RELATIVE CLAUSES/ PARTICIPLE CLAUSES/ REDUCED CLAUSES

USE EXAMPLE
Relative clauses
 provide information about a noun I interviewd the man who opened the
first delicatessen in our town.
 usually begin with a relative Isn’t that the shopping centre where
pronoun- who, which, that, there is a huge selection of
whom, whose, where, when, restaurants?
why
A defining relative clause
 defines the person, thing, place Valerie’s is the patisserie which/ that
or time it refers to and gives the sells the most delicious cakes.
sentence meaning
 answers the question Which The shop assistant who has won
person/ animal/ thing/ place/ Employee of the Year is John Hopkins.
time/ reason?
 is not separated from the main Can you remember the year when online
clause by commas shopping started to become so popular?
A non- defining relative clause
 provides additional information The factory workers, who had been
about a person, animal, thing, working 18- hour shifts, were present
place or time at the demonstration.
 can be omitted from the My father (, whose shop closed down
sentence without affecting the last year,) has found retirement quite
meaning of the main clause challenging.
 is separated from the main The stock shop, which sells furniture
clause by commas and kitchenware at very low prices, was
broken into last night.

RELATIVE USE EXAMPLE

PRONOUN
who  to refer to people I met the architect who designed the
housing estate.
which  to refer to animals We took in the puppy which had been
and objects left on the street and gave it a home.
  to refer to a whole
clause Sophie lost her purse while she was in
town today, which upset her a great
 after a preposition deal.
in a defining relative Please give me the address to which
clause you would like the flowers sent.
that  to refer to people, Gail finally bought the sofa that cost
animal, things, time £ 2, ooo.
and reasons in The reason that I asked about John
defining relative is that I haven’t seen him for quite
clauses only some time.
whom  to refer to a The man whom I served was buying a
person, when they birthday present for his wife.
are the direct
object of a verb
 after a preposition Mauricio is the coach to whom we
in a defining relative owe a lot!
clause
whose  to show possession Please speak to the manager, whose
office is at the end of the corridor.
where  to refer to places I can recommend a restaurant where
(It replaces at/ in/ you can try out delicious Indian food.
on/ to which.)
when  to refer to time (It Do you recall the day when we saw a
replaces in/ on shoplifter run out of the toy shop?
which.)
why  to refer to reasons I fail to comprehend the reason why
in in defining advertisements always distort the
relative clauses truth.

ALERT!

 In defining relative clauses, the pronouns who, whom, that and which can be
omitted when they are the object of the verb in the relative clause.

The salesman who/ that I consulted gave me sound advice about which mobile
phone to purchase.
 The salesman I consulted gave me sound advice about which mobile phone to
purchase.

 When a relative pronoun is used with a preposition, the preposition can

either come before the relative pronoun (formal) or at the end of the clause
(informal). Note that the words that and who cannot be used after a
preposition. We must use which and whom.

The customer care agent, to whom I spoke, advised me to exchange the item.

The customer care agent, who/whom I spoke to, advised me to exchange the
item.

The coat for which I paid £45 is a lovely cream colour.

The coat that/ which I paid £45 for is a lovely cream colour.

 Whe we refer to objects and we want to demonstrate possession, we usually

use whose + noun. We can also use noun + of which or that ... noun of.

I bought the picture from a tiny art gallery whose name I can’t remember.

I bought the picture from a tiny art gallery the name of which I can’t
remember.

I bought the picture from a tiny art gallery that I can’t remember the name
of.

 The words whatever, whoever, whichever, wherever and whenever may be

used in defining relative clauses to give the meaning of anything, anyone,
anywhere, etc. They are used to talk about people or objects that are
indefinite or unknown.

