Relative clauses theory PDF

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RELATIVE CLAUSESRelative clauses give us extra information aboutsomething/someone or identify which particular thing/personwe’re talking about.Relative clauses are often introduced by the following relativepronouns and adverbs:Which (things and animals) Who (people and animals when we want to give t...

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RELATIVE CLAUSES Relative clauses give us extra information about something/someone or identify which particular thing/person we’re talking about. Relative clauses are often introduced by the following relative pronouns and adverbs: I sent a letter which never arrived. Which (things and animals)

Is she the girl who won the gold medal?

Who (people and animals when Is that the car that your mum is trying to we want to give them sell? personality) **Do you remember the day when That (things and people, everything started to go wrong? informally) **This is the town where Game of When, while (times) Thrones was shot. Where (places) **That’s the reason why he’s so Why (reasons) popular. Whom (people, object pronoun You should think more carefully about only) the people with whom you choose to Whose (possession; not who’s) spend your time. I need to talk to the driver whose car is blocking mine in.

Relative pronoun may be omitted when it refers to the object, but not when it replaces the subject. That’s the man who told me about the sale in Zara. [=RELATIVE PRONOUN IS THE SUBJECT] That’s the man (whom/who/that) I told about the sale in Zara. [=RELATIVE PRONOUN REFERS TO OBJECT]

Never use the noun or pronoun AND the relative pronoun together (NOTE: even in sentences in which the relative object pronoun is elided). An architect is someone who she* designs buildings.  An architect is someone who designs buildings. I’ve never spoken to the woman who she* lives next door to me.  I’ve never spoken to the woman who lives next door to me. I met a man who he* knows you.  I met a man who knows you. The woman (whom) I wanted to see her* was busy when I called.  The woman (whom) I wanted to see was busy when I called. Have you found the keys (that) you lost them*?  Have you found the keys (that) you lost?

We can use what instead of “the thing(s) (that)” and all instead of “the only thing”  The things (that) she did that morning weren’t helpful. What she did that morning wasn’t helpful.  The thing that happened next was terrifying. What happened next was terrifying.  The only thing I’m trying to say is that the business needs help. All (that) I’m trying to say is that the business needs help. [OBJECT]  The only thing that’s missing from this party is a singing monkey. All that’s missing from this party is a singing monkey. [SUBJECT]

REDUCED RELATIVE CLAUSES are relative clauses in which who/which/that + verb “be” is omitted before a participle (–ed or –ing form)  -ed = passive form, state of something  -ing = what somebody is/was doing at a particular time  There is / There was, etc. + participle Imagine being the person chosen for that role. (=Imagine being the person who was chosen for that film role.) Luggage left unattended will be removed by the police. (=Luggage that is left unattended will be removed by the police.) Do you know the woman talking to Tom? (=Do you know the woman who is talking to Tom?) There were some children swimming in the river when I arrived. (=There were some children who were swimming when I arrived.) I see there’s a new car parked outside the neighbours’ house. (=I see there’s a new car that is parked outside the neighbours’ house.)

DEFINING AND NON-DEFINING (or identifying and nonidentifying) relative clauses Non-defining clause  gives more information about something/someone, but the sentence still makes complete sense without it  clause is separated from rest of sentence by commas  relative pronoun cannot be omitted and cannot be “that” Pedro Almodóvar’s new film, which was filmed in New York, is very disappointing. She married a nice engineer from Cork, whose family is originally from Belfast. [=and his family is…] This is James, who works in our Accounts Department. [=and he works…] I lent him a novel by Diego Ameixeiras, which is really easy to read. [=and it is…] This is the archive room, where you’ll find everything you need to know about the company’s history. [=and here you’ll find…]

Defining clause  tells us which one of a group of things/people we’re talking about  clause is not separated from rest of sentence by commas  relative pronoun may be omitted and “that” may be used “Have you seen the new Almodóvar film?” “Is that the one that was filmed in New York?” The room where we keep the company files is on the second floor. Here’s the novel (that) I’ve been telling you about for ages. Look over there! Isn’t that the same man (that/whom) we saw on the bus earlier?...