Relative Clauses
A clause is a part of a sentence that has its own subject and verb. A relative clause tells us which person or thing
(or what kind of person or thing) the speaker means. So, it modifies nouns (or noun phrases). It is a dependent
clause which can’t stand alone as a complete sentence and needs to be attached to a main clause.
A relative clause can occur anywhere in a sentence but it must follow the noun it refers to.
. The man that wore traditional clothes was a mayor.
. I like a woman who wears a traditional dress.
Kinds of Relative Clauses
Relative clauses are two types: defining (restrictive) and non-defining (nonrestrictive).
a. Defining (Restrictive) Relative Clauses
Defining relative clauses distinguish one noun from another. They answer the question Which one(s)?
. The woman who works in the factory is my aunt. (The relative clause clearly identifies the woman and
distinguishes her from the other women.)
Defining relative clauses express necessary information, so they cannot be omitted without affecting the
meaning of the sentence.
A: Is your child in that group over there?
B: Yes, the girl who is wearing the red shirt is mine.
(The relative clause clearly identifies B’s child and distinguishes her from the other children.)
A: Is your child in that group over there?
B: Yes, the girl is mine.
(B’s child has not been clearly identified. The meaning is incomplete.)
Defining clauses are also used in definitions.
. A locksmith is a person that makes and repairs locks and keys.
Defining clauses are often used to provide information about a noun when it is first mentioned. If the
information is new to the listener, the relative clause quickly identifies the noun.
. Guess what? A guy who works with me bought a house. (new information)
Subject relative pronouns + be can be omitted from defining relative clauses.
. Take the food which is on the table. (full information)
. Take the food on the table. (reduced form)
NB: We use who, that, or which instead of he/ she/ they/ it.
b. Non Defining (Nonrestrictive) Relative Clause
Non defining relative clauses give extra or simply additional information about a noun and are separated
from that noun by commas. (In speech, the pause signals the commas.)
. Haile G/selassie, who won many athletic medals, is now a successful businessman.
The added extra information is not essential to identify the noun; it can be omitted without affecting the meaning
of the sentence.
. Addis Ababa, which is the capital of Ethiopia, has many colleges.
. Addis Ababa has many colleges.
(The relative clause gives extra information about the city, but does not change the meaning of the sentence.)
Subject relative pronouns + be can be omitted from non-defining relative clauses like defining relative clauses.
. I spoke to Abebe, who is the dean. (full form)
. I spoke to Abebe, the dean. (reduced form)
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a. Relative Pronouns Used in Defining Relative Clauses
Subject Object Possessive
For person who / that who / whom / that whose
For things which / that which / that whose / of which
b. Relative Pronouns Used in Non-Defining Relative Clauses
Subject Object Possessive
For person who who / whom whose
For things which which whose / of which
Contrasting Defining and Non Defining Relative Clauses
Defining (restrictive) relative clauses provide essential information in order to distinguish one noun from other
similar nouns. Non defining (nonrestrictive) relative clauses are used when there is only one particular noun.
They do not distinguish nouns nor provide essential information.
Defining Relative Clauses Non defining Relative Clause
. My brother who lives in Konso calls me every . My brother, who lives in Konso, calls me every
weekend. weekend.
(The relative clause distinguishes my brother from (The relative clause is not used to distinguish my
others who live elsewhere. It implies that the speaker brother from anyone else. It implies that the speaker
has more than one brother.) has only one brother.)
Subject Relative Pronouns
If who, which, or that is the subject of a relative clause, it is a subject relative pronoun.
In defining relative clauses, who and that are used for people. Which and that are used for things and animals.
. The girl who/that gave the speech is a good orator.
. The state of emergency which/that is passed by the country because of the Corona virus must be
implemented seriously.
In non-defining clauses, who is used for people and which is used for things and animals. (that is not used with
non-defining clauses.)
A subject relative pronoun is followed by a verb. The verb agrees with the noun that the subject relative pronoun
refers to.
. I know a man who works in Minilik Hospital.
. I know two men who work in Minilik Hospital.
Sentences with subject relative pronouns can be thought of as a combination of two sentences.
. I appreciate a woman. She studies engineering. = I appreciate a woman who studies engineering.
Do not repeat the noun or pronoun in the relative clause.
X. I appreciate a woman who she studies engineering. (incorrect)
Object Relative Pronouns
If who, whom, which, or that is the object of a relative clause, it is an object relative pronoun.
. I like football. I enjoy watching football. = I like football that/which I enjoy watching.
