e se n t en c e s

Re lati v
Relative sentences

A relative sentence tells us which person or thing the speaker means.

An architect is someone who designs buildings

defining They give us necessary information

Types of
The man who lives next door is very friendly.
relative
sentences

non-defining They give us aditional information

Mr. Thomas, who lives next door, is very friendly.

Relative pronouns

Complete the table.

WHO REFERS TO She is the girls who plays the piano

PEOPLE in the orchestra

WHICH REFERS TO That is the dog which barks all

OBJECTS night

THAT NEVER IN NON- The story that I told you is true

DEFINING

WHOSE EXPRESSES The lady whose son is my boss is

POSSESION wonderful.

WHERE REFERS TO The school where I studied is the

PLACE best.
Omission of the relative pronoun

We can omit the relative pronoun when it is not the subject of the
relative sentence

That is the doctor who operated on my dad last month.

necessary

That is the doctor who I told you about.

we can omit it

We can never omit whose or where

Rephrase these sentences

1.- A man answered the phone. He told me you were out.

The man who answered the phone told me you were out.

2.- That company makes computers. Gerry works for that company.

Gerry works for that company which makes computers.

3.- The bed was too soft. I slept in that bed.

The bed I slept in was too soft.

4.- An orphan is a child. His parents are dead.

An orphan is a child whose parents are dead.

5.- We often go to visit our friends in Bristol. Bristol is only 30 miles away.
We often go to visit our friends in Bristol, which is only 30 miles away.