RELATIVE CLAUSES (ORACIONES SUBORDINADAS DE RELATIVO)

INTRODUCCIN Las oraciones de relativo son oraciones subordinadas que van unidas a la oracin principal por medio de un pronombre relativo; este pronombre debe ir colocado inmediatamente despus de su antecedente. Llamamos antecedente al sustantivo insertado en la oracin principal al cul se refiere la oracin de relativo. Tambin se les llama a estas oraciones adjetivas ya que funcionan como un adjetivo con respecto a su oracin principal, es decir, sirven tanto para aadir informacin sobre la principal como para aclarar o especificar el contenido de la misma. Ej. I've invited Ann, who lives next to me.

PRONOMBRES RELATIVOS

1. SUJETO PERSONAS COSAS 2. WHO: Se utiliza con todos los tipos de oraciones de relativo. Puede funcionar de sujeto, objeto o complemento circunstancial con una preposicin. Su antecedente es una persona. Cuando funciona como objeto en una defining puede omitirse.

WHO / THAT WHICH / THAT

OBJETO WHOM / WHO / THAT WHICH / THAT

POSESIVO WHOSE WHOSE / OF WHIC

E.j. The man who robbed you has been arrested. WHOM: Se utiliza con todos los tipos de oraciones de relativo. Funciona como objeto o complemento circunstancial con una preposicin. Su antecedente es una persona. Cuando funciona como objeto en una defining puede omitirse.

E.j. Peter, whom everyone suspected, turned out to be innocent. WHICH: Se utiliza con todos los tipos de oraciones de relativo. Puede funcionar de sujeto, objeto o complemento circunstancial con una preposicin. Su antecedente es una cosa o animal. Cuando funciona como objeto en una defining puede omitirse.

E.j. The car (which) I hired broke down. WHOSE: Se utiliza con todos los tipos de oraciones de relativo. Funcionar de la misma manera que un adjetivo posesivo, por tanto debe ir acompaado de un sustantivo. Su antecedente puede ser una persona, cosa o animal. No puede omitirse.

E.j. Nancy, whose mother is at hospital, is my best friend. THAT: Se utiliza slo con oraciones de relativo defining. Puede funcionar de sujeto y objeto. Su antecedente puede ser una persona, cosa o animal. Cuando funciona como objeto en una defining puede omitirse.

E.j. This is the best hotel (that) I know. ADVERBIOS RELATIVOS 1. ADVERBIO WHERE WHEN WHY PRONOMBRE IN /AT WHICH IN / ON WHICH FOR WHICH

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CLASIFICACIN DE LAS ORACIONES DE RELATIVO

NON- DEFINING RELATIVE CLAUSES

Las non-defining relative clauses se colocan detrs de sustantivos (antecedente) que ya han sido definidos. Por tanto estas oraciones no definen a su antecedente, tan slo aaden informacin sobre l. Este tipo de oraciones NO son esenciales para entender el significado de la oracin principal y podramos omitirlas sin causar confusin. Van separadas de la oracin principal por medio de comas. NO se puede usar el pronombre relativo THAT. NO podemos omitir el pronombre.

E.j. Jane, whose children are at school allday, is trying to get a job.

DEFINING RELATIVE CLAUSES Estas oraciones describen a su antecedente de forma que ste se distinga del resto de los nombres de su misma clase, es decir, lo especifican. Las oraciones defining son esenciales a la hora de comprender el sentido de la oracin principal.

E.j. The man who/that told me this refused to give his name. En el ejemplo anterior si eliminsemos la oracin de relativo no quedara claro de que "hombre" estamos hablando. Las defining relative clauses no van entre comas. Con este tipo de oraciones podemos utilizar todos los pronombres y adverbios relativos. Cuando el pronombre relativo funciona como objeto de la oracin de relativo, entonces podremos omitirlo.

E.j. The man (whom / who / that) I saw told me to come back today. CONNECTIVE RELATIVE CLAUSES Las connective clauses no describen a su antecedente sino que continan con la informacin dada en la oracin principal. Los pronombres que se utilizan en este tipo de oraciones son: who, whom, whose, y which. Debemos utilizar comas. Son difciles de distinguir de las non-defining, pero en realidad esto no es importante ya que actan de forma similar a ellas.

E.j. I threw the ball to Tom, who threw it to Ann. PRONOMBRES RELATIVOS CON FUNCIN DE COMPLEMENTO CIRCUNSTANCIAL Los pronombres relativos WHO, WHOM y WHICH pueden hacer funcin de complementos circunstanciales. Para ello deben ir acompaados de una preposicin que nos indicar qu tipo de complemento circunstancial es (lugar, tiempo).

Cuando esto ocurre en la oracin de relativo, la pre posicin podr situarse al final de la oracin o preceder al pronombre de relativo (esta ltima es muy formal y por tanto menos empleada). E.j. The ladder on which I was standing began to slip. The ladder which / that I was standing on began to slip.

EXERCISES

1. Relative Pronouns (who / which / whose)

Choose the correct relative pronoun (who, which, whose).

