Relative Clauses
Relative clauses
n Relative clauses are parts of a sentence that
give more information about a noun (a
person, place, or thing).
n They are connected to the main sentence
using relative pronouns like: who, which,
that, whose, where.
Types of relative clauses
• Defining relative clauses
The boy who is wearing a red shirt is my
cousin.
• Non-defining relative clauses
My cousin, who is wearing a red shirt, is
coming to the party.
Defining Relative Clauses
• We use a defining relative clause to give essential
information about a person, place, or thing.
Miss Brown is very beautiful.
She teaches us English.
Miss Brown who teaches us English is very
beautiful.
Defining Relative Clauses
• We use the relative pronoun who for people,
which for things / animals, and where for places.
The boy who / that plays football is my brother.
The laptop which / that I bought last week is very
fast.
That’s the house where I was born.
We can use that instead of who or which.
Defining Relative Clauses
• We use whose to mean ‘of who’ or ‘of which’.
The student whose phone is ringing is my brother.
Practice
1. The man has won the talent contest. His daughter
is in my class.
The man whose daughter is in my class has won
the talent contest.
2. The fish was bad. We ate the fish yesterday.
The fish which/that/ (X) we ate yesterday was
bad.
3. The bus is coming. It goes to North Point.
The bus which/ that goes to North Point is coming.
4. My flat has a very good view. We bought the flat
last month.
My flat which/ that / X we bought last month has a
very good view.
Why do we omit the relative pronoun in No.2 & 4?
subject
My flat has a very good view.
We bought the flat last month.
object
My flat (which)we bought last month has a
very good view.
Non- defining Relative Clauses
• We use a non-defining relative clause to give
extra (often non-essential information) in a
sentence. If this clause is omitted, the sentence
still makes sense.
The woman is my aunt.
She lives in New York.
The woman, who lives in New York, is my aunt.
Practice
1. Peter Wong is leaving school. He wants to be a
pilot.
Peter Wong, who wants to be a pilot, is leaving
school.
2. Have you seen Susan? My father always praises
her.
Have you seen Susan, who my father always
praises?
3. Jacky Chan is a famous actor. Many people know
him.
Jacky Chan, who/whom many people know, is a
famous actor.
4. The Rainbow Restaurant is in Central. The
restaurant offers delicious Indian food.
The Rainbow Restaurant, which offers delicious
Indian food, is in Central.