RELATIVE CLAUSES

DEFINING AND NON-DEFINING

RELATIVE CLAUSES
DEFINING RELATIVE CLAUSES
GIVE ESSENTIAL INFORMATION TO UNDERSTAND THE SENTENCE.

WE NEED THE RELATIVE CLAUSE TO UNDERSTAND THE

SENTENCE.

NON-DEFINING RELATIVE CLAUSES

GIVE EXTRA INFORMATION.

IF WE REMOVE THE RELATIVE CLAUSE, THE SENTENCE STILL MAKES SENSE.

 NON-DEFINING RELATIVE
CLAUSES
LOOK AT THIS SENTENCE:
MY GRANDFATHER, WHO IS 87, GOES SWIMMING EVERY DAY.
‘WHO IS 87’ IS A NON-DEFINING RELATIVE CLAUSE.

IT ADDS EXTRA INFORMATION TO THE SENTENCE. IF WE TAKE THE

CLAUSE OUT OF THE SENTENCE, THE SENTENCE STILL HAS THE SAME
MEANING.

LOOK AT SOME MORE EXAMPLES:

THE FILM, WHICH STARS TOM CARTER, IS RELEASED ON FRIDAY.
MY ELDEST SON, WHOSE WORK TAKES HIM ALL OVER THE WORLD, IS IN HONG
KONG AT THE MOMENT.
THE CAR, WHICH CAN REACH SPEEDS OF OVER 300KM/PH, COSTS OVER
$500,000.
 NON-DEFINING RELATIVE
CLAUSES
THEY CAN USE MOST RELATIVE PRONOUNS (WHO, WHICH, WHOSE,
WHERE, WHEN, ETC,) BUT THEY CAN’T USE THAT.
THE FILM, WHICH STARS TOM CARTER, IS RELEASED ON
FRIDAY.
THE FILM, THAT STARS TOM CARTER, IS RELEASED ON FRIDAY.

THE RELATIVE PRONOUN CAN NEVER BE OMITTED.

YOU CAN TELL THAT A CLAUSE IS NON-DEFINING BECAUSE IT IS

SEPARATED BY COMMAS.
 DEFINING RELATIVE CLAUSES

LOOK AT THIS SENTENCE:

THE WOMAN WHO LIVES NEXT DOOR WORKS IN A BANK.
‘WHO LIVES NEXT DOOR’ IS A DEFINING RELATIVE CLAUSE.

IT TELLS US WHICH WOMAN WE ARE TALKING ABOUT. WITHOUT THIS

INFORMATION, WE WOULDN’T KNOW WHO THE WOMAN IS.

LOOK AT SOME MORE EXAMPLES:

LOOK OUT! THERE’S THE DOG THAT BIT MY SISTER.
THIS IS THE SKIRT THAT I BOUGHT IN THE SALES.
 DEFINING RELATIVE CLAUSES
WE CAN USE WHO OR THAT TO TALK ABOUT PEOPLE.
SHE’S THE WOMAN WHO / THAT CUTS MY HAIR.

WE CAN USE WHICH OR THAT TO TALK ABOUT THINGS.

WE BOUGHT A HOUSE WHICH / THAT IS 200 YEARS OLD.

WE CAN USE WHERE TO TALK ABOUT PLACES.

THE TOWN WHERE I LIVE IS BEAUTIFUL.

WE CAN USE WHEN TO TALK ABOUT TIME.

SUMMER IS THE SEASON WHEN I’M HAPPIEST.

WE CAN USE WHOSE TO TALK ABOUT POSSESSION.

THE LITTLE GIRL WHOSE DOLL WAS LOST IS SAD.
 DEFINING RELATIVE CLAUSES
THE RELATIVE PRONOUN CAN BE OMITTED IF IT IS NOT THE
SUBJECT OF ITS SENTENCE.

YESTERDAY I MET A GIRL WHO STUDIED WITH ME IN PRIMARY SCHOOL.

(WHO IS THE SUBJECT OF STUDIED SO WHO CANNOT BE OMITTED)

YESTERDAY I MET A GIRL WHO YOU STUDIED WITH IN PRIMARY

SCHOOL.
(YOU IS THE SUBJECT OF STUDIED, NOT WHO, SO WHO CAN BE
OMITTED)
YESTERDAY I MET A GIRL YOU STUDIED WITH IN PRIMARY SCHOOL.
DEFINING RELATIVE NON-DEFINING
CLAUSES RELATIVE CLAUSES
VS.
NO COMMAS BETWEEN COMMAS
NECESSARY INFORMATION EXTRA INFORMATION
WE CAN USE THAT INSTEAD OF WE CANNOT USE THAT INSTEAD
WHO/WHICH OF WHO/WHICH
RELATIVE PRONOUNS CAN BE RELATIVE PRONOUNS CANNOT
OMITTED BE OMITTED