11.

1 Subject Relative Clauses

After the Main Clause
This is the website. The website sells photos by Russian photographers.
This is the website that sells photos by Russian photographers.
Subject Relative Clause

Inside the Main Clause

The tourists were from Hawaii. The tourists took photos of the ski slopes.

The tourists who took photos of the ski slopes were from Hawaii.
Subject Relative Clause

1. A relative clause describes a noun or The people that took the photos are my friends.
indefinite pronoun (someone, anyone,
Someone who was at the party took this photo.
something) in a sentence. The relative
clause* comes after the noun or pronoun
it describes.

2. A subject relative clause starts with a The people left. The people were here an hour ago.
relative pronoun (that, which, or who). The people that were here an hour ago left.
The relative pronoun is the subject of the
relative clause.

3. In a subject relative clause, use:

a. that or who as a subject for people a. That’s the student who got the scholarship.
b. that or which as a subject for places, b. Phones that have computing ability are called
things, animals, or ideas smartphones.

4. The verb in a subject relative clause There is an app that shows the weather forecast.
agrees with the noun it describes. There are apps that show the weather forecast.

5. Remember: The subject and verb in the The photographer who photographs animals is
main clause must agree. going to the Serengeti.

*Relative clauses are also called adjective clauses.

11.2 Non-Identifying Subject Relative Clauses

1. A non-identifying relative clause* gives Cy went to Peru, which is a beautiful place to visit.
extra information about a noun in the
sentence. You don’t need this information to
understand who or what the noun refers to.

2. The relative pronoun that cannot be used in ✓ Dave’s father, who lived in Peru, always liked
a non-identifying subject relative clause. Use meeting people.
who or which. ✗ Dave’s father, that lived in Peru, always liked
meeting people.

3. Use a comma before and after a ✓ Facebook, which started in 2004, has over a
non-identifying relative clause that is within a billion users.
main clause. ✗ Facebook which started in 2004 has over a
billion users.

4. Identifying and non-identifying clauses can My uncle who lives in New York owns a restaurant.
change the meaning of a sentence. (I also have an uncle in Los Angeles.)

My uncle, who lives in New York, owns a restaurant.

(I have only one uncle.)

*Non-identifying relative clauses are also called non-restrictive relative clauses.

11.3 Relative Clauses with Whose

The photographer has a great website. His photos feature wildlife in Africa.

The photographer whose photos feature wildlife in Africa has a great website.
Relative Clause

1. Use whose + a noun in a relative clause I know the woman. Her son has won the award.
to show possession. Whose replaces a I know the woman whose son has won the award.
possessive adjective or noun (his, her, its,
their, Jim’s, . . .).

2. Whose is used for people. It is also used for New Zealand is a country whose official
places, things, animals, and ideas. languages include English and Maori.

3. Relative clauses with whose can be People whose seats are up front can go in first.
identifying or non-identifying. Mr. and Mrs. An, whose seats are up front, can go
Non-identifying clauses must have a in first.
comma before and after them.

4. Be careful! Do not repeat the possessive ✓ Will the person whose cell phone is ringing
pronoun in a relative clause with whose. please turn it off?
✗ Will the person whose his cell phone is ringing
please turn it off?
11.4 Object Relative Clauses
After the Main Clause
We liked many works in the photo contest. Zeyna won the contest.
Object

We liked many works in the photo contest that Zeyna won.

Object relative clause

Inside the Main Clause

The photo tells a story. Ricardo posted the photo on the Internet.
Object

The photo that Ricardo posted on the Internet tells a story.

Object relative clause

1. In an object relative clause, the relative The wallet belongs to her. You found the wallet.
pronoun is the object. The relative pronoun Object

may be that, who, whom, or which. The wallet that you found belongs to her.
Object relative clause

2. The verb in an object relative clause agrees The trip that Joe is taking will be fun.
with the subject of the relative clause. The trip that Joe and Ann are taking will be fun.

