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14 Relative clauses

Relative clauses and relative pronouns ... ~ 173


14.1 Using a dictionary if necessary, complete the definitions with the nouns and who or that.
bo<1t cmmibal wpe castmvay dothi"g person
book canoe capsule catalogue container SOtttl'()lte

A .... ..... is ..... is left alone, usually on an island,


after their ship has sunk.
2 A.. . .. is a loose piece of without sleeves
fastens around the neck and shoulder>.
3 A . . is a. eats human flesh .
4 A . ............ is a small . has medicine inside
..dissolves when you swallow it.
5 A . .. is a narrow -··· . . . you can move along
using a paddle.
6A isa. contains information and
pictures of things .. you can buy.

14.2 Add these clauses to the following description. Use who or which and make any
other appropriate changes.
it creates a similar problem they don't have any work experience lie asks to leave the war zone
there is no escapefrom it he describesan army rule in it heam mllkc such a request
A 'catch-22' is a difficult situation (1) The expression comes
from a war novel by Joseph Heller (2). . that any soldier
tJl ......... ... can only be allowed to do so if he is mentally unfit.
However, any soldier (4) must be mentally fit, so he has to
stay in the war zone. Since then. the phrase 'catch-zz' has been used for any situation
(5) . . For example, many young people
(6)........ . .. .... . .. . ... .... .. can't get a job, but if they don't have a job. they can't get
the necessary experience. That's a classic catch-22.

14.3 Correct the ten mistakes in the use of relative clauses in these sentences.

The strawberries are grown in rich organic soil that we use to make our pies.
2 I can't remember the name of the woman in the office 1 talked her last week, but she said she still
had some tickets I could buy them.
3 A detective story is one there is a murder or other crime in it and a detective he tries to identify
the person committed the crime.
4 We need a group of people will work together as" team is capable of winning the prize.
5 The people l work with them are all crazy about a singer called Silk I really don't like him at all.
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14 REl.ATIV£ CLAUSES

Defining and non-defining relative clauses ... ~ 17 4


14.4 Complete this text using who, whom, which or that. Add commas where
necessary.

In the ancient Greek version of the story, Pygmalion is a sculptor (ll . falls in love
with a statue of a woman (2) .. he creates. He prays to Venus to help him find a
woman (3).. .. is just like the statue and, in response,Venus makes the statue come
to life. Using this story, GeorgeBernard Shaw wrote a play called 'Pygmalion' (4) ..
was first performed in 1914. In Shaws version. there is a professor(5)..................... ... . .. is called
Henry Biggins, and a poor young [lower girl. Eliza Doolittle (6J ... he teaches to
speak and behave like a sophisticated lady. The play was the basis for a musical comedy
(7) .. . .. later became a film, both of (8) .. had the title 'My Fair lady'.

14.5 Add these clauses to the sentences below using relative pronouns. Make any
other appropriate changes and include commas where necessary.
nobodysuspected him it sounded like a contradiction
its also known as paw-paw the worst of them was when I broke my leg
all of them have eight legs the legs arejoined to it
1 I've had several accidents.. . .
2 The pelvis is that part of the skeleton ..
3 He said that nobody goes there now because it's too crowded .
4 The dead woman's husband .. . . was arresteda week later.
5 Papaya .. . is a delicious tropical fruit.
6 Spiders .. .. can be very small or quite large.

14.6 Add these clauses to the following text using who, whom or which, and make other
appropriate changes. Add commas where necessary.
theyfirst met 011 it he survives a shipwreck
they come to the island he decidesto call him 'Man Friday'
everyone else on board dies in it some of it was based on a true story
they are planning to kill and eat him it wasfirst published in 1719
Robinson Crusoe is the main character in a novel of the same name
(I)...... . ........ Crusoe is a sailor (2) ..
(3) . . He lives alone until some cannibals
arrive with a man <•l Crusoe rescues
the man (s)........ .. ... .... .. . . ... .. .. because that was the day
(6).. ...... ...... .. . .... .... . Friday becomes his loyal companion and

together the)' manage to fight off other cannibals (7) ..


Crusoe is eventually rescued and returns to England. The novel
(6) .. is one of the most popular books ever written.

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14 Jtf.LATJVF. Cl.AUSF.S

Reduced relative clauses ... ~ 176


14.7 Using a dictionary if necessary, complete these definitions with the nouns and
appropriate forms of the verbs in reduced relative clauses.
canopy clonk combine encourage include teach
cassette compound consist fix produce use
cheerleader curriculum contain Jiit serve wear
I A is a small flat plastic case . .. tape ........ for
playing and recording music or pictures.
2 A........... .. is something oi two or more separate things
..... together.
3 .. .. is the short loud sound .. .. by heavy things .
each other.
4 A . ... is the set of subjects ... in a course of study or
. in a school or college.
5 A........... . ..... . .... is one of a group of young people. ... special uniforms and
.......................... the crowd at a sports event to support their team.
6 A.... . is a cover. above a bed or seat, . . as a shelter.

