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Understanding Relative Clauses

The document explains the use of relative clauses and pronouns, including 'who,' 'which,' 'that,' 'when,' 'where,' and 'whose.' It distinguishes between defining and non-defining relative clauses, highlighting their roles in providing necessary information and how certain pronouns can be omitted. Additionally, it discusses the structure of relative clauses that contain verbs with prepositions.

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6 views7 pages

Understanding Relative Clauses

The document explains the use of relative clauses and pronouns, including 'who,' 'which,' 'that,' 'when,' 'where,' and 'whose.' It distinguishes between defining and non-defining relative clauses, highlighting their roles in providing necessary information and how certain pronouns can be omitted. Additionally, it discusses the structure of relative clauses that contain verbs with prepositions.

Uploaded by

jramfei774
Copyright
© All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

RELATIVE

CLAUSES
RELATIVE PRONOUNS
▪ WHICH/THAT – FOR ANIMALS, THINGS AND ABSTRACT NOUNS
Do yo like the dress which/that I bought last Saturday?

▪ WHO/THAT – FOR PEOPLE


Tom is the teacher who/that explains English better.

▪ WHEN- FOR INDICATING TIME


This is the moment of the video when I fell down.

▪ WHERE – FOR INDICATING PLACE


This is the building where my father works.

▪ WHOSE – FOR INDICATING POSSESSION AND IT REPLACES THE POSSESSIVE ADJECTIVE


Lukas is a boy. His mother is a doctor = Lukas is the boy whose mother is a doctor.
RELATIVE CLAUSES
Relative clauses always complement a noun:

▪ I saw a woman yesterday. That woman is my aunt

▪ The woman who I saw yesterday is my aunt.

They are used to join sentences and make the conversation more economic.
DEFINING RELATIVE
CLAUSES
They give NECESSARY information about the person or thing we are referring
to. Without this information the sentence wouldn’t make sense.
▪ The book (which) I’m reading is very interesting.
▪ Martha is a person who likes helping other people.
▪ The restaurant where we had dinner last night was very expensive.

WHO, WHICH AND THAT can be omitted if the relative clause refers to the
object of the verb, but they cannot be omitted if the relative clause refers to
the subject of the verb:
▪ The woman (who) I saw yesterday is my aunt = The woman I saw
yesterday is my aunt.
▪ The man who is wearing sunglasses is a famous actor = The man is
wearing sunglasses is a famous actor.
NON-DEFINING RELATIVE
CLAUSES
NOTE:
▪ WHO AND WHICH SOMETIMES CAN BE REPLACED BY THAT IN
DEFININNG RELATIVE CLAUSES.
▪ WHO AND WHICH SOMETIMES CAN BE OMITTED IN DEFINING RELATIVE
CLAUSES

▪ WHOSE, WHERE AND WHEN CAN NEVER BE REPLACED BY THAT.


▪ WHOSE, WHERE AND WHEN CAN NEVER BE OMITTED.
RELATIVE CLAUSES WHICH CONTAIN
VERBS WITH PREOPOSTIONS
▪ The chair is very comfortable. I am sitting in this chair.
▪ The chair in which I am sitting is very comfortable
▪ The chair which I am sitting in is very comfortable

▪ I enjoyed the music. We listened to it after dinner.


▪ I enjoyed the music to which I listened after dinner.
▪ I enjoyed the music which I listened to after dinner.

▪ Alice likes the family. She is living with them.


▪ Alice likes the family with whom she is living. We use whom when
▪ Alice likes the family whom she is living with. the relative clause
refers to the object,
instead of the
▪ The woman pays me a fair salary. I work for her.
subject, of the main
▪ The woman for whom I work pays me a fair salary.
clause.
▪ The woman whom I work for pays me a fair salary.

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