relative clauses english course reference

clausulas relativas

1. RELATIVE CLAUSESRELATIVE CLAUSES

2. What are relative clauses?What are relative clauses?
Subordinate clauses which allow us to Subordinate clauses which allow us to
add information about people or things add information about people or things
we are talking to, without a need to we are talking to, without a need to
repeat the namerepeat the name
e.g. That is e.g. That is the housethe house. . The houseThe house was built was built
on the main road.on the main road.
That is That is the housethe house whichwhich was built on the was built on the
main road. main road.

3. Relative clauses are introduced just Relative clauses are introduced just
after the after the antecedentantecedent and are and are
introduced by a introduced by a pronounpronoun or a or a
relative adverbrelative adverb. The most frequent . The most frequent
ones are: ones are:
whowho; ; whomwhom; ; whichwhich; ; thatthat (only in (only in
defining relative clauses) and defining relative clauses) and
relative adverbs: relative adverbs: wherewhere; ; whenwhen; ; why.why.

4. After preposition you write After preposition you write whomwhom for for
people and people and whichwhich for things, but it is for things, but it is
more common to place prepositions more common to place prepositions
at the end of the sentence (and it is at the end of the sentence (and it is
more usual in spoken English). more usual in spoken English).
e.g. This is the boy about e.g. This is the boy about whomwhom you you
were asking mewere asking me
This is the boy (This is the boy (whowho) you were asking ) you were asking
me about. me about.
Only Only whomwhom and and whichwhich, you can’t use , you can’t use
it with ‘it with ‘thatthat’’

5. DEFINING RELATIVE CLAUSESDEFINING RELATIVE CLAUSES
They give essential information about their They give essential information about their
antecedentantecedent and without them, the meaning and without them, the meaning
will be incompleted. That is why you write will be incompleted. That is why you write
them them withoutwithout commas. (oracions commas. (oracions
especificatives)especificatives)
The computer The computer whichwhich we bought is very we bought is very
expensiveexpensive
The man The man whowho is coming will bring us the is coming will bring us the
presentpresent

6. Relative pronouns Relative pronouns can’tcan’t be omitted if be omitted if
it’s the subject of the relative clauses. it’s the subject of the relative clauses.
The man The man whowho visited yesterday is an actor visited yesterday is an actor
The house The house thatthat was so old was rebuilt. was so old was rebuilt.
But if it’s not the subject it But if it’s not the subject it cancan be be
omittedomitted
the man (the man (whom/thatwhom/that) I met at the party ) I met at the party
told me told me the truththe truth
The house (The house (which/thatwhich/that) we bought is very ) we bought is very
comfortablecomfortable

7. If the relative pronoun is followed by a verb,If the relative pronoun is followed by a verb,
then it can’t be omitted. If the relative is followedthen it can’t be omitted. If the relative is followed
by a subject + verb, then it’s almost sure you canby a subject + verb, then it’s almost sure you can
drop itdrop it
whosewhose can’t be omitted, though it’s never can’t be omitted, though it’s never
aa
subjectsubject
e.g. the horse e.g. the horse whosewhose leg you broke had to be killed leg you broke had to be killed
‘ ‘what’what’ means ‘ means ‘el que’ ‘les coses que’el que’ ‘les coses que’ and is and is
used when the antecedent is understoodused when the antecedent is understood
e.g. I know e.g. I know whatwhat you did last summer. you did last summer.

8. NON-DEFINING RELATIVE NON-DEFINING RELATIVE
CLAUSESCLAUSES

If we remove this relative clause, there’s If we remove this relative clause, there’s
no problem to understand the main no problem to understand the main
sentence, since it gives extra sentence, since it gives extra
information. Thus, we write it between information. Thus, we write it between
commas.commas.
e.g. The European Police Force, e.g. The European Police Force, whichwhich began began
working in 1999, is called Europol. working in 1999, is called Europol.

9. The antencedent is usually a proper The antencedent is usually a proper
name of a person or thing and it name of a person or thing and it
contains a possessive like ‘my’, ‘his’, contains a possessive like ‘my’, ‘his’,
‘her’, the definite article ‘the’ or ‘her’, the definite article ‘the’ or
demonstratives like ‘this’, ‘that’, ‘these’ demonstratives like ‘this’, ‘that’, ‘these’
or ‘those’:or ‘those’:
My house, My house, whichwhich is quite comfortable, needs is quite comfortable, needs
redecorating. redecorating.
This book, This book, whichwhich I bought last week, is not as I bought last week, is not as
interesting as I thought.interesting as I thought.

10. Main Features: Main Features:
-Between commasBetween commas
-‘‘That’ is not allowedThat’ is not allowed
-The relative pronoun can’t be omittedThe relative pronoun can’t be omitted
-It’s less frequent than defining relative It’s less frequent than defining relative
clauses. It is more formal and usually clauses. It is more formal and usually
used in written texts. used in written texts.

11. fgfgfghfgh
RELATIVE CLAUSES
DEFINING
NON-DEFINING
WHO
THAT
WHICH
THAT
PRONOUNS
WHERE
PRONOUNS
WHO WHICH
WHOSE WHEN
WHERE
WHEN/THAT
WHOM
WHOSE
They give us essential information
The information given is not
essential,it can be omitted.

12. Defining and Non-Defining
Use these prompts to write one sentences for each
question. Sometimes you need a defining relative
clause (i.e. without commas) and sometimes you need
a non-defining relative clause - with commas.
Examples:
Defining - We went and had dinner at that restaurant
that you sister recommended.
Non-Defining - We went and had dinner at the
"Three Roses" restaurant, which your sister
recommended

13. 1.Bob has one daughter. His daughter is called Maria. She goes
to Yale University.
Bob's daughter ________________________________.
Bob´s daughter, whose name is Maria, goes to Yale University.
2. You recommended a book for me. I read it.
I read ________________________________.
I read the book (that/which) you recommended me.
3. Havana is the capital of Cuba. Havana has a lively night life.
Havana ________________________________.
Havana, which is the capital of Cuba, has a lively night life.
4. One of my sisters lives in Paris. The other one lives in London.
The one in Paris is getting married next year.
My sister ________________________________.
My sister who lives in Paris is getting married next year.

14. 5. Michael Jackson made a video in 1984. It was called "Thriller". It is
considered a classic by his fans.
In 1984 Michael Jackson ________________________________.
In 1984 Michael Jackson made his video “Thriller”, which is
considered a classic by his fans..
6. I have a lot of friends. One is a dentist. He lives in Hawaii.
I have a friend ________________________________.
I have a friend who is a dentist and lives in Hawaii.
7. Lord Aston was born in 1834. He was born in Hambwell House in
the north of England. Hambwell House is now a school.
Lord Aston was born ________________________________.
Lord Aston was born in 1834 in Hambwell House, which is in the north
of England and is now a school.
8. We visited four cities on our European tour. All of us preferred the
same city. It was also the most expensive.
All of us ________________________________.
All of us preferred the most expensive city of the four (cities)
(which/that)we visited on our European tour.