Q : What are the relative clauses?
A: They are the dependent clauses that are basically used as adjectives to modify nouns.
Q : What do the relative clauses grammatically begin with?
A : Grammatically, they begin with the relative pronouns.
Q : How many types can the relative clauses technically be divided into?
A : Defining and Non-Defining Relative Clauses
Relative Pronouns
Form: [ Sub + v + noun + relative pronoun + (sub) + V ………]
That : people and things
Where : places
When : times
Who : people
Whom : people (object)
Whose : people (possession)
Which : things and animals
Why : reasons
Examples
- Chocolate, which many people adore, is fattening.
- People who are smart follow the rules.
- I can remember the time when cell phones didn't exist.
- Charlie has a friend whose daughter lives in China.
- The wine that vintners produce in Tuscany is not cheap.
- The reason why Sandra went to law school is that she didn't want to be a doctor.
Defining Relative clause
- give essential information about someone or something
- a defining relative clause usually comes immediately after the noun it describes.
- They’re the people who want to buy our house.
- Here are some cells which have been affected.
- They should give the money to somebody whom they think needs the treatment most.
Spoken English
In defining relative clauses we often use that instead of who, whom or which. This is very common in informal speaking:
- They’re the people that want to buy our house.
- Here are some cells that have been affected.
Subject or object
The relative pronoun can be the subject or the object of the verb:
- They’re the people who bought our house.
- They’re the people who she met at Jon’s party.
- Here are some cells which show abnormality
- Here are some cells which the researcher has identified.
No relative pronoun
We often leave out the relative pronoun when it is the object of the verb:
- They’re the people she met at Jon’s party.
- Here are some cells the researcher has identified.
Warning:
In writing, we don’t use commas in defining relative clauses:
- This is a man who takes his responsibilities seriously.
- Not: This is a man, who takes his responsibilities seriously.
Non-Defining Relative Clause
Give extra information about the person or thing. It’s not essential to understand who or what is being referred to.
- Dara, who I work with, is also doing his own business.
- My eldest son, whose work takes him all over the world, is in Hong Kong at the moment.
- Angkor Wat, which is one of the wonders of the world, is visited by millions of tourists every year.
Defining or Non-Defining Relative clauses
Sometimes defining and non-defining relative clauses can look very similar but have different meanings.
- His brother, who works at the supermarket, is a friend of mine.
- (He has only one brother, and that brother works at the supermarket.)
- His brother who works at the supermarket is a friend of mine.
- (He has more than one brother. The one I’m talking about works at the supermarket.)
