RELATIVE

CLAUSE/ADJECTIVAL
CLAUSE
A RELATIVE/ADJECTIVAL CLAUSE is a clause that
modifies a noun or noun phrase and is introduced
by a relative pronoun, a relative adverb or a zero
relative.
Examples:
Very few people who met her were significant to
her.
The man who came yesterday is my uncle.
Relative clauses occur with the relative pronouns that, who, which, whom,
whose or relative adverbs when, where and why.

Who, that are used for persons.

Examples:
The girl who rescued the baby should be rewarded.
This is really the lady that you care for.
He is the man who/that owns the car.

Which, that are used for thing(s) or object(s).

Examples:
The books which are on the table are mine.
I read the letter which/that came this morning.
Where and when are used for places and time.
Examples:
I want to live in a place where there is lots to do.
In summer, I am going to visit Italy, where my brother lives.
Yesterday was a day when everything went wrong.

Whom and whose are used to show person possession.

Examples:
An orphan is a person whose parents are dead.
My science teacher is a person whom I like very much.
Types of Relative Clause
1. Restrictive or Defining Clause
It is a clause that defines or qualifies the antecedent noun or
nominal group in a sentence. It can also be called Adjectival
Clause. It gives necessary information which is essential to
distinguish which thing or person we are talking about.

Examples:
I called my brother who lives in Ontario.
Those boys that are reading their books in the class are the
serious types.
2. Non-restrictive/Non-defining Clause
It is a clause that gives more information on the antecedent
noun or nominal group. It cannot be called an adjectival clause
because it does not qualify nor define the antecedent. It is
marked off by commas and can be omitted in a sentence.

Examples:
Those bikes, which cost a fortune, are made in Japan.
They introduced me to John, who I liked immediately.
Wole Soyinka, who won the Nobel Laureate prize in 1989, has
condemned kidnapping in the nation.
CLASSWORK 1 : Underline the relative clauses in the following
sentences.
1. She is one of those mothers who overprotect their children.
2. That is the name of the man whose car I bought.
3. He bought the cottage which my aunt used to own.
4. This is the dress that she likes best.
5. The village is the place where we first met.
6. Jack was the friend whom my father trusted most.
7. She was not the honest woman that we all considered her to be.
8. That was the moment when she fell in love.
9. It is one of those areas in which the population has declined rapidly.
CLASSWORK 2: Which of the following relative clauses are defining and which
are non-defining?
•
a. She bought the flowers which were her mother’s favourites.
b. We went to the exhibition at the city portrait gallery which is in Queen Street.
c. That is the teacher who teaches my son maths.
d. His birth mother, whom he finally tracked down, did not want to know him.
e. They had dinner at the town’s best fish restaurant which is quite near where they
live.
f. We eventually bought the house which we had seen first.
g. The students who passed the exam were all in the top section of the class.
h. This is the area where most people want to live.
i. My former neighbour, who moved away a few years ago, died last week.
j. The book that he took was very valuable.
CLASSWORK 3
•Underline the that clauses in the following sentences. Confirm your answer by
substituting the pronoun it for the that clause.
1. Our intention was that we would take a trip to New Mexico this summer.
2. I think that they should quit while they are ahead.
3. The first approximation was that we were about 10 percent under budget.
4. That we were going to be late seemed obvious at this point.
5. My friends told Barbara that she should jump at such a good opportunity.
6. Do you think that it is a good idea to go ahead?
7. After much debate, we all agreed that we would enter the competition.
8. The funny thing was that we had been right all along.
9. I said that we would be able to finish on time.
10.They just assumed that everything would be okay.