Unit 2: THE UNEXPECTED

Grammar: Relative Clauses

- Defining relative clauses

- Non-defining relative clauses

- Some/ any / no
compounds
 Defining relative clauses
«especificativas»
• Subordinate clauses adding extra information
about the antencedent.
– He is the guy who studies in my class

• The information given is essential for the

antecedent so it CANNOT be removed.
– He is the guy who studies in my class
• We find in English the following relative
pronouns:
– Who: People
 This is the man who/that fixed the computer
That
– Which: Animals/Things
 I didn’t like the book which/that you recommended me
– Where: Place
 Buckingham Palace is the place where the English monarch
lives
– When: Time
 2012 was the year when my son was born.
– Whose: Possession (the antecedent is a person)
 This is the girl whose father had the terrible accident last year.
 Non-defining relative clauses
«explicativas»
• Subordinate clauses adding extra information
about the antencedent which are not
necessary.

• They are between ,……,

– My brother, who is the best at football, is working
in Paris
– My brother, who is the best at football, is working
in Paris
 Some/ any / no
compounds

• Some: Affirmative and interrogative

sentences where you expect a positive answer.

– Someone (alguien) ; Something (algo) ;

Somewhere (algún sitio)

• Someone has rung the bell

• Do you want something to eat?
• Any: Negative and interrogative sentences
– Anyone (alguien) ; Anything (nada) ; Anywhere
(ningún sitio)

• Do you know anyone with that name?

• I didn’t go anywhere yesterday

• No: Affirmative sentences because of its

negative meaning.
– No one (nadie); Nothing (nada) ; nowhere (ningún
sitio)
• There is no one in that classroom.
• Nothing is known about where John is.