RELATIVE CLAUSES

DEFINING AND NON-DEFINING

Tell us some essential
Tell us some extra

information about the information about the
things or people they things or people they
refer to refer to

Begin with
Always begin with the

Who – for people relative pronouns

Which – for things
Who – for people

That – for people and
Which – for things
things
As the subject or object

As the subject or object of the relative clause
of the relative clause
Never omit the relative

Often omit the relative pronoun
pronoun
Separated by comma

No comma
More common in

Writing and speaking writing
DEFINING AND NON-DEFINING - EXAMPLE
DEFINING AND NON-DEFINING WITH PRONOUN

With whose, when, where, whom

Usually have any preposition at the end of the clause

In formal English, sometimes have a preposition at

the beginning of the clause (which, whom)

We cannot use that after a preposition in relative
clause

Begin with why, after

the words „the reason”

Omit why and when
 Type 1 (defining) Type 2 (non-defining)

No comma Use comma

Can use THAT Cannot use THAT

Can leave out

Cannot leave out WHO or
THAT/WHO/WHICH when it is
WHICH
the object

Do not often use WHOM Can use WHOM

Can use WHOSE and WHERE Can use WHOSE and WHERE
 Pronouns Refer to
Things
Which and that That – is not used in non-defining relative clauses
The study that she published last month is remarkable.
People
Who Dian, who has specialized in primates, has spent a lot of
time in Africa.
People if they are the object of the clause
Whom Professor West, whom I worked with recently, has won the
Nobel price.
Things or people and expresses possession
Whose The book, whose focus is African primates, is very
influential.
Time
When She described the moment when she first saw a wild
gorilla.
Place
Where She spent many years in Africa, where she observed
gorillas.
DEFINING AND NON-DEFINING WITH PREPOSITION

In formal English – putting earlier in the sentence

That was the story on which the film was based.

Informal – at the end of the sentence

That was the story which the film was based on.

When the preposition is placed earlier – no that

When the preposition is placed earlier – whom must
be used as the relative pronoun when the object is a
person

She spoke to a professor that / who / whom she is friendly
with.

She spoke to a professor with whom she is friendly.
 ADVERBIAL CLAUSES 1

An adverbial clause is a dependent clause that
functions as an adverb; that is, the entire clause
modifies a verb, an adjective, or another adverb.

Since they are dependent clauses, they must have a
subordinating conjunction to connect them to the
other clause.

Examples:

Time: after, when, until, soon, before, once, while, as soon
as, whenever, by the time

Condition: if, whether or not, provided, in case, unless,
even if, in the event

Cause and effect: because, as, since, so, in order that, now
that, inasmuch as

Contrast: though, although, while, whereas, even though
 ADVERBIAL CLAUSES 2

Place: Wherever there is music, people will often dance. If

you know where they live, you can drop in for a visit.

Time: After the chores are done, we will eat ice cream.
When the clock strikes midnight, she has to leave.

Cause: She passed the course because she worked hard.
Since he has long hair, he wears a ponytail.

Purpose: So that he would not ruin the carpet, he took off
his shoes. He ate vegetables in order to stay healthy.

Concession: Even though you are 13, you can’t go to that
movie. Although you gave it your best, you did not win the
match.

Condition: If you save some money, you can buy a new
game. Unless you hurry, you will be late for school.