RELATIVE CLAUSES

Relative Clauses

Defining Relative Clauses

We use defining relative clauses to give essential information in order to identify someone or something. The choice of relative pronoun depends on the type of noun.

-For things, we use that.Is this the book that you told me about?

-For people, we use who or that.I know three people who/that study at this school.

-For possession, we use whose.I know someone whose mother was a famous singer.

Note that whose can also be used with things.The movie, whose name I can't remember won an Oscar.

We can use what before a subject and verb to say "the thing(s) that."That's exactly what I wanted.

We can leave out that and who when they are the object of the verb in the relative clause, but not when they are the subject.

I enjoyed the movie that you recommended.That's the actor who starred the movie.

Non -defining relative clauses contain extra non-essential information. We can understand which thing, person place etc, is being mentioned without the relative clause.

My brother, who lives in New York, is coming to visit next month. ( It's clear as I only have one brother.)

We use who for people and which for things. We never use that in non-defining clauses. Note that we can use whose in defining and non-defining cluases.

In non-defining relative clauses, we use a comma before the relative clause.The new Keanu Reeves movie, which I saw last week, is very good.

Reduced Relative Clauses

Reduced relative clases do not include a relative pronoun. We form relative clauses by replacing the relative pronouns with an -ing or past participle form of the verb.

The people watching the movie were moved by its positive message.The hero chosen by most students as their favorite was Katniss Everdeen from the Hunger Games.

Thank you!