Relative Clauses English PowerPoint -

Contents- -The use of relative clauses -Defining relative clauses about people -Defining clauses about things -Defining clauses with where, when and why/that -What -Infinitives and participles instead of relative clauses -Non-defining clauses -Which referring to a whole sentence -Relative clauses as a connective -Exercise -Answer

1 The use of relative clauses E.g.I know the boy who is wearing a leather jacket. The novel which you lent me is very interesting. Definition: In the above examples, who is wearing a leather jacket and which you lent me are relative clauses. These clauses tell us which person or thing we mean. They are introduced by such relative pronouns as who, whom, which, that, etc. Relative clauses are of two kinds: defining and non- defining.

2 Defining relative clauses about people These clauses begin with who, whom, whose or that. The information they contain is necessary for us to identify who is being talked about. I) Who, whom and that We use who or that as the subject of the clause. E.g. The old couple who/that live next door seldom have visitors. Compare: The old couple seldom have visitors. The old couple/They live next door.

We use whom or that as the object of the word in the clause. E.g. The boy whom/that we met just now is Hung Hung’s brother. Compare: The boy is Hung Hung’s brother. We met the boy/him just now. Note: In the above examples, who or that can be replaced by who. E.g. The boy who we met just now is Hung Hung’s brother.

Note: As the object of the word in the clause, whom, who or that can be omitted. E.g. The boy we met just now is Hung Hung’s brother. We can also use whom as the object of a preposition, especially in formal English. The girl about whom I told you is here now. Compare:The girl is here now. I told you about the girl/her. The girl (who/that) I told you about is here now.

In informal spoken English, we normally put the preposition at the end of the relative clause and begin the clause with who/that, or leave out the relative pronoun. II) Whose We use whose in relative clauses to talk about possession. I’ve got a friend whose brother is a famous fashion designer. Compare:I’ve got a friend. My friend’s/His brother is a famous fashion designer.

3 Defining clauses about things I ) Defining clauses about things begin with which or that. Did you see the book which/that was on this table this morning? Compare:Did you see the book? The book/lt was on this table this morning. In the above example, which/that is the subject of the clause. Which or that can also be the object of the verb in the clause. In this case which/that can be omitted.

Is this the book (which/that) you bought last week? Compare:Is this the book? You bought the book/it last week. Which can also be the object of a preposition. This is not the book for which I’m looking. Compare:This is not the book. I’m looking for the book /it.

In informal spoken English, we normally put the preposition at the end of the clause and begin the clause with which/ that or leave out the relative pronoun. This is not the book (which/that) I’m looking for. II) Defining clauses about things can also begin with whose, but we usually use of which or a phrase with instead.

When I met him he was reading a book the name of which I’ve forgotten. Compare:When I met him he was reading a book. I’ve forgotten the name of the book. Can you see the building with large windows over there? It’s said to have been built in the 18th century.

4 Defining clauses with where, when and why/that We can use where in relative clauses to talk about places. The hotel where we stayed was very far from the airport. Compare:The hotel at which we stayed was very far from the airport. The hotel we stayed at was very far from the airport. We can use when in relative clauses after the time, the day, the year etc. to talk about when something happened.

Do you remember the day when we first met? Note:We can use that instead of when or leave out the relative pronoun. Do you remember the day (that) we first met? After the word ‘reason’, we can use why or that in relative clauses. We can also leave out why and that. Is there a reason (why/that) you don’t like her?

5 What We can use what to stand for the thing(s) that. Do you believe what he said? Compare: Do you believe everything (that) he said?

6 Infinitives and participles instead of relative clauses I)After first, second, next, last, only and sometimes after a superlative (tallest, most difficult) etc. a to- infinitive is more usual than a relative clause. Who was the last person to leave the classroom yesterday? It was the most important thing to do. We can use a present participle when the verb in the clause expresses a continuous or repeated action. People living in tropical countries usually have dark complexions.

7 Non-defining clauses Non-defining relative clauses do not try to identify which person or thing we mean. We already know which person or thing is meant. We use these clauses to give extra information. My father, who works in a bank, may be able to help you with these forms. Non-defining clauses are separated by commas from the rest of the sentence in written English, often one at the beginning of the clause and the other at the end.

In non-defining clauses we use who, whom for people and which for things, but no that. These relative pronouns cannot be omitted. I’m grateful to Paul, who helped us when we moved house. It was not easy to break up with Paul, whom she had known for years. When we went to Beijing, we visited the Great Wall, which was magnificent. I gave her my telephone number, which she wrote down on her notebook. The blue diamond, which was displayed in a special case, was said to be worth over a million dollars.

In conversation, we often use ‘who’ instead of ‘whom’. It was not easy to break up with Paul, who she had known for years. In formal style, we use the preposition + whom/which to introduce a non-defining clause. In informal style, we often put the preposition at the end of the clause and we use ‘who’ instead of whom. Paul, with whom we were travelling, acted as our guide. Paul, who we were travelling with, acted as our guide. His new car, in which we were travelling, broke down on the way. His new car, which we were travelling in, broke down on the way.

We can also use whose, where and when in non-defining clauses. Paul, whose sister is my classmate, is leaving for Australia tomorrow. We took a no. 75K bus to Bride Pool Waterfalls, where we had a barbecue. That September, when we met, was one of the wettest on record.

8 Which referring to a whole sentence We can use which to stand for a whole sentence, not just a noun that goes before it. Susan failed the test, which surprised us all. Compare: Susan failed the test. This/The fact that she failed the test surprised us all.

9 Relative clauses as connectives Sometimes a relative clause does not describe a person or thing. It just helps to make the story go on further. I met Tom, who told me that Ann had returned to Hong Kong. Compare: I met Tom, and he told me that Ann had returned to Hong Kong.

EXERSISE: Complete these sentences with who,whom,which,that or whose. 1.Mui Wo,________is also known as Silvermine Bay,is named after two former silver mines in a nearby valley. 2.A nurse is a woman _______job is to look after sick people. 3.I ‘ve lost her address,_________I wrote down on a piece of paper. 4.He passed the H.K.C.E.E. with 7 As,____was more than he expected. 5.Belinda ‘s cat,_______she chose from the R.S.P.C.A.,has run away.

Join each pair of sentences with a relative pronoun (who,whom/which,that whose,etc.)Add commas where necessary. 1.Mr and Mrs Smith seemed to enjoy the food. We had dinner with them at a Chinese restaurant last night. _____________________________________________ 2.The car did not stop. It knocked down the boy. _____________________________________________

3.There is someone here. He wants to speak to you. _______________________________________________ 4.This letter has just arrived. It was sent by surface mail. _______________________________________________ 5.The lift plunged ten floors to the ground. There were seventeen workers in the lift. _______________________________________________

Answer 1.Which 2.Whose 3.Which 4. Which 5.Which 1.Mr and Mrs Lee,with whom we dined at a Chinese restaurant last night,seemed to enjoy the food. 2.The car which knocked down the boy did not stop. 3.There is someone here who wants to speak to you. 4.The letter which was spent by surface mail has just arrived. 5.The lift in which seventeen workers plunged ten floors to the ground.