This document provides information about active learning seminars on relative clauses presented by Nigel Veal. It defines different types of relative clauses such as defining, non-defining, and participial clauses. It also discusses forming relative clauses and common grammar mistakes involving relative pronouns. Examples are provided to illustrate key points about relative clauses.

1. Active Learning
Seminars
Presented by Nigel Veal

2. Please take part!

3. on how to use
Relative Clauses

4. What’s your name?
My name is Yen, which means
My name is Yen, which is spelled
small sea bird in Vietnamese.
Y-E-N like the currency of Japan.

5. Relative pronouns
We form relative clauses using these relative
pronouns: which, who, whom, whose, that.
Which, who and that are used most often.
The relative adverbs where, when and why
are sometimes used instead of a relative
pronoun.

6. Defining relative clauses
1. The relative clause identifies the person or thing we are
talking about. It provides essential information and
can/cannot be left out.
2. Who or which can/cannot be replaced by that
3. If the relative pronoun refers to the object, it can/cannot
be left out.
4. Commas are/are not needed

7. Non-defining relative clauses
1. The relative clause provides extra information and
can/cannot be left out.
2. Who or which can/cannot be replaced by that.
3. The relative pronoun can/cannot be left out.
4. Commas are/are not required before and after the
relative clause.

8. What is the difference in meaning between the
two sentences?
1. My sister, who lives in Scotland, has three
children.
2. My sister who lives in Scotland has three
children.

10. Forming Relative Clauses
Combine the sentences using a relative clause. Use relative
pronouns only where necessary.
1. We spent our holiday in Scotland last year. Scotland is
in the north of Great Britain.
Last year, we spent our holiday in Scotland, which
Last year, we …
is in the north of Great Britain.

11. Forming Relative Clauses
People live in Scotland. They are called
Scottish.
The people … live in Scotland
The people who
are called Scottish.

12. Forming Relative Clauses
3. We first went to Edinburgh. Edinburgh is the capital
of Scotland.
We first …
We first went to Edinburgh, which is the capital of Scotland.

13. Forming Relative Clauses
4. Arthur Conan Doyle was
born in Edinburgh. He wrote
the Sherlock Holmes stories.
Arthur Conan Doyle …
Arthur Conan Doyle, who
wrote the Sherlock Holmes
stories, was born in Edinburgh.

14. Forming Relative Clauses
5. Then we visited a lake. It is in the Highlands.
The lake … visited is in the Highlands.
The lake we

15. Forming Relative Clauses
6. Loch Ness is 37km long.
People know it for its friendly
monster.
Loch Ness, which is known
Loch Ness …
for its friendly monster, is
37km long.

16. Forming Relative Clauses
7. Then we met an old man in
a pub. He told us he had seen
Nessie.
An old man we met in a pub
An old man …
told us he had seen Nessie.

17. Forming Relative Clauses
8. Then I picked up a newspaper.
The newspaper contained an
interesting article about Nessie
Then I picked up a newspaper
Then I picked up …
which contained an interesting
article about Nessie.

18. Forming Relative Clauses
9. It reported that the mystery of
Nessie has finally been solved.
The mystery of Nessie has
puzzled people for decades.
ItIt reported that …mystery of
reported that the
Nessie, which has puzzled
people for decades, has finally
been solved.

19. Forming Relative Clauses
10. We stopped to listen to a highlander playing the bagpipes.
The bagpipes are a traditional Scottish musical instrument.
We stopped to listen to a highlander playing the bagpipes,
We stopped …
which are a traditional Scottish musical instrument.

20. Forming Relative Clauses
11. The next day, we climbed the highest mountain
in Great Britain. It is called Ben Nevis.
The next day … climbed the highest
The next day, we
mountain in Great Britain, which is
called Ben Nevis.

21. Forming Relative Clauses
12. I sent you a postcard. It was written on the summit of
Ben Nevis.
The postcard … you was written on the summit of
The postcard I sent
Ben Nevis.

22. Distinguishing between
who and whom
This is the old man whom we
met in a pub at Loch Ness.
This is the old man who told
us he has seen the Loch Ness
monster.

23. Using whose to introduce
a relative clause
Whose is used for showing that someone or something
belongs to or is connected with the person or thing that
you have just mentioned.
Ex1: Help is needed for families whose homes were
destroyed by the hurricane.
Ex2: This family is living in a house whose roof could
collapse at any time.