14.8 Change each of these clauses to a reduced relative clause and add it to the text.
they didn't see any danger it was used by the Greeks
they were secretly hiding inside ii allowed the Greek army
they had waited patiently i11side tlie horse it was made of wood

According to classical mythology, the Trojan horse was a large hollow horse

(1) (2) ..

to trick the Trojans and then defeat them. The wooden horse, with Greek soldiers

(3) . .......... ,was left outside the locked gates ofTroy while the rest of

the Greek army sailed out of sight. The Trojans, (4) .. .. ..... opened

the gates and pulled the giant horse into the city. During the night, the Greek army returned and

the soldiers, (5) .... .... , jumped out and opened the city gates,

(6) . . . to enter the city and surprise the Trojans.

14.9 Make these descriptions shorter by creating reduced relative clauses where possible.

A red herring is an unimportant fact that is introduced into a story which takes attention away
from more significant information.
2 A red card is a card that is shown by the referee to a player who seriously breaks the rules in a
football game. Any player who is given a red card has to leave the game.
3 Red tape refers to official rules that make things more complicated than necessary and which
prevent things from being done quickly.
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J4 RP.LATIVI-: CLAUSl-~S

Possessives, pronouns and prepositions in relative


clauses .. ~ 178-9
14.10 Choose an ending (a-f) for each beginning (1-6), adding a noun or pronoun and
who or whose where necessary.
any me people she someone those you
1 I know . ( ..) . must say you're sorry .
2 She says us ..... (.... .) b bags were stolen.
3 But it wasn't .. . ... . (.. ) c wanted to buy?
4 1 have to ask (. ) d . van we can borrow.
5 Didn't she see ... {. ...) e are still standing to sit down .
6 'Ihere were some. ..... (..... ) f . ... ... ..... . ..... did it.

14.11 Complete each definition with a noun and a relative clause.


animt1/ area <'ar person puzzle structure tool topic
manypeopledisagreeabout it smoke is carried awayfrom afire throughit
its roof car1 be removed two things can be held togethertightlywith it
you spend a lot of time with them its shopsarepopular with tourists
its solution is difficult tofind his or her job is to receiveand pay out money
I A cashier is a.
2 A chimney is a.
3 A damp is a .......
4 A companion is a pecson or ..
5 A controversy is the public discussion of a ....
6 A conundrum is a kind of
7 A convertible is a. ....
8 Covent Garden is a fashionable ... in London.

14.12 Complete this text with these nouns and pronouns, plus who, whom, whose
or which.
everyone neighbours one people someone stranger those time
There was a time, not too long ago, when (I).. .. . . . lived in an area
knew almost everyone else. II was a (2) during .. .. neighbours
helped each other. But things have changed. The modern way oflife is (3) ... . in
. . we're so busy, we often don't get to know our neighbours. According to a
recent survey, most (4) . live in a city don't know the
names of (5) . live next doorto them. (6) .
. . .... .... doors are side by side may never actually talk to each other. Your neighbour
may be (7) to . you wave or Sa)' an occas1ona
. l'G oo d morn mg,
· '
but he or she remains a (8) .. . life has no connection to your,.

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14 RF,1.ATIV.1:: CLAUS£$

Relative clauses with where, what, whatever, etc. ~~180


14.13 Choose an ending (a-d) for each beginning (1-4) and add that, what, whatever
or where.

I Can you show me the stop{. ) a you give it>


2 Docs anyone know] .... ) b you need?
3 Did you find everything( .... ) c the date is?
4 Is your dog fussy or does it eat ( ...) d I can catch the airport bus?

14.14 Using a dictionary if necessary, complete these descriptions with the nouns and
other forms.
anomaly dead end /1()w what (x 3) when (x 2)
bank holiday horoscope however whatever where (x 2)
carte blanche manual that (x 3) which
A A (I) . ........ is a day (2) . all banks and most shops are closed.
B Your(3) . . is a description of (4) is going to happen to you
in the future. ft is based on (5) . the stars and planets were at the moment
(6) you were born.
C A (7) . is usually a street (8) is closed at one end, but if
someone says they're at a dead end in their work, it means they have reached a point
(9) the)' can make no further progress in (JO)............. . they're doing.
DA(ll) ..... is a book (12) gives instructions about
(13) . .... to operate something, such as a machine or a computer.
E An (14) . ....... is something (JS) is different from
(16) . is normal or expected.

F If you are given (17) , (18) . .... means 'white card' in French, you
have complete freedom to do (19) . you like, or spend (20) .
much you want, in a particular situation.

14.15 Correct the eight mistakes in these sentences.

I didn't see the war how Justin fixed the door handle.
2 A cafeteria is a kind of restaurant that you choose )'Our food and take it to a table yourself.
3 Wil.1 you have a minute later today that we can talk about holiday dates>
4 We asked them, but they still haven't explained that they suddenly stopped the project.
5 What I'll never get used to it is his snoring during the night.
6 The old man took out all what he had in the bank and bought a sports car.
7 It was one of those situations which it's best to say nothing.
8 You can have tea or coffee, however you prefer.

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