In defining (restrictive) clauses, who, whom, and that are used for people. Which and that are used for things
and animals.
. The athlete who/whom/that I admire a lot is Haile G/selassie.
. The game which/that the girls won was on television.
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In non-defining (nonrestrictive) clauses, who or whom is used for people and which is used for things and
animals.
. I met Haile G/selassie, who/whom I admire a lot.
. The game was at the World Cup, which we saw on television.
Object relative pronouns are followed by a subject + verb (phrase). The verb agrees with the subject before it. It
does not agree with the noun that the clause refers to.
. Derartu Tulu is an athlete, whom my sisters admire a lot.
Object relative pronouns can be omitted from defining relative clauses.
. A singer who/whom I know won a medal. = A singer I know won a medal.
Object relative pronouns are never omitted from non-defining clauses.
x. I met Haile G/selassie, I admire a lot. (incorrect)
Do not repeat the object noun or pronoun in the relative clause.
x. I met Haile G/selassie, whom I admire him. (incorrect)
Who and whom can be used as object relative pronouns interchangeably in defining and non- defining clauses,
but whom is much more formal than who.
Formal Speech: Let me introduce you to the person whom I admire most, my friend, Tewodros Bekele.
In defining relative clauses, that is used more often than who, whom, and which. Omitting the object relative
pronoun is also very common in speech and writing.
. The bike (that) he bought is stolen.
Whose is a possessive relative pronoun. It expresses ownership. It is used instead of my/ our/ your/ his/ her /
its/ their. It is followed by a noun.
. I saw a man. His car had broken down. (= I saw a man whose car had broken down.)
. The film is about a woman whose child is lost.
. America, whose economy is strong, is trying to colonize poor countries indirectly.
Object Relative Pronouns with Prepositions
a. Relative Clauses Ending in Prepositions
An object relative pronoun (who, whom, that, or which) can be the object of a preposition.
. This is the nurse. I spoke to her. = This is the nurse whom I spoke to.
In defining clauses that end in prepositions, the object relative pronoun can be omitted.
. This is the nurse I spoke to.
NB: Relative Clauses ending in prepositions are usually used in spoken English, but less common in written
English.
b. Relative Clauses Beginning with Prepositions
A preposition can be a relative clause. At this time, the preposition is followed by either whom for people or
which for things and animals. It cannot be followed by who or that.
Whom and which are never omitted after the prepositions.
. This is the nurse to whom I spoke.
. He coaches Buna Club, on which my brother plays.
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Other Relative Adverbs
a. Where is used to express location/place. It can replace which or that and the prepositions in or at.
. That is the house where my friend lives. = That is the house in which my friend lives. = That is the house
(that) my friend lives in.
b. When is used to express time. It can replace that or during which to refer to a period of time.
. The week when (= that / during which) I spent in Sodere was very special. Here when is also optional.
c. Why is used for reasons. It can replace for which.
. I don’t know why (= for which) he hasn’t come to class.
Exercise
a. Choose the correct answer to complete each of the following sentences.
_____1. I spoke to the lady _____was sitting by the door.
a. she b. that she c. who d. whom
_____2. The man ____ gave me much money.
a. whom I worked b. that worked with c. with whom I worked
_____3. French is a language ____ I have never studied.
a. b. whom c. where d. who
_____4. Sheraton Addis is the hotel _____ I will be staying in Addis Ababa.
a. in which b. where c. that d. all are correct
_____5. A dermatologist is a doctor _____ treats skin problems.
a. whom b. c. that d. which
_____ 6. My sister, who just called my father, lives in the USA. This implies that
a. The speaker has more than one sister.
b. He has only one sister.
c. One of the speaker’s sisters lives in the USA, but the others live here.
d. The speaker lives in the USA.
_____7. The car which they bought ____ brand new.
a. are b. were c. is d. have been
_____8. I will never forget my childhood, _____ my father taught me how to swim.
a. when b. during which c. that d. all except ‘c’
_____9. Bahir Dar, _____ is situated near Lake Tana, is a beautiful city.
a. that b. which c. d. where
_____10. I saw a girl ____ bag was golden.
a. who b. that c. whom d. whose
_____11. I always remember my birthplace ______ I spent my childhood.
a. in where b. where c. whom d. when
b. Rewrite each of the following pair sentences by making them ONE using the appropriate relative
pronoun.
12. The woman is a doctor. She greeted you.
13. The building was destroyed. It has now been rebuilt.
14. The boy is a joker. I liked him.
15. The bed wasn’t comfortable. I slept in the bed.
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16. I met a man. His sister knows you.