You can’t just park the car wherever you choose! (= in any place that you choose)

I gave Sally cash for her birthday so she can buy whichever handbag she wants. (=
any handbag that she wants)
 MODIFYING RELATIVE PRONOUNS

In non- defining relative clauses, we can use expressions of quantity with of

whom, of which and of whose to modufy therelative pronoun and make what we
say more specific.
half/ one/two/ three The security company employs 15 people, eight of whom
both/ each used to be police officers.
either/ neither I bought a huge bar of chocolate from the local sweet
all/ none shop, half of which I ate on my way home!
many/ much There were four English teams playing in the Champion’s
few/ several league this year, two of which made it to the semi-
some/ any finals.
the first/ the last Agatha Christie was an English crime novelist, most of
whom books have been adapted for television, radio and
theatre.
The word which may also be used in conjunction with connectors and prepositions
in order to make something we say more specific.
during which We were invited to the opening ceremony of the ne
despite which sportswear store in London, during which a famous
at which point athlete gave a speech.
in which case Falling sales have led to a drop in the share price,
in which event despite which the brand still retains a high- profile
public image.
You have a rest until I finish tidying up, at which point
we’ll have a cup of tea.

REDUCED RELATIVE CLAUSES

Relative clauses can sometimes be reduced if they modify the subject of a

sentence. The relative pronouns who, which or that and the verb be can be
removed.
 reducing to an Any students who/ that are responsible for the
adjective phrase damage will be given detention.
= Any students responsible for the damage will be
given detention.
 This is the only convenience store which/ that is
located near our house.
= This is the only convenience store located near our
house.
 reducing to a Members of staff who/ that are on the shop floor
prepositional must wear uniforms.
phrase = Members of staff on the shop floor must wear
uniforms.
Shops which/ that are on this list stock
environmentally- friendly products.
= Shops on this list stock environmentally- friendly
products.

PARTICIPLE CLAUSES

We can use participles in participle clauses to make sentences shorter.

In general, we use the present participle (V-ing) when the meaning is active and a
past participle (V-ed or V3) when the meaning is passive.
A perfect participle (having (been)+ past participle) is used to emphasise that
one action finishes before the other.
Participle clauses can be positive or negative.
Knowing she needed a new dishwasher, Janice spent the afternoon online looking
at what was available.
Purchased online, the dishwasher was delivered the following week.
Not having used a dishwasher before, Janice read the instructions a few times.
USE EXAMPLE
 to replace the The restaurant which is opening at the weekend
relative pronoun specialises in Mexican cuisine.
and the verb = The restaurant opening at the weekend specialises
in Mexican cuisine.
The woman who has been hired to restructure the
company is American.
= The woman hired to restructure the company is
American.

 with conjunctions While I was shopping for a birthday present, I

and prepositions bumped into an old school friend.
 = While shopping for a birthday present, I bumped
into an old school friend.
Jerry put the chicken in the oven and then he
started to prepare the vegetables.
= After putting the chicken in the oven, Jerry
started to prepare the vegetables.
 to express time When we arrived at the airport, we saw that our
flight was delayed.
=Arriving at the airport, we saw that our flight was
delayed.
After I chose a present for Dad’s 60th birthday, I
had to find a suitable card.
= Having chosen a present for Dad’s 60th birthday, I
had to find a suitable card.
 to express If they are walked twice a day, dogs are less likely to
condition misbehave in the house.
= Walked twice a day, dogs are less likely to
misbehave in the house.

 to express reason I needed a translator during the conference because

I couldn’t speak Spanish.
= Not being able to speak Spanish, I needed a
translator during the conference.
 to express result There had been heavy rain all night and as a result
flooding in many areas was caused.
= There had been heavy rain all night, causing
flooding in many areas.

ALERT!

 The subject of the participle clause and the main clause is usually the same.

Daniel packed his bags and then he left the apartment.

= Having packed his bags, Daniel left the partment.

 If the subject of the participle clause and the main clause is not the same,
then the participle will have its own subject.

After the dishes were washed, Zara lay on the sofa and read her book.
= Dishes washed, Zara lay on the sofa and read her book.