Relative clauses

1. ADJECTIVE orADJECTIVE or
RELATIVERELATIVE
CLAUSESCLAUSES
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2. dependent clauses that must be joineddependent clauses that must be joined
to independent clausesto independent clauses
describe nouns and pronounsdescribe nouns and pronouns
often placed in a sentence right after theoften placed in a sentence right after the
noun they describenoun they describe
add details to sentences by functioningadd details to sentences by functioning
as adjectivesas adjectives
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RELATIVE CLAUSES

3. That isThat is the housethe house.. The houseThe house was built on the main road.was built on the main road.
That isThat is thethe househouse whichwhich was built in the main roadwas built in the main road..
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Antecedent
Relative pronoun subject

4. RELATIVE PRONOUNSRELATIVE PRONOUNS
Who, whom, which, whose, thatWho, whom, which, whose, that
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RELATIVE ADVERBSRELATIVE ADVERBS
Where, when, why

5. Relative PronounsRelative Pronouns
WHOWHO
Refers to people and is used asRefers to people and is used as
subject in the subordinate clausesubject in the subordinate clause
The ladyThe lady whowho teaches in Political Scienceteaches in Political Science
department is my mentor.department is my mentor.
Who= subjectWho= subject
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6. Relative PronounsRelative Pronouns
WHOWHO
Refers to people and is used asRefers to people and is used as
object in the subordinate clauseobject in the subordinate clause
The ladyThe lady whowho I met at the party was my mentor.I met at the party was my mentor.
Who= objectWho= object
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7. Relative PronounsRelative Pronouns
WHOMWHOM
Refers to people, usedRefers to people, used
as object or object ofas object or object of
prepositionpreposition
(Formal grammar(Formal grammar
recommendsrecommends whomwhom,,
not who, in the objectnot who, in the object
positionposition))
Sally,Sally, who(m)who(m) he knew,he knew,
arrived yesterday.arrived yesterday.
(Relative pronoun as the(Relative pronoun as the
object ofobject of the clause)the clause)
The student ofThe student of whomwhom hehe
spoke was a foreigner.spoke was a foreigner.
(Relative pronoun as the(Relative pronoun as the
object of a prepositionobject of a preposition))
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8. Relative PronounsRelative Pronouns
WHICHWHICH
Refers to things, animalsRefers to things, animals
and is used as object orand is used as object or
subject in the clausesubject in the clause
The watchThe watch whichwhich KenKen
bought was expensive.bought was expensive.
The lionThe lion thatthat escaped lastescaped last
night was captured.night was captured.
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9. Relative PronounsRelative Pronouns
THATTHAT
It replaces WHO andIt replaces WHO and
WHICH when these areWHICH when these are
object or subject in theobject or subject in the
clause.clause.
That can only be used inThat can only be used in
defining relative clauses.defining relative clauses.
The watchThe watch which/thatwhich/that KenKen
bought was expensive.bought was expensive.
The lionThe lion whichwhich//thatthat escapedescaped
last night was captured.last night was captured.
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10. Relative PronounsRelative Pronouns
WHOSEWHOSE
Refers toRefers to
possession/ownershippossession/ownership
It cannot be replaced byIt cannot be replaced by
THAT.THAT.
The fatherThe father whosewhose childchild
is missing is frantic!is missing is frantic!
The companyThe company whosewhose
manager has resigned ismanager has resigned is
in dire straits.in dire straits.
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11. Relative adverbsRelative adverbs
WHENWHEN
Refers to aRefers to a timetime (in +(in +
year, in + month, on +year, in + month, on +
day,...).day,...).
It cannot be a subject.It cannot be a subject.
It can be omittedIt can be omitted
I will never forget the dayI will never forget the day
whenwhen I graduated.I graduated.
I will never forget the dayI will never forget the day onon
whichwhich I graduated.I graduated.
I will never forget the dayI will never forget the day
thatthat I graduated.I graduated.
I will never forget the dayI will never forget the day
I graduated.I graduated.
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12. Relative adverbsRelative adverbs
WHEREWHERE
Refers to aRefers to a placeplace (in(in
+ country, in + city, at+ country, in + city, at
+ school,...).+ school,...).
It cannot be aIt cannot be a
subject.subject.
 It can be omittedIt can be omitted
but abut a prepositionpreposition (at,(at,
in, to) usually must bein, to) usually must be
addedadded..
The houseThe house wherewhere hehe
stays isstays is old .old .
The houseThe house in whichin which hehe
stays isstays is old.old.
The houseThe house whichwhich hehe staysstays
inin isis old.old.
The houseThe house thatthat he stayshe stays
inin is old.is old.
The house he staysThe house he stays inin isis
old.old.
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13. Relative adverbsRelative adverbs
WHYWHY
Refers to reasonRefers to reason
It can be omittedIt can be omitted
I donI don’’t knowt know whywhy
he winked.he winked.
I donI don’’t know thet know the
reasonreason whywhy hehe
winked.winked.
I donI don’’t know thet know the
reason he winked.reason he winked.
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14. 1414
Defining Clauses Non-defining Clauses
are necessary for
identification—tell exactly
which thing or person
are interesting with extra
information -but don’t
identify or tell “which one”
DO NOT have commas
around clause
ALWAYS have commas
around clause
Also known as identifying or
restrictive clauses
Also known as non-
identifying or non-
restrictive clauses
RELATIVE CLAUSES: TYPES

