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Relative Clauses

Basics

Learners of English very often make this mistake:

Error Correct form
**We will see [what is it]. We will see [what it is].

The part between [] is a relative clause. These are the basic rules for forming a relative clause:

1. Start with a statement like it is this.

2. Convert one word into a relative: it is what.

3. Move the relative to the start of the clause: what it is.

Remember that the other words in the clause do not change position. Note the following word orders:

Statement: It is this. Basic word order: SV: subject precedes verb.
Polar question: Is it this? Verb and subject have reversed order: VS.
Wh- question: What is it? Verb and subject have reversed order (VS), and the interrogative pronoun is at the start.
Relative clause: We will see [what it is]. Subject and verb are still in the basic order (SV) and the relative pronoun is at the start.

Note: On this page, [] marks the relative clause within a sentence.

The relative clause still has basic SV word order, like the statement. The questions have the reversed VS word order. Don't make the mistake of giving a relative clause the VS word order: this is for questions, not relative clauses.

If we convert a statement to a relative clause and the first word in the statement becomes the relative, then there is no change in the word order.

Statement: He did it.
Relative clause: I know [who did it].

Refined and Colloquial Forms

1. In refined speech, the object (accusative) form of who is whom but in colloquial speech it is who.

Refined: This is [whom I saw].
Colloquial: This is [who I saw].

2. In refined speech, the whole phrase containing the relative moves to the start of the clause. In colloquial speech, only the relative moves.

Refined:
1. Statement: I bought my computer from him.
2. Convert to a relative: I bought my computer from whom.
3. Move phrase containing relative to start: This is the man [from whom I bought my computer].

Colloquial:
1. Statement: I bought my computer from him.
2. Convert to a relative: I bought my computer from who.
3. Move relative to start: This is the man [who I bought my computer from.]

The colloquial form splits the phrase apart. This must seem very strange to many learners. But this form is used by most people in ordinary speech.

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