24. Common grammar mistakes

25. Mistake 1: Forgetting relative pronouns
Ex: There are many people do not agree with with
who do not agree the
government’s policy.
the government’s policy.

26. Mistake 2: Joining two sentences
with a comma instead of using a
relative pronoun.
Ex: There are many aspects to this problem, one
Ex: There are many aspects to this problem, one
of them is money.
of which is money.

27. Mistake 3: Forgetting that the
relative pronoun replaces the object
of the relative clause.
Ex: Pizza is the best food that I have ever tasted
Ex: Pizza is the best food that I have ever tasted.
it before.

28. Be careful
Sometimes you can simplify a sentence by not using a
relative clause!
Ex: Men who were still unemployed five months after
leaving university numbered fewer than 500.
Fewer than 500 men were still unemployed five
months after leaving university.

29. Defining relative clauses
Underline the best alternative. 0 = no relative pronoun
1. The results 0/that/who were published were later called into question.
question.
2. The statistics who/which/0 the government used were inaccurate.
3. The percentage of adults who/that/0 had two jobs halved the
following year.
4. The amount of air pollution who/that/0 was recorded in Los Angeles
decreased slightly during that period.
5. There was an increase of 5% in the number of visitors to Canada
which/that/0 came from Germany.

30. Non-defining relative clauses
Combine the two sentences using a relative clause.
virus, which is believed to have originated in
1.The computer virus has caused millions of pounds worth of
Texas, has caused millions of pounds worth of damage.
damage. The computer virus is believed to have originated in Texas.
2. Oxford University, which is place in the ‘Times in the
2. Oxford University took first the oldest universityGood University
English-speaking world, took first the oldest university in the
Guide 2002’. Oxford University is place in the ‘Times Good
University Guide world.
English-speaking 2002’.
3. Nurses are vital to the health service.country, are not wellthe in
3. Nurses, who are not well paid in my Nurses are vital to paid
my country.
health service.
4. The Prime Minister has resigned. Theoffice for seven years, hasin
4. The Prime Minister, who has been in Prime Minister has been
office for seven years.
resigned.
5. Email has made widely availablemuch quicker. Email is widely
Email, which is communication in the UK, has made
communication much
available in the UK. quicker.

31. Subject and object relative clauses
The relative pronoun can replace the subject or the object of
the relative clause.
Subject: Chocolate contains a stimulant called theobromine
which/that (it) is believed to make us more alert.
Object: Chocolate is something which/that/0 many people feel
guilty about eating (it).

32. Participle clauses

33. With an active verb we use a present participle.
When the active verb is progressive we leave out
the relative pronoun and the verb to be.
Active verb: The woman who is sitting next to the
door has been looking at you. Do you know her?

34. With a passive verb we use a past participle and
leave out the relative pronoun and the verb to be.
Passive verb: The article which was published in
yesterday’s Times could be useful.

35. Relative clauses with a to-infinitive
Look at this structure with the to-infinitive.
New Zealand was the first country to give women the vote.
(= the first country which gave women the vote)
Here are some more examples.
The guest on our show is the youngest golfer to win the Open.
Emma Thompson is the most famous actress to appear on
stage here.
We can use a to-infinitive with these words: first, second, etc;
next and last; only; and superlatives, e.g. youngest, most
famous.

36. Prepositions in relative clauses
In formal English, a preposition can be used at the beginning of
the relative clause, before which or whom.
Ex1: Electronics is a subject about which I know very little.
Ex2: The people with whom he worked have all been arrested.
Ex3: They collected the sap from the sugar maple trees, from
which maple syrup is produced.
Note: We cannot put a preposition before that or who.

37. Sentential relative clauses
This type of clause does not modify a noun but
refers to the whole sentence.
Ex: He keeps bragging about his success, which
really annoys me.

38. This old man drinks five glasses
of Scotch whisky every
night, which is enough to make
anyone believe they have seen
the Loch Ness monster!

39. Sherlock Holmes
possessed amazing
powers of deduction, a
profound understanding of
human nature and a rare
ability to think outside the
box – all of which helped
to establish his reputation
as the world’s greatest
detective.

40. Prison

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