
refers to a reason
the reason why we we %et hi%
+e(ining Relative Clauses Definin! Definin! relative relative clauses clauses (also (also called called identifying relative clauses or restrictive relative clauses) clauses ) !ive detailed infor%ation definin! a !eneral ter% or e+pression. Definin! relative clauses are not put in co%%as.
,%a!ine" 'o% is in a roo% with five !irls. 7ne !irl is talin! to 'o% and you as so%ebody whether he nows this !irl. Here the relative clause defines which of the five !irls you %ean.
Do you now the !irl who is talin! to 'o%-
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+e(ining relative clauses are o(ten used in de(initions
A sea%an is so%eone so%eone who wors wors on a ship.
7bject pronouns in definin! relative clauses can be dropped. (entences with a relative clause without the relative pronoun are called Contact Clauses.) Clauses .) 'he boy 1who8whom2 we 1who8whom2 we %et yesterday is very nice.
Non-+e(ining Relative Clauses *ond *ondefi efini nin! n! relati relative ve clause clauses s (also (also called called non-ide non-identify ntifying ing relative relative clauses clauses or non-restrictive relative clauses) clauses ) !ive additional infor%ation on so%ethin!" but do not define it. *ondefinin! relative clauses are put in co%%as co%%as..
,%a!ine" 'o% is in a roo% with only one !irl. 'he two are talin! to each other and you as so%ebody whether he nows this !irl. Here the relative clause is nondefinin! because in this situation it is obvious which !irl you %ean.
Do you now the !irl" who is talin! to 'o%-
*ote: ,n nondefinin! nondefinin! relative clauses" who/which %ay who/which %ay not be replaced with that .
7bject pronouns in nondefinin! relative clauses %ust be used.
Ii%" whowho% we %et yesterday" is very nice.
How to 0horten Relative Clauses7 =elative clauses with who" who" which" which" that as as subject pronoun can be replaced with a participle participle.. 'his %aes the sentence shorter and easier to understand. , told you about the wo%an who lives ne+t lives ne+t door. @ , told you about the wo%an living ne+t ne+t door. Do you see the cat which is lying on on the roof- @ Do you see the cat lying on on the roof-
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Relative Clauses 1Contact clauses2 Relative 5ronouns 1who 8 which 8 whose2 0hoose the correct relative pronoun (who" which" whose).
.
'his is the ban>>>>>>>>>>>was robbed yesterday.
/.
A boy> boy>> >>>>> >>>>>>s >>siste isterr is is in in %y %y cl class was in in the the ba ban at th that titi%e. %e.
1.
'he %an>>>>>>>>>>>robbed th the ban had two two pistol tols.
2.
He wo wore a %as>>>>>>>>>>%ade hi hi% lo loo lilie 8i 8icey 8o 8ouse.
4.
He ca ca%e with a fri friend> nd>>>> >>>>>>> >>>>> >>>>> >>>waite aited d ou outsi tside in in th the ca car.
5.
'he wo%an>>>>>>>>>>>>!ave hi hi% the the %oney was youn!.
6.
'he ba!>>>>>>>>>>>>contained th the %oney wa was ye yellow.
.
'he peo people> le>>>>> >>>>> >>>>> >>>>were were in th the ba ban were very ery fri fri! !hten tened.
;.
A %an> %an>> >>>>> >>>>>>>> >>>>> >>%ob >%obil ile e wa was rin rin! !in! did not not now now what to do.
<. <.
A wo%a wo%an> n>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>da dau! u!ht hter er was was cryi cryin! n! trie tried d to cal% cal% her. her.
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