DEFINING+RELATIVE+CLAUSES

media type="custom" key="29507415" Relative clauses give extra information about something or someone in the main clause. Defining relative clauses contain information which is essential for our understanding of the whole sentence. //The man// // who // //comes to clean our windows is on holiday this month.// //He's got a computer program// // which // //translates texts from Spanish into English.// · In each case, the relative clause identifies **which person or thing** is being talked about. Features of defining relative clauses: 1. No commas are required either at the beginning or the end of the relative clause. //2.// **// That //** can be used instead of **// who //** for people and **// which //** for things, particularly in spoken English. For people For things Subject: //who/that which/that// Object: //who/that/whom which/that// Possessive: //whose// • The relative pronoun can be omitted if it is the object of the verb in the relative clause. //I'm enjoying the book **(which/that)** you lent me.// • The relative pronoun cannot be omitted if it is the subject of the verb in the relative clause. //That's the shop assistant// // who ///// that // //served me the last// //time I came here.//
 * Relative clauses**
 * A. Defining relative clauses**

· Non-defining relative clauses contain information which is not essential for our understanding of the sentence. · We can identify which person or thing is being talked about without the information in the relative clause**.** // Their new house ////,// // which // //has five bedrooms and a games room,// // is much larger than their previous one. // //At the party she spoke to Mr Peterson,// // whose // //father owned the company she worked for.// Features of non-defining relative clauses: · Commas are required both at the beginning and the end of the relative clause (except when the end of the relative clause is also the end of the sentence). //• That// cannot be used in place of //who// or //which.// For people For things Subject: // who // // which // Object: // who/whom / // // which // Possessive: wh // ose // // whose // Relative pronouns cannot be omitted from non­ defining relative clauses. //Her maths teacher,// // who/whom // //everyone in the class adored, announced that he was leaving the school.// //Which// can be used in non-defining relative clauses to refer to a whole clause. //No one phoned him on his birthday,// // which // //made him feel rather depressed.//
 * B. Non-defining relative clauses **
 * • Non-defining relative clauses** are more common in written English.

1. Prepositions usually come at the end of defining and non-defining relative clauses. · In defining relative clauses the relative pronoun is usually omitted. //The town I grew up// //in has changed a lot since I left. // · In non-defining relative clauses the relative pronoun is never omitted. //Keith Rolf,// //who I used to work with, lives in Paris now. // 2. In more formal English, prepositions often come before the relative pronouns //whom// for people and //which// for things (in which case the pronoun cannot be omitted). //We shall be visiting the room// //in which Turner painted some of his greatest works. // //The head waiter,// //to whom we addressed our complaint, was not particularly helpful. //
 * C. Relative clauses and prepositions**

· //Where, when// and //why// can be used in relative clauses after nouns which refer to a place //(where),// a time //(when)// or a reason //(why).// // Where // has the meaning `in/at which' Defining: They've booked a week in that campsite where we stayed last year. Non-defining: She's in Southlands Hospital, where you were born. // When // has the meaning `on/in which' and can be omitted in defining relative clauses. Defining: Do you remember that day ( when ) we went to Rhyl and it snowed? Non-defining: I'm going on holiday in September, when most people are back at work. // Why // has the meaning `for which' and can be omitted in defining relative clauses. Defining: The reason ( why ) I'm phoning is to ask you for Tina’s address.
 * D. Relative adverbs:** **// where //****//,//** **// when //** **and** **// why //**

= = = = =MORE ABOUT RELATIVES:= [|Grammar and Exercises]

[|Exercises]

Sobre la omisión del relativo:
1. Cuando el relativo hace de complemento: //the book (that) I bought//, el libro que compré. 2. Si está regido por preposición, ésta puede colocarse al final y omitirse o no el relativo: //the place (that) we went to//, el lugar al que fuimos. 3.Con **that**, la preposición se ubica siempre al final: //I bought the book that you told me about//, compré el libro del cual me hablaste.