Relative clauses.

Relative clauses are short phrases beginning with words such as who, that and which (called relative pronouns) that define or describe people and things.

There are two types: 

• DEFINING RELATIVE CLAUSES: identify exactly which person or thing we mean. The information is necessary for the sentence to make sense. 

The doctor who treated me told me not to worry. 

In this example there is more than one doctor and we only know which one by the relative clause. We don't use commas in these clauses. 

• NON DEFINIG RELATIVE CLAUSES:  give extra information. The information is not necessary for the sentence to make sense. To show this in writing we use commas. 

 Pablo Picasso, who died in 1974, was a painter and a sculptor. 

RELATIVE PRONOUNS.

• WHICH/THAT:  In both types of relative clauses we use who for people and which for things.

      Do you know anyone who/that speaks French and Italian? 

      We can not use that in non defining relative clauses. 

      John, who (not that) speaks French and Italian, works as a tourist guide. 

• WHOSE/WHOM/WHERE:  we use whom in relative clauses instead of his/her/their

       We saw some people. Their car was broken.

       we saw some people whose car was broken. 

      Whom is possible instead of who when it is the object of the verb in the relative clause. 

       The woman whom I wanted to see was away on holiday.

        Where is used in realtive clauses to talk about a place.

        The hotel where we stayed wasn't very clean. 

TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE!

Choose one of the following relative pronouns who, which or whose from the dropdown menu.

1) I talked to the girl ___________car had broken down in front of the shop. 2) Mr Richards, __________ is a taxi driver, lives on the corner. 3) We often visit our aunt in Norwich ____________ is in East Anglia. 4) This is the girl  ____________comes from Spain. 5) That's Peter, the boy ____________has just arrived at the airport. 6) Thank you very much for your e-mail _____________was very interesting. 7) The man, ___________father is a professor, forgot his umbrella. 8) The children, _____________ shouted in the street, are not from our school. 9) The car, _____________driver is a young man, is from Ireland. 10) What did you do with the money _______________ your mother lent you?

HAPPY LEARNING!