1. Non-Defining Relative Clauses
Grammar for Graduate Students
Lecture 1
Grammar for Graduate Students
Lecture 1
Non-Defining Relative Clauses
Grammar for Graduate Students Lecture 2
Grammar for Graduate Students
Lecture 1

2. Non-Defining Relative Clauses2
Non-Defining Relative Clauses
The boy who lives next door is having a party tonight
The underlined defining relative clause tells us which boy is being talked about.
No commas before and after the relative clause
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Grammar for Graduate Students
:Lecture 1

3. Non-Defining Relative Clauses2
Non-Defining Relative Clauses
Alex, who lives next door, is having a party tonight.
The underlined non-defining relative clause: no indication who is been referred to, it just provides extra information.
Commas before and after the relative clause.
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4. Non-Defining Relative Clauses2
Non-Defining Relative Clauses
Position: in the middle or at the end of the sentence but it follows the word that it defines.
Mike, who is her boyfriend, is late.
Thailand, which is in Asia, is beautiful.
This is the girl, who I like.
Prof. Jones, whom we hate, gave us a ‘D’.
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5. Non-Defining Relative Clauses2
Non-Defining Relative Clauses
Subject relative pronouns:
This is my friend Roberto, who lives in Milan .
Who/whom functions as the subject of the verb live.
Mike’s car, which is only six weeks old, broke down last night .
Which functions as the subject of the verb break down.
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6. Non-Defining Relative Clauses2
Non-Defining Relative Clauses
Object relative pronouns:
The girl next door, who/whom I met for the first time today, is cute.
Who/whom functions as the object of the verb met.
who is common in spoken English
whom formal, usually only in written English. (verbally: antiquated)
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7. Non-Defining Relative Clauses2
Non-Defining Relative Clauses
Relative pronouns: object of a preposition
That book about the first World War, which I finished last week, was really interesting.
object (which) of non-defining relative clause cannot be omitted!
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8. Non-Defining Relative Clauses2
Non-Defining Relative Clauses
Object of a preposition:
a ) Mrs. Campbell, who/whom we are so fond of, retires next month.
b ) Mrs. Campbell, of whom we are so fond , retires next month.
Who/whom in a) & whom in b) functions as the object of the preposition of.
Note: preposition before relative pronoun: whom only.
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9. Non-Defining Relative Clauses2
Non-Defining Relative Clauses
Object of a preposition:
a ) The new airport, which there has been so much discussion about, opens next month.
b ) The new airport, about which there has been so much discussion, opens next month.
Which functions as the object of the preposition about.
a ) less formal / b ) formal / written English
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10. Non-Defining Relative Clauses2
Non-Defining Relative Clauses
Object of a preposition:
a ) The new airport, which there has been so much discussion about, opens next month.
b ) The new airport, about which there has been so much discussion, opens next month.
Which functions as the object of the preposition about.
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11. Non-Defining Relative Clauses2
Non-Defining Relative Clauses
Possessive relative pronoun:
Mrs. Lovelace, whose husband died last year, lost her job.
Whose husband functions as the subject of the verb died.
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12. Non-Defining Relative Clauses2
Non-Defining Relative Clauses
Possessive relative pronoun:
This our son, whose friends you will be meeting.
Whose friends functions as object of the verb meeting.
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13. Non-Defining Relative Clauses2
Non-Defining Relative Clauses
Possessive relative pronoun:
a ) We hope for a visit of Mr. Goodlove , whose support we so much depend on. (common)
b ) We hope for a visit of Mr. Goodlove, on whose support we so much depend. (formal)
Whose support functions as object of the preposition on.
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14. Non-Defining Relative Clauses2
Non-Defining Relative Clauses
Summary:
for people
For objects
For possession
Subject
who
which
whose
object
who/whom
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15. Non-Defining Relative Clauses2
Non-Defining Relative Clauses
Note:
Mrs. Roberts, whose job was in this department, has just been appointed Director. (formal)
Mrs. Roberts has just been appointed director. Do you remember? Her first job was in this department. (informal)
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