Relative Clause

Relative Clauses in English

Relative clauses are used to provide additional information about a noun without starting a new sentence. They begin with a relative pronoun (who, whom, whose, which, that) or a relative adverb (when, where, why). Relative clauses can be defining (essential information) or non-defining (extra information).

 

Types of Relative Clauses

  1. Defining Relative Clauses
  2. Non-defining Relative Clauses

Defining Relative Clauses

Use: Provide essential information about the noun they modify, specifying which person or thing we are talking about. Without these clauses, the sentence wouldn’t make complete sense.

Relative Pronouns:

  • Who: Refers to people.
  • Whom: Refers to people (more formal, often used in written English).
  • Whose: Shows possession.
  • Which: Refers to animals and things.
  • That: Refers to people, animals, and things (can replace “who” or “which” in defining clauses).

Examples:

  • The man who lives next door is a doctor.
  • The book that I borrowed was fascinating.
  • She’s the woman whose car was stolen.
  • The house which is painted blue belongs to my friend.
  • The person whom I met yesterday is my new neighbor.

Non-defining Relative Clauses

Use: Provide extra information about the noun they modify. This information can be omitted without affecting the sentence’s overall meaning. These clauses are separated by commas.

Relative Pronouns:

  • Who: Refers to people.
  • Whom: Refers to people (more formal, often used in written English).
  • Whose: Shows possession.
  • Which: Refers to animals and things.

Examples:

  • My brother, who is a teacher, lives in New York.
  • The Eiffel Tower, which is in Paris, is very tall.
  • Sarah, whose father is a famous artist, is very talented.
  • The film, which won several awards, was directed by a woman.

Note: In non-defining clauses, “that” cannot be used as a relative pronoun.

Examples of Relative Clauses

  1. Defining:
    • The dog that barked all night belongs to my neighbor.
    • The students who study hard usually get good grades.
    • The cake which she baked was delicious.
  2. Non-defining:
    • Mr. Brown, who is retiring next month, has been a principal for 20 years.
    • The Great Wall of China, which was built over 2,000 years ago, is a famous landmark.
    • Emily, whose brother is in my class, is very friendly.

Remember that the choice of relative pronoun and the appropriate use of commas depend on whether the relative clause is defining or non-defining. Understanding relative clauses is crucial for constructing clear, coherent, and complex sentences in English.

Exercise 1: Fill in the Blanks

Choose the correct relative pronoun to complete the sentences: who, whom, whose, which, that.

  1. The woman ___________ called you is my aunt.
  2. The car ___________ I rented was very fast.
  3. He is the person ___________ everyone likes.
  4. The house ___________ roof is red is mine.
  5. The movie ___________ we watched was thrilling.

Exercise 2: Combine the Sentences Using Relative Clauses

Combine the sentences using the appropriate relative pronoun.

  1. The book is on the table. It belongs to Sarah.
  2. The girl is my cousin. She won the contest.
  3. The artist is famous. His paintings are in the museum.
  4. I met a man. He can speak six languages.
  5. The cake was delicious. She baked it yesterday.

Exercise 3: Identify the Relative Clauses

Identify the relative clauses in the sentences and specify if they are defining or non-defining.

  1. My sister, who is a vegetarian, doesn’t eat meat.
  2. The car that he drives is very expensive.
  3. The park, which is near my house, is very beautiful.
  4. The students who study in this school are very intelligent.
  5. I have a friend whose cat is very cute.

Exercise 1

  1. who
  2. that/which
  3. whom
  4. whose
  5. that/which

Explanation:

  • Use “who” for people.
  • Use “that” or “which” for things.
  • Use “whom” for formal references to people.
  • Use “whose” for possession.

Exercise 2

  1. The book that is on the table belongs to Sarah.
  2. The girl who won the contest is my cousin.
  3. The artist whose paintings are in the museum is famous.
  4. I met a man who can speak six languages.
  5. The cake which/that she baked yesterday was delicious.

Explanation:

  • Use “who” for people.
  • Use “that” or “which” for things.
  • Use “whose” for possession.

Exercise 3

  1. who is a vegetarian (non-defining)
  2. that he drives (defining)
  3. which is near my house (non-defining)
  4. who study in this school (defining)
  5. whose cat is very cute (defining)

Explanation:

  • Non-defining clauses provide extra information and are set off by commas.
  • Defining clauses provide essential information and are not set off by commas.

Summary:

  • Relative Clauses: Used to provide additional information about a noun.
  • Defining Clauses: Essential information, no commas, use “who,” “whom,” “whose,” “which,” “that.”
  • Non-defining Clauses: Extra information, use commas, use “who,” “whom,” “whose,” “which,” (not “that”).
  • Common Errors: Misuse of relative pronouns, incorrect punctuation.

What Are Reduced Relative Clauses?

A reduced relative clause is a shorter version of a relative clause, where some words are omitted, making the sentence more concise without losing meaning. Reduced relative clauses are common in English, especially in written or formal contexts.

 

How Do They Work?

A relative clause typically starts with a relative pronoun like “who,” “which,” or “that,” followed by a verb. For example:

 

  • Full relative clause: “The man who is standing over there is my teacher.”

In this sentence, “who is standing” is the relative clause, describing “the man.”

To reduce the relative clause, you can remove the relative pronoun (“who”) and the auxiliary verb (“is”):

 

  • Reduced relative clause: “The man standing over there is my teacher.”

The sentence is shorter but still means the same thing.

 

Types of Reduced Relative Clauses

  1. Present Participle Reduction (Active Voice):
    • Full relative clause: “The students who are studying in the library are very focused.”
    • Reduced relative clause: “The students studying in the library are very focused.”

Here, “who are studying” is reduced to “studying.”

  1. Past Participle Reduction (Passive Voice):
    • Full relative clause: “The book which was written by George Orwell is famous.”
    • Reduced relative clause: “The book written by George Orwell is famous.”

In this case, “which was written” is reduced to “written.”

  1. To-Infinitive Reduction:
    • Full relative clause: “She is the person who you need to speak to.”
    • Reduced relative clause: “She is the person to speak to.”

“Who you need to speak to” is reduced to “to speak to.”

Why Use Reduced Relative Clauses?

  1. Conciseness: They make sentences shorter and more direct.
  2. Clarity: In some cases, they can make the sentence clearer by removing unnecessary words.
  3. Style: They can create a more formal or polished tone in writing.

Examples in Context

  • Full: “The car that is parked outside belongs to John.”
  • Reduced: “The car parked outside belongs to John.”
  • Full: “The ideas which were discussed at the meeting will be implemented.”
  • Reduced: “The ideas discussed at the meeting will be implemented.”

Practice Exercise

Try converting these full relative clauses into reduced ones:

  1. “The woman who is sitting next to me is my friend.”
  2. “The letter that was sent yesterday hasn’t arrived yet.”

Answers:

  1. “The woman sitting next to me is my friend.”
  2. “The letter sent yesterday hasn’t arrived yet.”

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