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15.

This is the bank A boy

was robbed yesterday. sister is in my class was in the bank at that time. robbed the bank had two pistols.

The man

He wore a mask

made him look like Mickey Mouse. waited outside in the car. gave him the money was young. contained the money was yellow.

He came with a friend The woman The bag

The people A man

were in the bank were very frightened. mobile was ringing did not know what to do.

A woman The car

daughter was crying tried to calm her. the bank robbers escaped in was orange.

The robber The man

mask was obviously too big didn't drive. drove the car was nervous.

He didn't wait at the traffic lights A police officer

were red.

car was parked at the next corner stopped and arrested them.

2. Relative pronouns - who, which, whose - Exercise

Explanation: Relative pronouns

Choose one of the following relative pronouns who, which or whose from the dropdown menu.

1) I talked to the girl 2) Mr Richards,

car had broken down in front of the shop. is a taxi driver, lives on the corner. is in East Anglia.

3) We often visit our aunt in Norwich 4) This is the girl

comes from Spain. has just arrived at the airport. was very interesting.

5) That's Peter, the boy

6) Thank you very much for your e-mail 7) The man,

father is a professor, forgot his umbrella. shouted in the street, are not from our school. driver is a young man, is from Ireland. your mother lent you?

8) The children, 9) The car,

10) What did you do with the money

3. Exercise on Relative Clauses (Contact clauses)

Non-Defining Relative Clauses
Combine the sentences using relative clauses. Note that all relative clauses are non-defining.

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.

Samuel Johnson was the son of a bookseller. Samuel Johnson was born in 1709.

Samuel Johnson

In 1728, he went to Oxford. He studied at Pembroke College in Oxford.

In 1728, he went

Johnson had to leave Oxford without a degree. He was too poor to pay the fees.

Johnson

In 1737, Johnson moved to London. There he wrote poetry, essays and biographies.

In 1737, Johnson

In 1746, Johnson started to write his dictionary. It took him nine years to complete.

In 1746, Johnson started

His home at that time was in 17 Gough Square in London. It is a museum now.

17 Gough Square in London

In this house, his wife died in 1752. Her name was Elizabeth Porter.

In this house his wife

In 1755, the work was published. It was called A Dictionary of the English Language.

In 1755, the work

9.

Samuel Johnson died in 1784. He is buried in Westminster Abbey.

Samuel Johnson

4. Exercise on Relative Clauses (Contact clauses)

Relative Adverbs
Choose the correct relative adverb.

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.

This is the station

Emily met James.

July and August are the months Do you know the reason This is the church

most people go on holiday. so many people in the world learn English?

Sue and Peter got married. Alexander Graham Bell was born. children in Great Britain get their Christmas presents. so many Irish people emigrated to the USA in the 19th

Edinburgh is the town 25 December is the day

A famine was the reason century. A greengrocer's is a shop The day

you can buy vegetables.

I arrived was very nice.

A horror film was the reason

I couldn't sleep last night.

5. Exercise on Relative Clauses (Contact clauses)

Non-Defining Relative Clauses
Combine the sentences using relative clauses. Note that all relative clauses are non-defining.

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

Samuel Johnson was the son of a bookseller. Samuel Johnson was born in 1709.

Samuel Johnson

In 1728, he went to Oxford. He studied at Pembroke College in Oxford.

In 1728, he went

Johnson had to leave Oxford without a degree. He was too poor to pay the fees.

Johnson

In 1737, Johnson moved to London. There he wrote poetry, essays and biographies.

In 1737, Johnson

In 1746, Johnson started to write his dictionary. It took him nine years to complete.

In 1746, Johnson started

His home at that time was in 17 Gough Square in London. It is a museum now.

17 Gough Square in London

7. 8. 9.

In this house, his wife died in 1752. Her name was Elizabeth Porter.

In this house his wife

In 1755, the work was published. It was called A Dictionary of the English Language.

In 1755, the work

Samuel Johnson died in 1784. He is buried in Westminster Abbey.

Samuel Johnson

6. Exercise on Relative Clauses (Contact clauses)

Non-Defining Relative Clauses
Combine the sentences using relative clauses. Note that all relative clauses are non-defining.

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9.

Samuel Johnson was the son of a bookseller. Samuel Johnson was born in 1709.

Samuel Johnson

In 1728, he went to Oxford. He studied at Pembroke College in Oxford.

In 1728, he went

Johnson had to leave Oxford without a degree. He was too poor to pay the fees.

Johnson

In 1737, Johnson moved to London. There he wrote poetry, essays and biographies.

In 1737, Johnson

In 1746, Johnson started to write his dictionary. It took him nine years to complete.

In 1746, Johnson started

His home at that time was in 17 Gough Square in London. It is a museum now.

17 Gough Square in London

In this house, his wife died in 1752. Her name was Elizabeth Porter.

In this house his wife

In 1755, the work was published. It was called A Dictionary of the English Language.

In 1755, the work

Samuel Johnson died in 1784. He is buried in Westminster Abbey.

Samuel Johnson