Van Geyte, E. (2013) Writing. Learn to Write Better Academic Essays. London: Harper Collins Publishers.

Relative clauses (1) 11

Relative clauses (1)
Defining and non-defining relative clauses; relative pronouns;
other words beginning relative clauses; prepositions in
Defining and non-defining relative clauses

The old photograph that you can see ahead of you shows Marconi at Signal WI. (defining relative clause)
Context listening The story of radio probably begins with Heinrich Hertz, who was the first to produce radio waves in a
laboratory. (non-defining relative clause)
Relative clauses give more information about someone or something referred to in the main clause.
En You are going to hear part of a commentary from an audio-guide in a museum of science and
technology. Before you listen, look at these photos. What do you think the commentary is about?
Defining relative clauses specify which (or which type of) person or thing we mean.
Non-defining relative clauses simply add extra information about a noun.

We put a relative clause as close as possible to the noun it refers to:

There are just a few of the 'wireless telegraphs' that the factory produced left in the world, rather than There are
just a few of the Wireless telegraphs' left in the world that the factory produced.
Some relative clauses refer back to the whole idea in the previous clause, not just the previous noun. Most of
vacuum tubes Hertz's experiment these begin with which:
The owner of the old radio claims that it is in excellent condition — which is obviously not the case.

En Relative pronouns
Adding information about people
defining relative clause (subject pronoun - the relative pronoun is the subject of the relative clause):
wireless telegraph
subject
pronoun

ni DE Listen to the commentary. Number the photos in the order they are mentioned. There were many people 11. doubted that Marconi would ever succeed.
(Or informally: There were many people that doubted Marconi would ever succeed.)
CIE Listen again and fill in the gaps. defining relative clause (object pronoun - the relative pronoun is the object of the relative clause):
object
1 He devised an experiment in whidi a spark jumped across a gap in a metal ring when pronoun subject

a sparking coil was held a few metres away. Augusta Righi was an Italian physicists Marconi studied with in the 1890s.
2 For most people, however, it is the Italian Guglielmo Marconi name is mainly associated (Or informally: an Italian physicist (that) Marconi studied with.)
with the development of radio. We can leave out the relative pronoun if it is the object of a defining relative clause.

The first public demonstration of the power of radio came in 1901 Marconi announced non-defining relative clause (subject pronoun):
3
that he had received a transmission from across the Atlantic. subject
pronoun
4 There are just a few of the 'wireless telegraphs' that the factory produced left in the world, an example The story of radio probably begins with Heinrich Hertz Eallwas the first to produce radio waves
you can see in Case 2. in a laboratory.
5 Radio waves could not carry speech until a method had been developed the non-defining relative clause (object pronoun):
low-frequency waves produced in a microphone could be combined with high-frequency radio waves.
object
pronoun sub)ect
6 In Britain, the popularity of radio increased until 1952, four out of five households
owned one. Augusto Righi, who Marconi respected greatly, guided his research. (Very formally: Augusto Righi, whom
Marconi respected greatly, guided his research.)
1.4 What do the words in the gaps in 1.3 refer to? Note that whom is now used only in very formal styles, mostly in writing.

1 He devised an experiment tn which a spark jumped across a gap in a metal ring when
a sparking coil was held a few metres away.

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 11 Relative clauses (1) Relative clauses (1) 11
2.4 Prepositions in relative clauses
Adding information about things or animals
defining relative clause (subject pronoun):
The invention that made this possible was the vacuum tube. More formally: The invention which made this
possible ... These early radio systems could only be used for Morse code, in which each letter of the alphabet is represented
defining relative clause (object pronoun); by a combination of dots and dashes. (= These early radio systems could only be used for Morse code.
The model (that) you can see in Case 1 shows how this works. More formally: The model which you can see ... In Morse code, each letter of the alphabet is represented by a combination of dots and dashes.)
non-defining relative clause (subject and object pronoun):
Marconi opened a 'wireless telegraph' factory in England, which employed around SO people. A preposition usually comes before the relative pronoun in formal styles:
Marconi's 'wireless telegraph factory, which he set up in England, employed around 50 people. In 7907 Marconi made the announcement for which he will always be remembered.
Although some people use that here, it is grammatically incorrect and should be avoided in
After a preposition we usually use whom rather than who in formal styles:
Cambridge English: Advanced.
Augusto Righi , with whom Marconi studied in the 1890s, was a physicist. or
In both defining and non-defining relative clauses we can often use who, that or which with collective nouns Augusto Righi , whom Marconi studied with in the 1890s, was a physicist.
referring to groups of people (e.g. company, government, orchestra):
A preposition usually comes at the end of the clause in less formal styles:
The company who/which/that made the first radios was set up by Marconi
In 1901, Marconi made the announcement which he will always be remembered for.
Augusto Righi , who Marconi studied with in the 1890s, was a physicist.
BB Other words beginning relative clauses
We can use of which and of whom (or very informally of who) after all, both, each, many, most, neither, part, several,
We often use when after a noun referring to a time, or words such as day, period, time: some; a number (e.g. one, the first, haff) and superlatives:
The first public demonstration of the power of radio came in 1901 , when Marconi announced that he had
Radio entertainers , many of whom became household names, were highly paid.
received a transmission from across the Atlantic.
We can use a preposition, usually from, with where and when:
More formally, we can often use a preposition + which:
Marconi set up a transmission station in Cornwall , from when the first transatlantic radio message was sent.
It was a period during which they met very infrequently. or... a period when ...
Less formally, we can use that or no relative pronoun in defining relative clauses:
I can still remember the time (that)! first watched television, or the time when
We often use why after reason: Grammar exercises
You can probably guess the reason why radio began to lose some of its popularity. or informally ... the reason
(that) radio began to lose ... En Match the sentence halves and join them with one of the words in the box.
We often use where after a noun referring to a location, and after the words case, condition, example, experiment,
instance, point, process, situation and systent when where which whose why
Move now to room 36 , where you can find information and displays.
Marconi's goal was to find a system where telegraphic messages could be transmitted. 1 The new factory will be located in an area a job it is to maintain standards in television
More formally, we can use a preposition + which: programmes.
He devised an experiment in which a spark jumped across a gap in a metal ring. 2 The photograph reminded him of the time b he used to live in Thailand.
We use whose + noun to talk about something belonging to or connected with a person, town, country or
3 Any complaints should be sent to the c talented students can complete their degree
organisation:
Broadcasting Regulator, in only two years.
For most people, however, it is the Italian Guglielmo Marconi whose name is mainly associated with the
development of radio. 4 I couldn't see any reason d Irina should be offended by my letter.
In formal uses, noun + of which can sometimes replace whose + noun: 5 The university has introduced an initiative in e there are high levels of unemployment.
Project Geneva is a computing project, the purpose of which is to analyse very large amounts of data on
1 The new factory will. be LocateA in an area where there are high LeyeLs of unemployment.
environmental change. or Project Geneva is a computing project whose purpose is to analyse large amounts of
data on environmental change.

