Relative clauses

Bella: Just a minute, I’ve forgotten something.

Max: Bella, you’re always the one who is late!

Bella: Sorry, everyone! I’m ready now!

Max: OK. Before we leave, let’s take a photo.

Bella: Have you got a camera?

Max: No, that’s my new phone, which my parents presented me yesterday. Anyway, smile, please!

Charlie: Cheese!

Max: Shall we go now?

Bella: But where’s the car?

Charlie: There’s no car.

Bella: What?!! … You were the one who was supposed to organize the transport.

Charlie: Don’t worry, I have. Give us two minutes.

Bella: Space hoppers! You must be joking! We can’t go on those. Look at the dress I’m wearing!

Charlie: They’re a great fun! My uncle who owns a toy shop, got them for us.

Max: Come on. It’ll be a laugh!

Bella: Oh, all right. Actually, it’s quite fun.

Charlie: Well, they say your school prom is a night which you never forget!

How would you like to travel to your school prom? Why?

What do we call the highlighted words in these sentences:

a) reflexive pronouns?

b) relative pronouns or

c) question words?

We use a relative pronoun in the beginning of a relative clause to give more information about a noun in the main sentence.

Here is a list of the relative pronouns and their uses.

·                   We use WHO or THAT for people.

Students who go to the prom usually have fun.

·                   We use WHOSE to show possession both for people and things.

Rachel is the girl whose mum teaches at my school.

·                   We use WHICH or THAT for animals and things.

That’s the car which we hired for the prom.

Relative adverbs are where, when and why.

·                   We use WHERE for place.

That’s the place where we’re meeting Jack.

·                   We use WHEN for time.

That was the year when I entered the university.

·                   We use WHY for reasons.

The real reason why she came was to talk to my dad.

Warning:

We don’t use WHAT as a relative pronoun:

Have you seen the book that Peter gave me?

NOT: Have you seen the book what Peter gave me?

That can be used instead of who, whom or which but it is never used after commas or prepositions.

She’s the girl who/that plays the guitar very well.

The person to whom you were speaking is my brother. (THAT is no possible!)

There are two types of relative clauses:

Defining relative clauses give essential information about the noun they refer to. Without them the main clause doesn’t make sense.

The people are very noisy. (main sentence)

They live in the flat above us. (essential information)

The main clause doesn’t make sense unless we define WHO we are talking about.

This information comes in the relative clause.

The people who live in the flat above us are very noisy.

Jane made a cake. (main sentence)

Nobody liked it. (essential information)

Nobody liked the cake that Jane had made.

·                   When who/whom, which or that is the object of the relative clause, we usually leave it out.

The photo is very good. (main clause)

You took this photo. (This book is the object.)

The photo (that) you took is very good.

·                   We never leave out the relative pronoun if it refers to the subject of the main clause.

The photo is very good. (main clause)

The photo is hanging on the wall. (The photo is the subject.)

The photo which is hanging on the wall is very good.

Non-defining relative clauses give us extra information about the noun to which they refer to. The information is not essential because the main clause is complete without it.

Our school prom was great.

Our school prom was last month.

Our school prom, which was last month, was great.

The clause which was last month gives us more information about prom, but we do not need this information. We can understand the first sentence without this extra information.

which was last month is a non-defining relative clause.

·                   Who and which are not omitted in non-defining relative clauses!

·                   That cannot replace who or which.

He invited me to the party, which was very kind of him.

Peter, who works really hard, got a promotion. NOT: Peter, that works really hard, got a promotion.

Punctuation

A defining relative clause is not put in commas.

A non-defining relative clause is put in commas.

Note how the commas change the meaning of the sentence:

The boys in my class, who enjoyed the film, saw it again. (all the boys in my class)

The boys in my class who enjoyed the film saw it again. (only some boys in my class)

Now it’s time to practice the rule.

Complete the sentences with who, which, whose or where.

Decide if the relative clauses are defining or non-defining.

1. Look at the tuxedo which I bought in the sales last week. – Defining clause

2. The hall, where the dance was held, was huge! – Non-defining clause

3. Is that Kate Miller, who was at your birthday party? – Defining clause

4. Is this the cake which you made? – Defining clause

5. This is the street where the parade will start. – Defining clause

6. That’s Jessica Brown, whose brother is getting married next month. – Defining clause

7. The exam about which I’m worried is on Monday. – Non-defining clause

8. Who is the girl to whom you were talking to? – Defining clause