15. Defining Relative ClausesDefining Relative Clauses
The soccer playerThe soccer player who scored the goalwho scored the goal
is from Liverpool.is from Liverpool.
The girlThe girl that borrows my bookthat borrows my book
is my cousin.is my cousin.
The districtThe district where I livewhere I live is near theis near the
post office.post office.
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16. 1616
- Relative pronouns /adverbs cannot be omitted if they are the
subject in the subordinate clause.
The man WHO /THAT came yesterday was an actor.
It’s possible to use THAT instead of WHO.
- However, when the pronoun or adverb is the object in the clause
these can be omitted.
The man ( WHOM/THAT/WHO) I met at the party told me that.
The house (WHICH/THAT) we bought is very old.
Note: WHOSE can never be dropped.

17. Non- defining Relative ClausesNon- defining Relative Clauses
Ms. TanMs. Tan, who is my English tutor,, who is my English tutor, went to Korea last winter.went to Korea last winter.
My dogMy dog, which is barking,, which is barking, is in the backyard.is in the backyard.
William decided to reject the offerWilliam decided to reject the offer, which upset his manager., which upset his manager.
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18. Non- defining Relative ClausesNon- defining Relative Clauses
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MAIN FEATURES:
-Between commas
-THAT is not allowed
-The relative pronoun cannot be omitted
-It’s less frequent than defining relative clauses. It is
more formal and commonly used in written texts.

19. 1919
RELATIVE CLAUSES
DEFINING NON-DEFINING
They give us essential information
The information given is not essential,
it can be omitted.
PRONOUNS
PRONOUNS
WHO WHICH
WHOSE WHEN
WHERE
WHO/THAT WHICH/THAT
WHOSE
WHERE /THAT WHEN/THAT
WHOM

20. 1. My brother who lives in Bukit Timah is an accountant.1. My brother who lives in Bukit Timah is an accountant.
This sentence suggests that I have more thanThis sentence suggests that I have more than
one brother.one brother. ““Who lives in Bukit TimahWho lives in Bukit Timah”” identifiesidentifies
thisthis brother, not the one who lives in Clementi.brother, not the one who lives in Clementi.
2. My brother, who lives in Bukit Timah, is an accountant.2. My brother, who lives in Bukit Timah, is an accountant.
This sentence suggests that I only have one brother,This sentence suggests that I only have one brother,
““who lives in Bukit Timahwho lives in Bukit Timah””..
2020