COLEGIUL MIHAI VITEAZUL BUMBESTI-JIU IANOSI GIORGIANA ENGLISH TEACHER

RELATIVE CLAUSES
A relative clause is a subordinate clause introduced either by a relative pro o! or by a relative a"ver#. It can be used to modify a noun or pronoun (i.e. to identify or give more information about it): The book is about a boy who is homeless. Thats the film which I read last week. Mrs. Black, whose husband died two years ago, took over the company.

Relative Pronouns
relative pro o! '(o '(i)( '(i)( '(o$e !$e Is used as subject or object pronoun for people. It can be used as subject or object pronoun for animals and things. Is used to refer to a whole sentence Is used for things as well as for people to express possession. Object pronoun for people especially in non!defining relative clauses is very formal and is only used in written "nglish. Instead of it who#that can be used or it can be completely omitted. #he subject or object pronoun for people animals and things in defining relative clauses (who or which are also possible) it normally follows words li$e something, anything, everything, nothing, all, and superlatives. e%a&ple I told you about the woman who lives next door. o you see the cat which is lying on the roof! "e couldnt read which surprised me. o you know the boy whose mother is a nurse! I was invited by the professor whom I met at the conference.

'(o&

t(at

I dont like the table that stands in the kitchen.

Subject Pronoun or Object Pronoun?

%ubject and object pronouns cannot be distinguished by their forms ! '(o* '(i)(* t(at are used for subject and object pronouns. &e can however distinguish them as follows: If the relative pronoun is followed by a verb the relative pronoun is a subject pronoun. %ubject pronouns must always be used. The apple which is lying on the table If the relative pronoun is not followed by a verb (but by a noun or pronoun) the relative pronoun is an object pronoun. Object pronouns can be dropped in defining relative clauses which are then called Contact Clauses. The apple (which) $eorge laid on the table. '

The boy (who/whom) we met yesterday is very nice.

Relative Adverbs
A relative adverb can be used instead of a relative pronoun plus preposition. #his often ma$es the sentence easier to understand. #his is the shop i '(i)( I bought my bi$e. ( #his is the shop '(ere I bought my bi$e. relative a"ver# '(e '(ere '(&ea i + i ,o '(i)( i ,at '(i)( .or '(i)( !$e refers to a time expression refers to a place refers to a reason e%a&ple The day when we met him The place where we met him The reason why we met him

TYPES OF RELATIVE CLAUSE

#here are two types of relative clause: "e.i i + a " o -"e.i i +. /E0INING RELATIVE CLAUSES #his type of relative clause essential information to define or identify the person or thing we are tal$ing about. Obviously this is only necessary if there is more than one person or thing involved. It is not separated from the rest of the sentence by a comma. The man who told us about the hotel was very helpful. In this type of clause t(at can be used instead of '(o and '(i)(1 This is the boy who/that I told you about. %e stayed in a hotel which/that had an indoor swimming pool. )elative clauses with who* which* that as subject pronoun can be replaced with a parti)iple. #his ma$es the sentence shorter and easier to understand. I told you about the woman who lives next door. & I told you about the woman living next door. o you see the cat which is lying on the roof! & o you see the cat lying on the roof! *efining relative clauses are often used in definitions. Relative pro o! $ #he following relative pronouns are used in defining relative clauses: 2er$o T(i + 2la)e Ti&e S!#3e)t who/that which/that O#3e)t who/whom/that/ which/that/ where when 2o$$e$$ive whose whose 45 #he relative pro o! stands in place of a noun. #his noun usually appears earlier in the sentence: The woman who/that spoke at the meeting No! * $!#3e)t o. &ai )la!$e relative pro o! re.erri + to 6t(e 'o&a 6* $!#3e)t o. ver# 7 re$t o. relative )la!$e

Rea$o why

was very knowledgeable. ver# 7 re$t o. &ai )la!$e +

6$po8e6 95 Who, whom and which can be replaced by that. #his is very common in spo$en "nglish. :5 Whose can be used for things and people. The man whose car was stolen is my neighbour. ' tree whose leaves have fallen seems very sad. ;5 Whom is very formal and is only used in written "nglish. &e can use who/that or omit the pronoun completely: The doctor whom/who/that/ I was hoping to see wasn(t on duty. <5 hat normally follows words li$e something, anything, everything, nothing, all, and superlatives. There(s something that you should !now. It was the best film that I"ve ever seen. NON-/E0INING RELATIVE CLAUSES #he information in these clauses is not essential. It tells us more about someone or something but it does not help us to identify them or it. ,ompare: )lephants that love mice are very unusual. (#his tells us which elephants we are tal$ing about). )lephants, which are large and grey, can sometimes be found in *oos. (#his gives us some extra information about elephants ! we are tal$ing about all elephants not just one type or group). +ohn(s mother, who lives in #cotland, has , grandchildren. (&e $now who -ohn.s mother is and he only has one. #he important information is the number of grandchildren but the fact that she lives in %cotland might be followed with the words /by the way/ ! it is additional information). No -"e.i i + relative )la!$e$ are always separated from the rest of the sentence by commas. #he commas have a similar function to brac$ets: My friend +ohn has -ust written a best.selling novel. /"e went to the same school as me0 . My friend +ohn, who went to the same school as me, has -ust written a best.selling novel. Relative pro o! $ i o -"e.i i + )la!$e$ 2er$o S!#3e)t who O#3e)t who/whom 2o$$e$$ive whose T(i + which which 2la)e where

Note$1 4. In non!defining clauses we cannot use $that% instead of who, whom or which5 95 &e cannot leave out the relative pronoun even when it is the object of the verb in the relative clause: "e gave me the letter, which was in a blue envelope. "e gave me the letter, which I read immediately :. #he preposition in these clauses can go at the end of the clause: This is 1tratford.on.'von, which you have all heard about. #his pattern is often used in spo$en "nglish but in written or formal "nglish we can also put the preposition before the pronoun: e.g. 1tratford.on.'von, about which many people have written, is 1hakespeares birthplace. 0

;. 1on!defining clauses can be introduced by expressions li$e all of, many of 2 relative pronoun: 2er$o T(i + all of 2 whom 2 which any of 2 whom 2 which (a) few of 2 whom 2 which both of 2 whom 2 which each of 2 whom 2 which either of 2 whom 2 which half of 2 whom 2 which many of 2 whom 2 which most of 2 whom 2 which much of 2 whom 2 which none of 2 whom 2 which one of 2 whom 2 which two of etc& 2 whom 2 which There were a lot of people at the party, many of whom I had known for years. "e was carrying his belongings, many of which were broken. <. #he relative pronoun which at the beginning of a non!defining relative clause can refer to all the information contained in the previous part of the sentence rather than to just one word. 3hris did really well in his exams, which was a big surprise. (3 the fact that he did well in his exams was a big surprise). 'n elephant and a mouse fell in love, which is most unusual. (3 the fact that they fell in love is unusual).

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