Relative Clauses - Klasa I i II

How To Use A Relative Clause

Use relative clauses to provide extra information. This information can either define something (defining clause), or provide unnecessary, but interesting, added information (non-defining clause).

Relative clauses can be introduced by:

• a relative pronoun: who (whom), which, that, whose
• no relative pronoun,
• where, why and when instead of a relative pronoun

You need to consider the following when deciding which relative pronoun to use:

• Is the subject or object or possessive of a relative clause?
• Does it refer to a person or an object?
• Is the relative clause a defining or non-defining relative clause?

NOTE: Relative clauses are often used in both spoken and written English. There is a tendency to use non-defining relative clauses mostly in written, rather than in spoken, English.

How To Use A Relative Clause - The Use of Relative Pronouns in Defining Clauses

Relative Pronouns in Defining Relative Clauses

	Person	Object
Subject	who that	which, that
Object	Ø, that, who, whom	Ø, which, that
Possessive	whose	whose, of which

• Relative Pronouns Used As The Subject of Defining Relative Clauses

Example: Children who (that) play with fire are in great danger of harm.
The man who bought all the books by Hemingway has died.

Generally, who and which are more usual in written English whereas that is more usual in speech when referring to things.

• Relative Pronouns Used As The Object of Defining Relative Clauses

Example: That's the boy (Ø , that, who, whom) I invited to the party.
There's the house (Ø, that, which) I'd like to buy.

Relative Pronouns Used As A Possessive In A Defining Relative Clauses

Example: He's the man whose car was stolen last week.
They were sure to visit the town whose location (OR the location of which) was little known.

NOTE: It is preferable to use that (not which) after the following words: all, any(thing), every (thing), few, little, many, much, no(thing), none, some(thing), and after superlatives. When using the pronoun to refer to the object, that can be omitted.

Example: It was everything (that) he had ever wanted.
There were only a few (that) really interested him.

How To Use A Relative Clause

The Use of Relative Pronouns in Non-Defining Relative Clauses

Relative Pronouns in Non-Defining Relative Clauses

	Person	Object
Subject	who	which
Object	who, whom	which
Possessive	whose	whose, of which

• Relative Pronouns Used As The Subject of Non-Defining Relative Clauses

Example: Frank Zappa, who was one of the most creative artists in rock 'n roll, came from California.
Olympia, whose name is taken from the Greek, is the capitol of Washington State.

• Relative Pronouns Used As The Object of Non-Defining Relative Clauses

Example: Frank invited Janet, who (whom) he had met in Japan, to the party.
Peter brought his favorite antique book, which he had found at a flee market, to show his friends.

NOTE That can never be used in non-defining clauses.

• Relative Pronouns Used As A Possessive In Non-Defining Relative Clauses

Example: The singer, whose most recent recording has had much success, signing autographs.
The artist, whose name he could not remember, was one of the best he had ever seen.

NOTES

In non-defining relative clauses, which can be used to refer to an entire clause.

Example: He came for the weekend wearing only some shorts and a t-shirt, which was a stupid thing to do.

After numbers and words like many, most, neither, and some, we use of before whom and which in non-defining relative clauses. Example: Many of those people, most of whom enjoyed their experience, spent at least a year abroad. Dozens of people had been invited, most of whom I knew.