1. 1. Relative clauses are sentences we use to give extra information which can
be relevant or not.
2. To introduce relative clauses we use the relative pronouns:
• who (for people)
• which (for things: objects and animals)
• that (also for people and things, but in defining relative clauses)
• where (for places)
• when ( for time)
• whose (possession)
See these sentences:
1. John is the musician who plays the lead guitar for "The Rockets".
(*John is themusician. He plays the lead guitar for "The Rockets")
2. Candem Market, where tourists buy souvenirs, is in a popular area of
London. (*Candem Market is in a popular area of London. Tourists
buy souvenirs there)
In these 2 sentences the relative clauses are just after the elements they
are connected to (musician and Candem Market).
Now we will join these couples of sentences by using a relative pronoun:
• Susan missed the train. It left 10 minutes earlier (the train & It are
connected)
• Susan missed the train which left 10 minutes earlier (relative
clause)
• Susan missed the train. She had to postpone a meeting
(Susan & she are connected)
• Susan, who had to postpone a meeting, missed the train (relative
clause)
BE CAREFUL: It & She are replaced by the relative pronoun
DEFINING RELATIVE CLAUSES: when the information they give is
important, relevant, necessary:
• Susan missed the train which left 10 minutes earlier.
NON-DEFINING RELATIVE CLAUSES: when the information they
give is not important; you can do without it. They always go
between commas ( , ... , ):
• Candem Market, where tourists buy souvenirs, is in a popular area of
London.