ALL ABOUT RELATIVE CLAUSES

COMPARATIVE
1. WHAT IS A RELATIVE CLAUSE?

It’s a part of a sentence that gives us information about something or

someone. They can also give information about a time or a place.

DEFINING/ NON-DEFINING

A defining relative clause gives A non defining relative clause gives

necessary information. It contains the extra information. We could omit this
main message. If we suppressed this part of the sentence and the main
clause, the sentence would lose its main message would still be in the sentence.
content.

They don’t appear in between commas. They always appear in between

commas.

In these clauses, the relative pronouns In these clauses, who and which can´t
which and who can be replaced by that. be replaced by ‘that’.
This gives a more informal hint to the
conversation.

 Could you iron the trousers  My brother, who studies physics, is

which/that are hanging up behind now living abroad.
the door?

If we suppressed the relative clause: Main message: my brother is now living

Could you iron the trousers? abroad.
Most of the relevant information is lost. Extra info (inside the non defining
relative clause): my brother studies
physics.

 We went to the restaurant where  These bikes, which cost a fortune,

we had met. are made in Japan.
 These bikes, that cost a fortune, are
made in japan. WRONG.
RELATIVE PRONOUNS

Relative pronouns are an essential part of relative clauses. They usually

appear at the start of the clause. They indicate the person or thing we talk
about.

WHICH/THAT: refers to a thing

A problem which needs to be solved is the lack of discipline in young ages.
A problem that needs to be solved is the lack of discipline in young ages.

WHO/THAT: refers to a person

You are the person who I trust the most.
You are the person that I trust the most.

WHERE: refers to a place

The restaurant where we had dinner was very elegant.

WHEN: refers to a moment

Call me tomorrow when you arrive at the airport.

WHICH REFERING TO A WHOLE CLAUSE

The relative pronoun ‘which’ can also refer to a whole clause. When so, it
explains a consequence of the information given in the main clause.

The exam was very easy, which helped the students.

The exam was very easy.
Consequence: this helped the students.

The weather is getting colder, which makes me feel sad.

The weather is getting colder.
Consequence: This makes me feel sad.

Prices are rising drastically, which makes it harder to afford basic products
such as milk.
Prices are rising drastically.
Consequence: This makes it harder to afford basic products…

OMITTED RELATIVE PRONOUNS

ONLY IN DEFINING CLAUSES, a relative pronoun can be omitted if it refers to the object
of the sentence. If it refers to the subject, it must appear in the sentence.
Relative pronoun as object:
It is followed by a subject and a verb:
Do you remember the time when we got lost in the subway?
We can omit it:
Do you remember the time when we got lost in the subway?
We: subject
Got: verb
when: object of the clause. Refers to a specific moment.
Relative pronoun as a subject:
Is it immediately followed by a verb.
The person who created apple was named Steve Jobs.
Subject: the person.
Who: relative pronoun.
Created: verb

REDUCED RELATIVE CLAUSES

IN BOTH DEFINING AND NON-DEFINIG CLAUSES we can sometimes omit part of the
relative clauses. When defining relative clauses begin with: relative pronoun + verb ‘to
be’ we can omit the pronoun and the verb ‘to be’.

I am a student who is struggling to pass her exams.

I am a student struggling to pass her exams.

The computer that was found in the cafeteria belonged to my sister.

The computer found in the cafeteria belonged to my sister.