This document provides an overview of basic relative pronouns and clauses in English. It discusses defining and non-defining relative clauses, and the relative pronouns that can be used to introduce each type of clause (e.g. that, which, who, whose, when, where). It also covers cases where the relative pronoun can be omitted and distinguishes between the words "whose" and "who's". Examples are provided throughout to illustrate the different concepts.

1. BASIC Relative clauses
Based on A. Aguado’s examples.
Changed, Revised, and Completed
by Nur Garriga

2. RELATIVE CLAUSES
NON-DEFINING DEFINING
 EXTRA  ESSENTIAL
INFORMATION INFORMATION
 Between COMMAS  COMMAS
 THAT  THAT

3. RELATIVE PRONOUNS:
used for Clauses beginning with
Question Words
 THAT: as WHICH OR WHO  WHAT: THE THING/S WHICH
 WHICH: OBJECTS, THINGS,  WHOSE: POSSESSIVE for
PEOPLE or THINGS
IDEAS, SITUATIONS, FACTS
 WHO/WHOM: PEOPLE  WHERE / IN WHICH:
PLACES
 WHEN: TIME
 WHY: THAT’S THE REASON
WHY

4. OTHER RELATIVES
WHATEVER: ANYTHING THAT…
 E.g. Let’s do whatever you like, it’s your birthday!
WHENEVER: ANYTIME THAT…
 E.g. Visit us whenever you can.
WHEREVER: ANYWHERE
 E.g. With this cell phone you’ll have coverage anywhere, wherever you
are.
ANYHOW/ANYWAY: THE WAY IN WHICH…
 E.g. I’ll do that anyhow, I’m determined to do it.
WHOEVER: ANYBODY/ANYONE WHO…
 E.g. Whoever you see and whatever you hear, pretend you are talking
to me on the phone.

5. Defining clauses
give essential information about the noun/clause.
Examples:
She’s the teacher.  this is incomplete, it needs a defining clause.
• She’s the teacher who gave me interesting lessons.
• Math is the subject.  this is incomplete, it needs a defining clause.
• Math is the subject that gives me most problems.
• The girl who/that works at the library is very friendly.
• You’re the person who/that gets the highest marks.
• School is a place which/that gives you education & knowledge.
• There are times when my mind goes completely blank during his lessons.
• You need to find a room where you can study properly.
• That’s the girl whose brother plays basketball.

6. Whose versus Who’s
Whose refers to possession.
Examples:
 He’s the person whose book I lost.
 They held a meeting whose target I did not understand.
Who’s is the contracted form of
who is or who has.
Examples:
 He’s the one who’s very intelligent. (who is)
 He’s the boy who’s lived in Boston for many years. (who has).

7. Omission of object pronouns
We can omit the relative pronoun if it
connects the object with the relative
clause.
Examples:
 That’s the film (that/which) we saw.
 He’s the teacher (that/who) I can’t stand.
 That’s the person (that/who) I truly love.
We often omit the relative pronouns: that,
which and who in speech.
We can’t omit the relative pronoun
whose.
whose

8. Non-defining
give extra information which is not essential.
We cannot omit the relative pronoun.
Examples:
• Ana has just passed a B-level in English.
• Last year, when I passed the A-levels, I met Steven who is my boyfriend
now.
• The teachers at Miquel Biada School, where he took the exam, are
delighted.
 We can also combine two simple sentences by using a
non-defining relative clause.
Examples:
Jaime’s sister is called Pilar. She’s a teacher.
 Jaime’s sister, who’s a teacher, is called Pilar.
 Jaime’s sister, who’s called Pilar, is a teacher.

9. BASIC
RELATIVE PRONOUNS & CLAUSES
THE END

10. BASIC
RELATIVE PRONOUNS & CLAUSES
THE END