INTERMEDIATE LEVEL

by Pili A.M.

Why use relative clauses?

They are used to avoid repeating information and join sentences. The man was Welsch. He won the prize The man (who won the prize) was Welsch.
The relative pronoun follows its antecedent (i.e. the word it refers to) I met him in a shop. My aunt works there I met him in the shop (where my aunt works)

 The relative pronoun can be the subject : The man was Welsch. He won the prize The man (who won the prize) was Welsch.
SUBJECT (IT CANNOT BE OMITTED: WE NEED A SUBJECT)

or the object of the relative clause: This letter is from Ann. You brought it. The letter (which you brought) is from Ann
OBJECT SUBJECT (IT CAN BE OMITTED: WE HAVE ANOTHER SUBJECT)

TWO TYPES OF

1. DEFINING

I like the girl. She works with you I like the girl WHO works with you A camel is an animal. It drinks very little. A camel is an animal WHICH drinks very little.
That's the boy. His bike was stolen yesterday. That's the boy WHOSE bike was stolen yesterday.

 We "define" or specify which girl / animal we are talking about. "THAT" can be used instead of "who" or "which" If the relative pronoun is not the subject of the relative clause, it can be omitted, especially in informal spoken English I like the girl. You met her last week. I like the girl WHO you met last week. I like the girl THAT you met last week. I like the girl you met last week.

2. NON-DEFINING

Mary is Irish. She works with you Mary , WHO works with you , is Irish.

My car is new. It has broken down. My car , WHICH is new , has broken down.

The boss is away. His wife is ill. The boss , WHOSE wife is ill , is away.

 We add EXTRA INFORMATION to the main clause, but this information doesn't clarify or specify which Mary / car / boss we are talking about. The NON-DEFINING relative clause always goes between commas and if this information disappeared, the main clause would mean exactly the same. "THAT" can never be used instead of "who" or "which"

3. when there is a preposition...it is kept!

This is the pen. He signed the book WITH it.
VERY FORMAL:

This is the pen WITH WHICH he signed the book.

MOST FREQUENT:

This is the pen WHICH he signed the book WITH. This is the pen THAT he signed the book WITH.
MOST INFORMAL (SPOKEN):

This is the pen he signed the book WITH.

He is the boss. I used to work FOR him.

VERY FORMAL:

He is the boss FOR WHOM I used to work.

MOST FREQUENT:

He is the boss WHO I used to work FOR. He is the boss THAT I used to work FOR.
MOST INFORMAL (SPOKEN):

He is the boss I used to work FOR.

4. WHAT = the thing(s) which = anything that

Have you got what you need for your holiday? I'm sorry about what happened Can I eat something? Take what you like We use WHAT with a singular verb: What I bought was a bottle of wine After someting, anything, nothing, everything, all, the only thing... we use THAT All that I could do was watch and keep quiet