relative clauses

1. English Sentence Structure
Defining & Non-Defining
Relative Clauses

2. Relative Clauses
• A relative clause is also called an adjective clause, is a
dependent clause that explains a noun it follows immediately -
by making it more specific or adding additional information
about it. A relative clause always contains a relative pronoun
which explains the main noun it refers to. Like all clauses,
relative clauses have a subject and a verb – relative clauses can
change the meaning of a noun.
• Students learn a lot./ Students who ask questions learn a lot.
• Teachers are unpopular.
• Teachers who give a lot of assignments are unpopular.
• Relative clauses are extremely important and useful because
they enable writers to write more clearly and specific and they
also make writing more sophisticated.

3. Relative Clauses
• Clauses beginning with question words –
who, which, where – are used to give explanation or extra
information about the noun or pronoun they immediately
they follow. Relative clauses identify people and things or
give extra – more information about them.
• The relative pronoun – who /whom refers to people and
which refers to things.
• Students who want free tickets for the science museum can
get them from the office. (defining relative clause)
• There’s a programe tonight which you might like to watch.
• The punctuation (comma) in relative clauses is very
important for getting across the meaning.

4. Relative Pronouns
• When the relative pronoun is not the subject
of the relative clause, it may be omitted
• I didn’t eat the pie you were saving for
tonight.
• When the pronoun is the subject, it cannot be
omitted.
• I ate the ice cream was in the refrigerator *

5. Relative pronouns
Who/Which: Subject and
Object Who/ which : objects of verbs
• Who and which can be the • Do you remember the
subjects of verbs in relative people who we met in Italy?
clauses. • (who is the object met)
• I like people who smile a lot. • I forget most of the films
• This is the key which opens which I see. (which is the
the apartment . object of see.
• People who have young
children don’t have much
time for themselves.

6. Relative Pronoun
That = who/which (informal
style) Leaving out the object pronouns
• That can refer to things and in an • Do you remember the
informal style to people. In non-
identifying clauses that is unusual. people we met in Italy?
• I like people that smile a lot. • I forget most of the films I
• The is the key that opens the garage .
• Do you remember the people that
see.
we met in Italy?
• I forget most of the films that I see.
• The book that you gave me is lost.
• The kid that I babysit threw your
book in the trash.
• Have you got the book that is really
easy to read? (….which is …

7. Relative pronoun
Whose: is a possessive relative
pronoun. It replaces his/her/its Where/when = place or time
• I saw a girl whose hair came • New York is a place where people
of many different cultures live
down to her waist. and work together.
• New York City, where millions of
immigrants live, is the capital of
the business world.
• The 1960s was a time when many
Americans began to become
richer and richer.
• In the 1970s, when many new
rights and freedoms had been
gained, people began to lead
quiter, more private lives.

8. Students who want free tickets for the science museum
can get them from the office. (defining relative clause)
Do you know the people who live next door ?
What’s the name of the tall man who just came in ?
Is that your car that’s parked outside?
Paris is a city I‘ve always wanted to visit.
People who take physical exercise live longer.
People, who take physical exercise, live longer. (non-
defining relative clause – extra information)
Have you got something that will get ink out of a carpet?
There’s a programme tonight which you might like.
He lives in a village where there are no shops.
It is a book which will interest children of all ages.
I ate the ice cream that was in the freezer.
I didn’t eat the pie that you were saving for tonight.

9. Non-Defining Relative Clauses
• Non-defining relative clauses do not identify or classify the noun
they follow; instead they tell us more about the person or thing
that is already identified (explained). They are generally more
formal. That is unusual in non-defining in relative
• This is Ms. Smith, who is the designer of this beautiful costume.
• In 1972 Otokoc developed his first family car, which sold 200.
• My sister, who went to school in Alanya, is a nurse.
• My parents, who lives Artvin, come to visit us twice a year.
• Going to the movies, which I love to do, can be very expensive.
(gives extra information – if it is removed the meaning of the
sentence would be unchanged.
• Dorothy, who does my hair, has moved to another hair saloon.

10. Non-Defining relative clauses
• Going to the movies, which I love to do, can
be very expensive.
• My sister, who works for the IBM in
Istanbul, leads a very active life.
• The Empire State Building, which used to be
talest building in the world, is still a popular
tourist attraction.

11. Combine the following sentences into one, using a restricted or
unrestricted relative clause
• It’s very cloudy. This means that it might rain s1. It’s very cloudy. This means that it might rain soon.
(It’s very...)
• 2. Do you see that cloud? I mean the one that looks like an ice cream cone. (Do you see...)
• 3. I heard the news. By the way, it was announced yesterday. (I heard...)
• 4. I heard the news. I mean the news announced yesterday. (I heard...)
• 5. Some students don’t read much. They will not learn English as well as other students. Other
• students read a lot. (Students...)
• 6. I’m not talking about one girl. (She told me she loves me.) I’m talking about another girl. (She
• can’t stand me.) (I’m not talking about the girl...)
• 7. Mary, this is Bill. He is joining our class next week. (Mary, this is Bill...)
• 8. A school bag is in the teacher’s office. Is that your school bag? (Is that your...)
• 9. Paris is a city. I have always wanted to visit Paris. (Paris is...)
• 10. In 1908 Ford developed his Model T car. It sold for $500. (In 1908...)
• 11. (To a store clerk) Have you got something? It gets ink out of a carpet. (Have you got
something...)
• 12. My mother was sitting beside me. She whispered in my ear. (My mother…)
• 13. The accident happened at my teacher’s house. Many cats were there. (The accident happened
• at...)

12. Answers
• Exercise 1
• 1. It’s very cloudy, which means that it might rain soon.
• 2. Do you see that cloud that looks like an ice cream cone
• 3. I heard the news, which was announced yesterday.
• 4. I heard the news (which was) announced yesterday.
• 5. Students who don’t read much will not learn English as well as students who read a lot.
• 6. I’m not talking about the girl who told me she loves me, I’m talking about the girl who can’t stand
• me.
• 7. Mary, this is Bill, who is joining our class next week.
• 8. Is that your school bag (that is) in the teacher’s office?
• 9. Paris is a city (which) I have always wanted to visit.
• 10. In 1908 Ford developed his Model T car, which sold for $500.
• 11. Have you got something that gets ink out of a carpet?
• 12. My mother, who was sitting beside me, whispered in my ear.
• 13. The accident happened at my teacher’s house, where there were many cats.