Scribd
Upload
229 views8 pages

Relative Clauses Revision

There are two types of relative clauses: defining and non-defining. Defining clauses add essential information to the sentence and the meaning would be incomplete without them, while non-defining clauses add non-essential information and the meaning remains intact without them. Defining clauses can omit the pronoun when it is the object of the clause, while non-defining clauses always use commas. Relative clauses with prepositions follow the rule of placing the preposition after the verb in the relative clause.

Uploaded by

gemmapou
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PPT, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
229 views8 pages

Relative Clauses Revision

There are two types of relative clauses: defining and non-defining. Defining clauses add essential information to the sentence and the meaning would be incomplete without them, while non-defining clauses add non-essential information and the meaning remains intact without them. Defining clauses can omit the pronoun when it is the object of the clause, while non-defining clauses always use commas. Relative clauses with prepositions follow the rule of placing the preposition after the verb in the relative clause.

Uploaded by

gemmapou
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PPT, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 8

RELATIVE CLAUSES

Relative clauses – defining / non -defining

Which relative pronouns do you know?


which, who, that, where, when, whose, why

What do they generally refer to?


which > object
who > person
that > object, person
where > place
when > time
why > reason
Relative clauses – defining / non -defining

There are two types of relative clauses:


Defining Non-defining
They add essential information.
Without the relative clause, the
meaning of the sentence is
incomplete.

This is the car [ that / which* I want].


This is someone [that / who you would like to know].
This is the car [ that / which* is too expensive].
She’s someone [that / who hates chemistry and physics].

In American English only THAT is used for things in defining


Relative clauses (* These would be wrong in AE).
Exercise 1 (SB, p. 4
Relative clauses – defining / non -defining

Defining relative clauses


Sometimes, we can omit the pronoun in defining relative
clauses. Do you know when?

This is the car [(that/which)


that / whichI Iwant.
want].

This is someone [that


(that/who)
/ who you
you would
would like
like to
to know.
know].

This is the car [that


that/ /which
whichisistoo
tooexpensive.
expensive].

She’s someone [that


that //who
whohates
hateschemistry
chemistryand
andphysics.
physics].

We can omit the pronoun in defining relative clauses


when it is the OBJECT (not the SUBJECT).
Exercises 2-3 (SB, p. 40
Relative clauses – defining / non -defining

There are two types of relative clauses:


Defining Non-defining
They add non-essential information.
Without the relative clause, the
meaning of the sentence is still OK.

My best friend , whose father died not long ago, wants to go out
with my sister.
His father, who died in a car accident, left him a lot of money.
In his will, which was very short and clear, he left everything to his
two sons.
Relative clauses – defining / non -defining

Non-defining relative clauses


We always use commas around non-defining relative clauses.

Match the following main statements to their non-defining


clauses:

1) This church is haunted.


2) My son wants to be a professional magician.
3) Corsica is a beautiful island.

a) It’s very mountainous.


b) It’s very old.
c) He can already do a lot of tricks.

Exercise 6 (SB, p. 41)


Relative clauses – defining / non -defining

Relative clauses and prepositions: word order


Here you have some relative clauses with prepositions:

The man [ I told you about ] had had strange experiences


with aliens.
(The man about whom I told you had had …. = informal)

The object [they were looking at ] wasn’t a UFO.


(The object at which they were looking … = informal)

The rule is:

Prepositions that affect the relative pronoun come after the


VERB in the relative clause.
……………
Exercise 7 (SB, p. 41)

You might also like