RELATIVE SENTENCES

What’s a relative clause?

 A subordinate clause depending on a main clause
 THE ANTECEDENT is a word that belongs to the
main clause. It is the person, object, place, etc. the
relative clause refers to.
 THE RELATIVE CLAUSE always follows its
antecedent.
 A RELATIVE PRONOUN joins the antecedent to
the relative clause.
Types of Relative clauses

Defining Relative Clauses

Non-defining Relative clauses

Defining Relative Clauses
• They specify the person, object, time or place we are
talking about.
• These sentences are introduced by relative pronouns:
• WHO or THAT, if the relative sentence refers to people
• WHICH or THAT, if the relative sentence refers to
things
• WHOSE for possession
• WHEN for days, months, years...
• WHERE for places.
Defining Relative Clause
 COMMON FEATURES
 Who, which, that (and sometimes when and where) can be
omitted (to make a contact clause) if they do not act as
subjects of the relative sentence.
 They are necessary to understand the antecedent
 They are never placed between commas
 When the relative pronoun goes with a preposition we
normally omit it and place the preposition at the end of the
relative clause.
 If the relative is that, even it is not omitted, the preposition goes
to the end.
Non-Defining Relative Clause
 They add information about the antecedent.
 These sentences are introduced by relative
pronouns:
 WHO, if the relative sentence refers to people
 WHICH, if the relative sentence refers to things
 WHOSE for possession
 WHEN for days, months, years...
 WHERE for places.
Non-Defining Relative Clause
 COMMON FEATURES
 The relative pronoun can never be omitted.
 They are not necessary to understand the
antecedent.
 They are always placed between commas.
Remember
Defining Relative
 No commas
 Omit the relative pronoun
except when SUBJECT
Non-Defining Relative
 Between commas
 No omission

Relative Pronouns
WHO: refers to people
WHICH: refers to things
WHOSE: for possession
WHEN: for time
WHERE : for places.
WHAT: (o que)
Examples
 The lessons which she liked better were those
...............she learned from others
 That was the subject ............. I was talking about
 I could not understand ......... they wanted to know.
 This is exactly ............ I wanted to find out.
 My brother was the man ............ was here a
moment ago.
 My brother,……… was here a moment ago, has
written you a letter.
More examples
 The Constitution ……… Spain voted in 1978 was
not real until 1981, after the 23rd February
 Arrau, the well-known pianist, ......... everybody
admires, will play here soon.
 I personally know that author ......... books give us
so much pleasure.
 This is the bed .......... Queen Elizabeth slept in.
 John is the boy ....... was rude to this lady.
 This is the lady ......... John was rude to.