RELATIVE PRONOUNSRELATIVE PRONOUNS

WHO WHO WHOM (object)WHOM (object) WHICHWHICH WHOSEWHOSE THATTHAT They introduce relative clauses. They introduce relative clauses. A relative clause tells us which person or A relative clause tells us which person or

thing the speaker means/ refers to.thing the speaker means/ refers to.

Who / that: refer to peopleWho / that: refer to people

Those peopleThose people live next door. live next door. TheyThey have 16 have 16 children.children.

The people The people who /thatwho /that live next door have live next door have 16 children.16 children.

Which / that: refer to thingsWhich / that: refer to things

A turtleA turtle is an animal. is an animal. ItIt lives in the sea. lives in the sea.

A turtle is an animal A turtle is an animal which / thatwhich / that lives in lives in the sea.the sea.

SUBJECT OF RELATIVE SUBJECT OF RELATIVE CLAUSECLAUSE

I know a man. I know a man. HeHe is a lawyer. is a lawyer. I know a man I know a man who / thatwho / that is a lawyer. is a lawyer.

A dog ran away. A dog ran away. A dogA dog is mine. is mine. The dog The dog which /thatwhich /that ran away is mine. ran away is mine.

CAN NEVER BE OMITTEDCAN NEVER BE OMITTED

OBJECT OF RELATIVE OBJECT OF RELATIVE CLAUSECLAUSE

I spoke to I spoke to a mana man. I had met . I had met himhim before. before. I spoke to a man I spoke to a man (whom/who/that/--)(whom/who/that/--)

I had met before.I had met before. That’s the book. I read That’s the book. I read itit last summer. last summer. That’s the book That’s the book (which/that/ --)(which/that/ --) I read I read

last summer.last summer. CAN BE OMITTED IN DEFINING CAN BE OMITTED IN DEFINING

RELATIVE CLAUSES.RELATIVE CLAUSES.

WHOSE=possessive adjectives WHOSE=possessive adjectives with people, objects and with people, objects and

animalsanimals That’s the woman- That’s the woman- herher house caught house caught

fire yesterday.fire yesterday. That’s the woman That’s the woman whosewhose house house

caught fire yesterday.caught fire yesterday. That’s the house- That’s the house- itsits entrance is entrance is

guarded.guarded. That’s the house That’s the house whosewhose entrance is entrance is

guarded.guarded. CAN NEVER BE OMITTEDCAN NEVER BE OMITTED

PREPOSITIONS(usually avoid PREPOSITIONS(usually avoid prep. Before relative pronouns)prep. Before relative pronouns)

That’s the car for which I paid That’s the car for which I paid $2,000. ( more formal)$2,000. ( more formal)

That’s the car which / that I paid That’s the car which / that I paid $2,000 for. (more usual)$2,000 for. (more usual)

That’s the car I paid $2,000 for. That’s the car I paid $2,000 for. (everyday English)(everyday English)

RELATIVE CLAUSESRELATIVE CLAUSES

DEFINING DEFINING RELATIVE CLAUSESRELATIVE CLAUSES

WHOWHO WHOMWHOM WHICHWHICH THATTHAT WHEN, WHEREWHEN, WHERE

NON-DEFINING NON-DEFINING RELATIVE CLAUSESRELATIVE CLAUSES

WHOWHO WHOMWHOM WHICHWHICH WHEN, WHEREWHEN, WHERE

DEFINING RELATIVE DEFINING RELATIVE CLAUSESCLAUSES

Necessary informationNecessary information Essential to the meaning of the main Essential to the meaning of the main

sentencesentence Relative pronouns can be omitted Relative pronouns can be omitted

when they are the object of the when they are the object of the relative clauserelative clause

The relative clause is not put in The relative clause is not put in commascommas

. People are fined. (Which people?). People are fined. (Which people?)

People People who /thatwho /that park illegally are park illegally are fined.fined.

(Which people? Those who park (Which people? Those who park illegally)illegally)

. The film was boring (Which film?). The film was boring (Which film?)

The film The film (which/ that)(which/ that) I watched I watched yesterday was boring.yesterday was boring.

(Which film? The one I watched (Which film? The one I watched yesterday)yesterday)

NON-DEFINING RELATIVE NON-DEFINING RELATIVE CLAUSESCLAUSES

They give extra informationThey give extra information Not essential to the meaning of the Not essential to the meaning of the

sentencesentence RELATIVE PRONOUNS CANNOT BE RELATIVE PRONOUNS CANNOT BE

OMITTEDOMITTED THATTHAT CANNOT BE USED CANNOT BE USED THE RELATIVE CLAUSE IS PUT IN THE RELATIVE CLAUSE IS PUT IN

COMMASCOMMAS

. The Jeffersons live next door.. The Jeffersons live next door.

The Jeffersons, The Jeffersons, whowho own a Jaguar, live next own a Jaguar, live next door.door.

My cat is called Monty.My cat is called Monty.

My cat, My cat, whichwhich I found on the street, is called I found on the street, is called Monty.Monty.

RELATIVE ADVERBSRELATIVE ADVERBS

WHEREWHERE

WHENWHEN

WHY: THE REASON WHYWHY: THE REASON WHY I didn’t get a pay rise – that was the I didn’t get a pay rise – that was the

reason why I left.reason why I left. I didn’t get a pay rise – that was the I didn’t get a pay rise – that was the

reason (that) I left.reason (that) I left.

DEFINING RELATIVE DEFINING RELATIVE CLAUSESCLAUSES

WHERE: refers to WHERE: refers to place, after nouns place, after nouns like: place, house, like: place, house, street, town and street, town and country.country.

The street The street where where we used to play is we used to play is very busy now.very busy now.

The street The street (which(which /that)/that) we we used to play used to play inin is is very busy nowvery busy now

WHEN: refers to WHEN: refers to time, after nouns time, after nouns like: time, period, like: time, period, moment, day…moment, day…

I’ll never forget the I’ll never forget the day when I first day when I first met him.met him.

I’ll never forget the I’ll never forget the day (that) I first day (that) I first met him.met him.

NON-DEFININGNON-DEFINING

WHERE: always WHERE: always after a named after a named place.place.

WHEN: always WHEN: always after a named after a named time.time.

I stopped in Dallas, I stopped in Dallas, where my sister where my sister lives.lives.

Come back at 3:30, Come back at 3:30, when I won’t be when I won’t be busy.busy.