| Relative Clause |
| Relative Clause is also called Adverbial Clause. Technically, it can be classified into 2 types. Defining Relative Clause or Restrictive Relative Clause Non-Defining Relative Clause or Non-Restrictive Relative Clause |
| Defining Relative Clause |
| -defining noun(s) they describe. -it's important to the meaning of the whole sentence, therefore, it cannot be deleted. -no comma between the main clause and the relative clause. |
| Non-Defining Relative Clause |
| -defining noun(s)/sentence they describe. -giving extra information which is not too important to the meaning of the whole sentence. -comma is put between the main clause and the relative clause. |
| SOMETHING IMPORTANT If the information is already known before, the writer would use non-defining relative clause because it can be deleted without the loss of meaning of the whole sentence. That is to say, defining relative clause is an important information which shouldn't be deleted. Example Visitors, who knew about SARS, kept away from Hongkongers. Visitors who knew about SARS kept away from Hongkongers. The first sentence is a non-defining relative clause while the second one is a defining relative clause. In the frist sentence, all the visitors have already known about the SARS. Therefore, they kept away from Hongkongers. The sentence, "who knew about SARS", is redundant since the writer assumed all the readers knew. The use of it is to remind readers of it. In the second sentence, only those who knew about SARS kept away from Hongkongers. It shows that there were some of the visitors didn't know about it. And therefore, they didn't keep away from HongKongers. So, it's very important to the meaning of the whole sentence. |
| Relative Pronouns |
| -linking the main clause and the relative clause -placed in front of the relative clause -They are: Who, Whom, Whose, Which, That . . . . (There are also Why, What, When, and Where. But i'll just focus on the above 5 relative pronouns.) |
| Who / Whom |
| Combining 2 subjects Paul is smart. Paul has a girl friend. Paul who has a girl friend is smart. **In the relative clause, "who has a girl friend", "who" is the subject of the relative clause. (who has a girl friend) Combining 2 objects I play with Mary. John lkes Mary. I play with Mary who/whom John likes. **In the relative clause, "who/whom John likes", "who/whom" is the object of the relative clause. (John likes who/whom) Combining a subject and an object. I beated Tom. Tom is my friend's brother. I beated Tom who is my friend's brother. **In the relative clause, "who is my friend's brother", "who" is the subject of the relative clause. (who is my........) |
| -for people -"who" is used when it is the subject/object of the relative clause. e.g. i saw John who May liked. i saw John who liked May. -"whom" is used when it is the object of the relative clause. e.g. i saw John whom May liked. -"whom" is also used when it is with preposition. e.g. i saw John to whom May responded. -"who" and "whom" can both be used in defining and non-defining relative clause. -"who" and "whom" can be omitted when they are the object of the relatives. e.g. The artist ( ) I like most is Tom. |
| Whose |
| -"'s", possession of people (It can be used for things, but not commonly used.) -used in both defining and non-defining relative clause. -unlike other pronouns, "whose" cannot be omitted. -ususally replaced by "of which" when in formal writing. |
| Examples That man whose wife is pretty is a murderer. |
| Which / That |
| -for things ("that" can also sometimes be used for people.) -"which" can be used in both defining and non-defining relative clause. "that" can ONLY be used in defining relative clause. -"which" can be used with preposition "that" CANNOT be used with preposition -"which" and "that" can also be omitted when they are the object of the relative clause. |
| Combining 2 subjects The ball is expensive. The ball is small. The ball which/that is small is expensive. Combining 2 objects i bought a ball. Mum likes the ball so much. i bought a ball which/that Mum likes so much. Combining a subject and a object i played the TV-game. The TV-game is my favourite.. i played the TV-game which/that is my favourite. Non-defining relative clause The disease, which took tens of thousands of people's lives, spread through the world. |
| "Which" can also be used like this: May married to Tom, which amazed us. ("which" describes the whole sentence,"May married to Tom".) This is called connective relative clause. |
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