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11 Relative clauses (1) Relative clauses (1) 11

BEI Underline all the possible relative pronouns that can complete each sentence. ('-'means that the Complete the sentences using a phrase from A, a relative word or phrase from B and a phrase from C.
Write the letters in the spaces.
sentence is correct with no relative pronoun.) If there is more than one possible answer, decide which one(s)
are less formal. A 8
a a Muslim doctor g whose m end just below the knee.
1 The new drug should be of benefit for anyone suffers from severe back pain.
b a narrow piece of wood at the h from which n people made tools and weapons only
A who B- C which D that 'that' Less forroal Bun 'who' end of a swimming pool i when out of stone then.
2 Did the committee took the decision on the new housing estate meet local protestors? e—heusterg-far-eild-and4Hpeepte j which o job is to organise the sending of goods
d women's narrow trousers from one place to another.
A- B with C who D whom
e an early period in human I who p—helpreart-betiven-if-it-is-neeeleck
3 The wallpaper, is available in a number of colours, is based on an eighteenth-century
history q uses traditional methods to treat
design. f a person or company people.
A with B that C- D who r people can dive.
4 Howard Stevens was one of the artists Carlson worked with in his youth.

A whom B- C which D who

1 Sheltered accommodation: c + k +
5 Conservationists have called for a programme to eliminate the rats are killing seabirds on
the island. 2 A diving board:

A that B- C which D whom 3 Capri pants:

6 A government spokesperson, did not wish to be named, said that there had been a major 4 A shipper:
disagreement between the Prime Minister and the Finance Minister. 5 A hakim:

A which B that C who D - 6 The Stone Age.

7 Were the coins he dug up worth a lot of money? 1 She/tend accommodation is housing for okl, ant 111 people where help can be, gsven ifF Lt b Pleaded..
A who B- C that D which
8 He was survived by his wife Anastasia, he married in 1936.

A whom B that C- D who

alComplete these sentences with an appropriate preposition.

1There were many excellent matches in the World Cup, the best of which, in my view, was
France against Brazil in the semi-final.

2 There were criticisms of the way which the election was conducted.

3 We climbed to the top of the mountain where it is possible to see three countries.

4 She has recently published a collection of short stories, most which first appeared in the
London Literary Magazine.
5 They showed enormous kindness to me which I will always be grateful.

6 The Red Spider has spread rapidly when it was spotted in the country in 2005.

7 He was married in 1253 to a woman named Purcelle, whom nothing more is known.

B We're trying to speed up the process which decisions are made in the company.

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 Exam practice
Reading and Use of English Part 1
For questions 1 —8, read the text below and decide which answer (A, B, C or D) best fits each gap.
There is an example at the beginning (0).

Origami
Origami is the art (0) B paper folding, the aim of (1) is to make objects
using folds and creases. Although other shapes are possible, in (2) objects begin with
a square sheet of paper (3) sides may be different colours. This is usually folded without
cutting. The origins of origami are not known for (4) . Some are of the (5)
that it began in Japan, others that it originated In China, from where it was taken to Japan in the seventh
century. It may also have developed independently in the West. What is (6) Is that it
reached its greatest development in Japan. Probably the most famous modern origami artist was Akira
Yoshizawa, who died in 2005. He pioneered origami as a creative art, as well as (7) up
with a symbolic method of representing paper folding. In all, he created more than 50,000 models, only a
few hundred (8) which were shown in his books.

0 A for C to D with

1 A what B which C whose D how

2 A all B addition C time D general

A who B whose C who's D that

4 A certain B definitely C conclusive D positive

5 A idea B viewpoint C opinion D theory

6 A admitted B final C clear D decided

7 A coming B turning C ending D keeping

8 A with B in C by D of

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