Relative clauses ESO

1. RELATIVE
CLAUSES

2. • They are subordinate clauses which give
information about a noun (person, thing, place,
idea…) in the sentence.
• The noun just before the relative clauses is the
antecedent.
• Relative clauses start with a relative pronoun.
The shop which opened last week is around the corner.
Relative clause
Main clause
Antecendent Relative pronoun

3. TYPES OF RELATIVE PRONOUNS
*THAT: it can be used , but only in defining clauses.
WHICH / * objects
The phone which / that is on the shelf is already broken.
The phone which / that I bought a week ago is already
broken.
WHO / * people
My neighbour is the person who / that won the lottery.
Have you seen those people who / that we met on holiday?

4. WHOM is also used to refer to people.
It’s only used as object of the relative clause and may
appear with prepositions.
It’s seen in formal written English.
The person about whom they were talking is Paul.
The person whom they were talking about is Paul.
Have you seen those people whom we met on holiday?
WHEN / * time
The month when / that we met wasn’t very rainy.

5. WHERE place
The café where we met is being torn down.
WHOSE possession
The man whose wallet was stolen was very angry.

6. TYPES OF RELATIVE CLAUSES
Defining
They give essential information about the
antecedent. The main clause would be
meaningless if there wasn’t a relative clause.
In these clauses:
•Who / which / *when can be substituted by that.
•We can omit relative pronouns who / whom /
which / when / that only if they function as objects
in the relative clause.

7. • SUBJECT
The newspaper reported that the tiger which killed its
keeper has been put down.
OBJECT
The house (which) we rented in London was fully
furnished.

8. We didn’t recognize the people.
•The people had just had an accident.
•We were looking at the people.
We didn’t recognize the people who / that had just had an
accident.
We didn’t recognize the people(who / that) we were
looking at.
We didn’t recognize the people at whom we were looking.
=
We didn’t recognize the people (whom) we were looking
at.

9. This is the law.
•This law is very important for us.
•The government has just passed this law.
This the law which / that is very important for us.
This the law (which / that) the government has just
passed.
I don’t remember the date.
She was born on the date.
I don’t remember the date (when / *that) she was born.
*“when” can be substituted by “that” after common nouns
referring to time: date, day , year...

10. TYPES OF RELATIVE CLAUSES
Non-defining
They add extra information about the antecedent.
The main clause would be meaningful if there
wasn’t a relative clause.
Shakespeare wrote very famous plays.
•Shakespeare died in 1616.
•I read an essay about Shakespeare.
Shakespeare , who died in 1616, wrote very famous plays.
Shakespeare , who I read an essay about, wrote very
famous plays.

11. Shakespeare , about whom I read an essay, wrote very
famous plays.
Shakespeare , whom I read an essay about, wrote very
famous plays.
My new bike is fantastic.
•My new bike is very expensive.
•I bought my new bike last week.
My new bike, which is very expensive, is fantastic.
My new bike , which I bought last week, is fantastic.

12. In 1999 I found my first job.
•I finished university in 1999.
In 1999, when I finished university, I found my first job.
Seville can be very hot in the summer.
•My friend Anne lives in Seville.
Seville, where my friend lives, can be very hot in the
summer.
Beyonce is a very famous singer.
•Beyonce’s latest album is great.
Beyonce, whose latest album is great, is a very famous
singer.