4. Relative clauses

Focus on

restrictive relative clause
Imagen de Fredrik Elofsson en Flickr. Licencia CC
 

Look at these examples from the text about Dorothy Lawrence:

  • She met 2 soldiers who became known as her "khaki accomplices"
  • She slept in a tent which was 200 yards from the front line.

RELATIVE CLAUSES
1. Introduction

To give further information about a person/thing/idea, we can use a relative clause.

You put a relative clause immediately after the noun which refers to the person, thing, or group you are talking about. Examples:

  • The man who came into the room was small and slender.
  • Opposite is St. Paul’s Church, where you can hear some lovely music.
2. Relative pronouns

Many relative clauses begin with a relative pronoun. The relative pronoun = the subject or object of the verb in the relative clause. Examples:

  • He is the only person who can help.
  • She didn’t recognize the man who had spoken.
  • I met a girl whose mother invented a new drug
  • There are many causes which haven't been investigated.
3. Relative pronouns
  • This is the man who I was talking about.
  • This is the man that I was talking about.

We use that/who for people.

  • I took the box which was heaviest.
  • I took the box that was heaviest.

We use that/which for objects, ideas and animals.

  • I met a man whose daughter used to study with me at university.

We use whose + noun for possessives.

4. Defining relative clauses

They explain which person or thing you are talking about. Look at these 2 phrases:

  • I met the woman.
  • I met the woman who lives next door.

In the second sentence, “who lives next door” gives more specific information - it identifies the person.

5. Omitting the relative pronoun

When the relative pronoun (who/which/that only- never whose) is the subject, we can omit it (and usually do in informal language).

  • Jack built the house that I was born in
  • >Jack built the house I was born in
  • He is the person who I saw
  • >He is the person I saw.

When who/which/that is the object, we cannot omit it:

Jack built the house that sits on the hill

Jack built the house sits on the hill

She is the one who encouraged me

She is the one encouraged me

6. Relative pronoun as the object of a preposition

When the relative pronoun is the object of a preposition, we can't use that, only who/which (some people occasionally use whom, which is more formal and gradually less used) .

Note that the preposition usually goes to the end of the phrase in informal and neutral speech.

  • Jack is the boy (who) Jenny fell in love with
  • Jack is the boy with whom Jenny fell in love (formal);
  • Jack built the house (which) I was raised in
  • Jack built the house in which I was raised (formal).

Adapted from: English Grammar, Ed. COBUILD Collins, 1998

Do it yourself

a. Fill in the gaps with the suitable relative pronoun (who/which/whose).

b. In which sentences can you also use that?

c. In which sentences can you omit the pronoun?

1. This is the school I used to study at.

2. This test is for students native language is not English.

3. The student lost his bag is waiting in the office.

4. The house in they live needs repairing.

5. Children eat a lot of candy often get bad teeth.

6. The girl pen you borrowed needs it now.

7. Go and find the guests arrived yesterday.

8. Look at the horses are drinking in the river.

9. The student father is sick does not come to school today.

10. I ate all the cake you gave me.

11. Everyone likes fishing will be there.

12. A man name I have forgotten came to see you yesterday.

13. I put everything in the suitcase is under my bed.

14. The teacher punished the students were misbehaving.

15. This is the town I was telling you about.

Source: www.englishexercises.org/makeagame/viewgame.asp?id=1255#a

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Make one sentence by changing the sentence in italics into a defining relative clause. The relative pronoun can be the subject or the object of the relative clause.

  1. They found the money. I dropped the money.
  2. I broke the plate. The plate was a wedding present.
  3. The police arrested the man. I saw the man steal a handbag.
  4. The Queen fired the chef. We had met the chef.
  5. She wrote to her friend. Her friend lives in Vietnam.
  6. Jill ate the sandwich. The sandwich had tomato and cheese inside.
  7. His friend lives in Scotland. His friend is a lawyer.
  8. We called the secretary. I went to school with the secretary.
  9. The CD is in my bag. The CD has Spanish music.
  10. The book is very interesting. The book is about Japanese culture.

Adapted from: www.perfect-english-grammar.com/relative-clauses-exercise-3.html

 

Make one sentence from the two short ones. The relative pronoun is the subject of the relative clause.

  1. She worked for a man (the man used to be an athlete)
  2. They called a lawyer (the lawyer lived nearby)
  3. I sent an email to the brother (the brother lives in Australia)
  4. The customer liked the waitress (the waitress was very friendly)
  5. We broke the computer (the computer belonged to my father)
  6. I dropped a glass (the glass was new)
  7. She loves books (the books have happy endings)
  8. They live in a city (the city is in the north of England)
  9. The man is in the garden (the man is wearing a blue jumper)
  10. The girl works in a bank (the girl is from India)

Adapted from: www.perfect-english-grammar.com/relative-clauses-exercise-1.html

 

Make a new sentence by joining the two short sentences. Use the relative pronoun "that", "who", "which" or no pronoun.

  1. We ate the fruit. I bought the fruit.
  2. She bought the computer. Her brother had recommended the computer.
  3. He lost the money. I had given him the money.
  4. We called the taxi company. Julie often uses the taxi company.
  5. John met a girl. I used to employ the girl.
  6. Lucy called the doctor. My mother knows the doctor.
  7. He brought a woman. I used to often meet the woman .
  8. We employed the lawyer. Julie recommended the lawyer.
  9. The fruit is on the table. I bought the fruit.
  10. The wallet belongs to John. Lucy found the wallet in the garden.

Adapted from: www.perfect-english-grammar.com/relative-clauses-exercise-2.html

 

Relatives with why/where/when

  • This is the place where I was born. (= place)
  • St Valentine's Day is the day when people send romantic cards and presents. (= time)
  • This is why we are doing it. (= reason)

These 3 relatives (adverbs, not pronouns, but who's worrying?) also combine sentences.

They can't be omitted.

We can sometimes say the same thing using a relative pronoun and a preposition:

  • This is the house where I was born = This is the house in which I was born.
  • That's the day on which everyone gives presents. = That's the day when everyone gives presents.

Note that the preposition + relative is more formal than just the relative adverb.

Do it yourself

Complete with when/why/where:

  1. The seat we sat last Saturday is still free.
  2. I can remember a time I could eat four hamburgers.
  3. We do not know  he left..
  4. Let's sit on this seat, we'll get splashed.
  5. I can remember my nineteenth birthday, I had long hair.
  6. Do you know Ellen left early?
  7. The 80s were a time big hair was considered fashionable.
  8. I love the days we can wear jeans to work.
  9. Yesterday was the day I met my husband for lunch.
  10. I do not know the place she works. 
  11. Chicago is  Jennifer was born.
  12. The house Mozart was born is now a museum. 

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Write down the names of:

  • 3 places that are important to you
  • 3 dates that are important to you

Show your partner. Explain why they are important. Give more information.

E.g. : 4th January 2014- that's when I got married. it was a lovely day........

Lyme Regis Primary school- that's where I met my best friend Joe. He was.....

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