grammar explanation

1. Relative Clauses
DEFINING RELATIVE CLAUSES
NON- DEFINING RELATIVE
CLAUSES
OTHER ASPECTS

2. DEFINING RELATIVE CLAUSES
 They DEFINE (essential information) the place, person or
object the speaker is referring to. Without them the
sentence will be incomplete
MAIN FEATURES:
 There are no commas
 The relative pronoun may be omitted when it is the
object of the relative clause.
ex: I didn’t like the game (which) he lent me.

3. DEFINING RELATIVE PRONOUNS
 WHO = PEOPLE
 WHICH = THINGS
 THAT= PEOPLE AND THINGS
 WHERE = PLACE
 WHEN = TIME
 WHOSE= POSSESSION
 WHOM = PEOPLE (as an object)
Example: The sales assistant (who) I talked to was very nice
More formal: The sales assistant TO WHOM I talked to was very nice

4. NON- DEFINING RELATIVE CLAUSES
 They provide MORE INFORMATION (non-essential) than is
given in the main clause.
MAIN FEATURES:
 Between commas
 The relative pronoun cannot be omitted
Example: Brad Pitt, who is an American actor, has starred in many
films.

5. NON- DEFINING RELATIVE PRONOUNS
 WHO = PEOPLE
 WHICH = THINGS
 THAT= PEOPLE AND THINGS
 WHERE = PLACE
 WHEN = TIME
 WHOSE= POSSESSION
 WHOM = PEOPLE (as an object)

6. OTHER ASPECTS OF RELATIVE CLAUSES
 An INFINITIVE can be used instead of a relative clause after the first, the second,
etc…
Example: I WAS THE ONLY STUDENTS TO PASS THE EXAM( I was the only student
who passed the exam)
 To EMPHASISE the subject of the relative clause we use the structure:
It is/ was + noun+ relative clause
Example: It is always Rob who pays the drinks