Scribd
Upload
132 views5 pages

Relatives Clauses

This document discusses relative pronouns and their usage. Relative pronouns introduce adjective or relative clauses that provide descriptive information about a noun. They include who, whom, whose, which, that and occasionally when and where. Relative clauses can be either defining or non-defining. Defining clauses are essential to the meaning of the sentence, while non-defining clauses provide extra information and are set off by commas. The proper choice of relative pronoun depends on whether the antecedent is a person or object.

Uploaded by

Daniela Ramirez Rey
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
132 views5 pages

Relatives Clauses

This document discusses relative pronouns and their usage. Relative pronouns introduce adjective or relative clauses that provide descriptive information about a noun. They include who, whom, whose, which, that and occasionally when and where. Relative clauses can be either defining or non-defining. Defining clauses are essential to the meaning of the sentence, while non-defining clauses provide extra information and are set off by commas. The proper choice of relative pronoun depends on whether the antecedent is a person or object.

Uploaded by

Daniela Ramirez Rey
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 5

Using Relative Pronouns

Relative pronouns are placed directly after the noun or pronoun they modify. For example:

 The driver who ran the stop sign was careless.


 The children, whom we love dearly, need better educations.
 Never go to a doctor whose office plants have died. (Erma Bombeck)
 I have a friend whose cat is annoying.
 The book, which is now out of print, has all the information you need.
 This is the book that everyone is talking about.

In each example above, the subject of the sentence is described by a relative clause (italicized). As these clauses describe a noun or a

pronoun, they are also known as adjective clauses, because they act like adjectives in the sentence. Each clause is introduced by a

relative pronoun (in bold). Relative pronouns connect the description to the rest of the sentence in an orderly way.

Occasionally, the relative adverbs "when" and "where" are also used as relative pronouns. For example:

 Grandma remembers a time when radio shows were popular.


 I want to visit the island where my grandma was born.

In these cases, "when" and "where" introduce clauses that describe a noun the refers to a time or place, making them work as relative

pronouns in these sentences.

Defining vs. Non-Defining Relative Clauses

When relative pronouns are used to add descriptive information, that information is either defining or non-defining. A defining clause -

also known as a restrictive clause - gives essential information about the noun in question. It is so important that it cannot be cut out of

the sentence and still convey the intended meaning. For example:

 This is the dog that was hit by a car.


 I don't like people who interrupt me.

In both cases, the italicized clauses contain critical information. You can tell because if you cut out the clause, the sentence's meaning is

fundamentally different. For example, saying "I don't like people" is very different from saying "I don't like people who interrupt me."

Note that defining clauses require no additional punctuation.


On the other hand, non-defining clauses add information that's nice to have but isn't essential to the sentence's overall meaning. They

could be deleted and the sentence would convey basically the same information. For example:

 This painting, which I adore, is worth over a million dollars.


 The teacher, who was about to retire, began writing her memoirs.

In both cases, you could cut out the non-defining clause and still understand the point of the sentence. The important part is that the

paint is worth a million dollars; the fact that it is adored is merely nice to know.

Note that non-defining clauses are set apart from the main sentence by commas, which help to indicate its less important status in the

sentence.

A Note About Who, That, and Which

One of the most common mistakes in writing is to use the wrong relative pronoun, particularly when it comes to mixing up "who" and

"that." "Who" is always used to set up a relative clause that describes a person, while "that" is used to describe an object or another

non-human being. For example:

 I like the girl who runs fast.


 I like the dog that does tricks
 I like the clock that chimes the hour.

Another common error is to mix up that and which. When describing objects and non-human beings, "that" is used to introduce a

defining relative clause, while "which" is used to introduce a non-defining clause. For example:
 The cat, which is very old, took a nap.
 The cat that is very old needs to see the vet today.

The relative pronoun "which" is used for non-essential information set off by commas; "that" is used for essential information and

requires no additional punctuation.

When it comes to people, however, you don't have to worry about confusing "which" or "that." You always use "who:"

 The woman, who is very old, took a nap.


 The woman who is very old needs to see the doctor today.

You might also like

pFad - Phonifier reborn

Pfad - The Proxy pFad of © 2024 Garber Painting. All rights reserved.

Note: This service is not intended for secure transactions such as banking, social media, email, or purchasing. Use at your own risk. We assume no liability whatsoever for broken pages.


Alternative Proxies:

Alternative Proxy

pFad Proxy

pFad v3 Proxy

pFad v4 Proxy