02 SIGHTSEEING

• Non-defining relative clauses

• The Future

INSTRUCTOR: HOUN THON

Non- Defining Relative Clauses

Unit 2: Non-Defining Relative Clauses & The Future 2

 Quiz

1. Complete the sentences below.

who
whose
which /that

which/that
where
who
when
why
which

who
Unit 2: Non-Defining Relative Clauses & The Future 3
 Quiz

The actor who (whom) I met a few days ago is very famous.

I have a new camera which I bought last week

I passed the entrance test, which is quite difficult to do.

My friend, whose house is huge, invited many people..

John belongs to a group of people who send food packages to Africa.

Unit 2: Non-Defining Relative Clauses & The Future 4

 Relative clauses
1
What is a Relative Clause?
• A Relative Clause is a dependent clause introduced by a
relative pronoun or a relative adverb (eg. who, which, that,
when, where…). It is often used to modify nouns and some
pronouns – to identify people and things, or to give more
information about them.

She likes people who are good fun to be with.

Politicians who tell lies are odious.
That’s the old royal place, where the last king lived.

Unit 2: Non-Defining Relative Clauses & The Future 5

 Relative pronouns and adverbs
2
A Relative Clause begins with a relative pronoun or adverb.

 Relative pronouns

who, whom, whose, that Refer to people

which, whose, that Refer to animals and things

 Relative adverbs

when, where, why Refer to time, place, and reason

I know a man who/that is a lawyer.

That’s the woman whose house caught fire yesterday.
I spent a month hitchhiking round Spain, where I actually met my wife.
I’ll never forget the day when I first met you.

Unit 2: Non-Defining Relative Clauses & The Future 6

 Positions of Relative Clauses
3
• To avoid confusion, an adjective clause should come right after its
antecedent.
He left the gift that he had just bought in his friend's car. (correct)
(The adjective clause clearly modifies gift.)
Scientists who study fossils are called paleontologist.
The government awards large contracts each year to scientists who do
research for the government.

• Sometimes a relative clause modifies an entire sentence. In this case,

it comes at the end of the sentence. The relative pronoun is always
which, and the clause is always non-defining.
The team won the championship, which shocked the opponents.

Unit 2: Non-Defining Relative Clauses & The Future 7

 Kinds of Relative Clauses
4
There are two kinds of relative clauses:
• Defining Relative Clause (DR)
• Non-Defining Relative Clause (NDR)

 What is a Defining Relative Clause (DR)?

A Defining Relative Clause qualifies a noun in the main clause, and tells
us exactly which person or thing is being referred to.

She likes people. (Which people?)

She likes people who are good fun to be with. (Which people?)

Unit 2: Non-Defining Relative Clauses & The Future 8

 Kinds of Relative Clauses (cont.)
4

NOTE:
Relative pronouns can be omitted when they are the
object of the relative clause. The relative clause is NOT
put in commas.

The film which/that I watched yesterday was good. 

The film I watched yesterday was good. 
The film, which I watched yesterday, was good. 
Unit 2: Non-Defining Relative Clauses & The Future 9
 Kinds of Relative Clauses (cont.)
4

 What is a Non-Defining Relative Clause (NDR)?

• Non-Defining Relative Clauses (NDR) add extra, non-essential
information to a noun in the main clause. They do not identify which
noun we are talking about in the same way that defining relative
clauses do.
• The relative pronouns in non-defining relative clauses (NDR) cannot
be omitted or replaced by that. The relative clause is PUT in commas.
We did the guided tour, which cost us about ten pounds each.
The Jeffersons live next door. (The meaning of the sentence is clear)
The Jeffersons, who own a Jaguar, live next door.
Unit 2: Non-Defining Relative Clauses & The Future 10
 Position of Prepositions in Relative Clauses
5

• Prepositions can come either before relative pronouns (in a more formal writing
style), or at the end of relative clauses (more informal).

He was respected by the people with whom he worked.

He was respected by the people (who/that) he worked with.
This is the room in which I was born. (formal)
This is the room (which/that) I was born in. (informal)

• Who / That are not used after prepositions.

He was respected by the people with whom he worked. 
He was respected by the people with who/that he worked. 

Unit 2: Non-Defining Relative Clauses & The Future 11

 Position of Prepositions in Relative Clauses (cont.)
5
More examples:
listen to
The music is good. Julie listens to the music.
→ The music (which / that) Julie listens to is good.
go to
The country is very hot. He went to the country.
→ The country (which / that) he went to is very hot.
come from
I visited the city. John comes from the city.
→ I visited the city (that / which) John comes from.
apply for
The job is well paid. She applied for the job.
→ The job (which / that) she applied for is well paid.
Unit 2: Non-Defining Relative Clauses & The Future
More examples:
listen to
The music is good. Julie listens to the music.
→ The music to which Julie listens is good.
go to
The country is very hot. He went to the country.
→ The country to which he went is very hot.
come from
I visited the city. John comes from the city.
→ I visited the city from which John comes.
apply for
The job is well paid. She applied for the job.
→ The job for which she applied is well paid.
12
 Position of Prepositions in Relative Clauses (cont.)
5

Unit 2: Non-Defining Relative Clauses & The Future 13

References
• Swan, M. (2017). Practical English Usage: complete topic-by-topic
grammar-guide to over 250 vocabulary problems. Oxford University
Press.
• Jenny, D., & Virginia, E. (1999). Grammarway–4. Newbury, Berkshire:
Express Publishing.
• Liz & Jonh Soars. (2019). Headway: Upper-intermediate. Student's
book B with online practice (5th ed.). Oxford University Express.

Unit 2: Non-Defining Relative Clauses & The Future 14