3. Object relative clauses can be identifying

or non-identifying.
a. In identifying object relative clauses, the
relative pronoun can be omitted.
b. In non-identifying object relative
clauses, use commas, but do not omit
the relative pronoun.
a. The man that she was interviewing is famous.
The man she was interviewing is famous.
b. Vietnam, which my family left over 30 years
ago, has changed a lot.
✗ Vietnam my family left over 30 years ago has
changed a lot.

4. Do not use that as the object relative ✓ Dr. Tam, who(m) we have met, is a surgeon.
pronoun in a non-identifying relative clause. ✗  Dr. Tam, that we have met, is a surgeon.

5. Do not repeat the object at the end of ✓ Where’s the man you were helping?
an identifying object relative clause. The ✗  Where’s the man you were helping him?
relative pronoun is the object.
11.5 Object Relative Clauses with Prepositions
After the Main Clause Inside the Main Clause

I like the professor. I spoke to him. The student left the program. I met with him.

I like the professor who I spoke to. The student that I met with left the program.
Relative Clause Relative Clause

1. A relative pronoun (that, which, who, or The movie that we were talking about won an
whom) can be the object of a preposition. award.
The preposition usually comes after the verb in
The photos that we were looking at were
an object relative clause.
amazing.

2. Remember: We often omit object relative The meeting that I forgot about was important.
pronouns from identifying relative clauses in The meeting I forgot about was important.
conversation and informal writing.

3. In formal English, the preposition can come My father, after whom I was named, died before
at the beginning of the object relative clause, I was born.
before whom (for people) or which The article to which you are referring is no
(for things). longer available.

4. Be careful! Do not use a preposition + who or ✗ The person to who I sent the message isn’t
that. here.
✗ The club of that she is a member is private.
11.6 Reduced Relative Clauses
The woman who stars in the movie has a beautiful voice.
The woman starring in the movie has a beautiful voice.
1. A subject relative clause can be
reduced or shortened to a relative
phrase.
2. In a relative phrase, the relative
pronoun (who, that, which) and any
form of be is omitted.
3. With some verbs other than be, you
can omit the relative pronoun and
add -ing after the base form of the
verb.
4. Use commas when a non-identifying
relative clause is reduced.
The girl who was riding the bike fell off.
The girl riding the bike fell off.
People who are driving hybrid cars like them.
People driving hybrid cars like them.
The film that was shown last night was exciting.
The film shown last night was exciting.
He is the person who is most interested in the job.
He is the person most interested in the job.
Anyone who wants to learn about film history
should read this book.
Anyone wanting to learn about film history
should read this book.
The film festival, which was held in Brazil, attracted
people from all over the world.
The film festival, held in Brazil, attracted people
from all over the world.
11.7 Relative Clauses with Where and When
We visited the region where the film was made.
I remember the day when I first saw a lion in the wild.
1. Use where in a relative clause to describe a
place (for example, home, neighborhood,
city, country, place).
2. Use when in a clause to describe a time (for
example, day, weekend, year, time).
3. Where and when can be used in identifying
and non-identifying relative clauses. They
can be omitted only in identifying relative
clauses.
4. Be careful! Do not use a preposition in a
relative clause with where or when.
5. Instead of where, you can use a preposition:
a. before which
b. following the verb in the relative clause
6. Instead of when, you can use in which in
identifying relative clauses.
Istanbul is a city. Europe and Asia meet there.
Istanbul is a city where Europe and Asia meet.
I’ll never forget the summer. Our team won the
championship then.
I’ll never forget the summer when our team won
the championship.
Do you remember the time when we met?
Do you remember the time we met?
The movie is in Paris, where we first met.
✓ The late 1920s was the time when talking films
replaced silent films.
✗ The late 1920s was the time during when
talking films replaced silent films.
a. The apartment building in which I was born
no longer exists.
b. The apartment building which/that I was
born in no longer exists.
Last year was the year when they got married.
Last year was the year in which they got married.