Grammar: Relative clauses

Relative clauses – it describes or provides information about something or someone that we

have usually already specified.
Example:
I like working with students who participate in the class. (Who ….refers to students)
Her husband died, which was the beginning of her depression. (Which refers to the death of her
husband).
Functions
It helps us to combine clauses without repeating things.
Example1: I tried to help a child. The child was crying.
 I tried to help a child who was crying.
Example 2: I had to translate the whole text. Translating the whole text was difficult for me.
 I had to translate the whole text which was difficult for me.
Example 3: The students were not present in the class. The students missed a quiz.
 The students who were not present in the class missed a quiz.
Types of relative clause
1. Defining relative clause
2. Non- defining relative clause
1. Defining/restrictive relative clause
It:
- Describes the preceding noun in such a way as to distinguish it from other nouns
of the same class.
- Gives priority to the information in relative clause as well as the information in
the main clause.
- Doesn’t take comma when relative clause is used to define or restrict the noun.
- Uses who/whom for people and which for things and that for both.
Example1:

- The man who told me this refused to give me his name. ‘who told me this’ is
relative clause. If we omit this, it is not clear. What man we are talking about?

- The students who don’t prepared well refused to present their assignment.
 - The person who/that was sick was Abebe.
- The virus which/that leads to AIDS are known as HIV.
- The person who/whom/that the reporter met was Chala.
- The person to whom the reporter spoke was Chala.
Relative pronouns used in defining clauses
Subject object possessive

For persons who/that whom/who/that Whose

For things which/that which/that whose/of which

1. Person
a. Subject: who/that
 Who is normally used as a subject of a sentence?
Example: The man who robbed you has been arrested.
The girls who serve in the shop are the owner’s daughter.
But that is a possible alternative after all, everyone, everybody, no one, nobody, etc.
Everybody who/that knew him liked him.
Nobody who/that watched the match will ever forget it.
b. Object: whom/who/that. Who is more formal.
In spoken language we normally use who/that, but that is more usual than who.
Example: The man whom /who/that I saw told me to come back today.
People whose rents have been raised can appeal.
c. Whose: the only possible
Example: People whose rents have been raised can appeal.
2. Defining relative clauses: things
a. Subject- which/that. Which is more formal
Example: This is the picture which/that caused such a sensation.
b. Object- which/that
Example: The car which/that I hired broken down.
c. Possessive: whose + clause or with + phrase
Whose + clause is possible but with + a phrase is more usual.
Example: A house whose walls were made of glass is my uncle.
A house with glass walls is my uncle.
d. Relative adverb: when, where, why
2. Non-defining relative clause:
 Is placed after nouns which are definite already
 Is separated from their noun by comma
 Gives priority or main focus to the information in the main clause, not the
relative clause.
 Is common in formal writing
 Unlike defining relative clause, it is not essential in the sentence and can be
omitted.
Example:
 Getachew, who was infected with AIDS, died in 2012.
 AIDS, which is a killer disease, is the object of development.
 Ephrem, whom/who everyone liked, died in a car accident.

Relative pronouns used in non- defining clause

Subject Object Possessive

For persons Who Whom/who Whose

For things Which Which Whose/of which

a. Person
I. Subject: who (no other pronoun is possible)
Example: My friend, who is very pessimistic, says there will be no apples this year.
Maru, who had been driving all the day, suggested stopping at the next town.
II. Object: who/whom
Whom is more correct?
Example: Peter, whom everyone suspected, turned out to be innocent.
III. Possessive: whose
Example: This is George, whose classmates are clever.
Where do relative clauses come in the sentence?
- Relative clauses usually follow whatever they qualify; they come immediately
after the main clause if they qualify the whole of a clause or the last part of it.
Example:
The bus came at last, which was an enormous relief.
I like working with students who participate in the class.
- They are embedded in the main clause if they qualify the subject.
Example:
People who know several foreign languages make better language teachers.
When do we have to use a relative clause?
 Possessive meaning: whose
Example:
Relative clause may create problems for learners. Their first language is not closely related to
English.
- Relative clause may create problems for learners whose first language is not
closely related to English.
 As a subject of relative clause: who/that/which
The verb in the relative clause needs to have a subject.
Main clause relative clause

Object subject Verb

I tried to help a child _____ Was crying

Child is the object of help, and it can’t function as a subject. We need a relative pronoun to
provide a subject.
- I tried to help a child who/that was crying.
Note: If relative pronoun is the subject of a relative clause, we can’t leave it out. We chose
who/that/which
But we can leave out a relative pronoun or choose when the verb in the relative clause already
has a subject.
Example:
I tried to help a child who/that I found in the street.
Paris is a city (that) we always want to visit.
Bule Hora is a town (that) we always go.
I and we are subjects of relative clause.

Complete the sentences with relative pronouns from the box.

 that when where which who whose why

1. The new movie is about a boy _____________ has lost his parents in a car accident.

2. He is the young man, _____________ wife left him for someone else.

3. The DVD recorder _____________ I bought at this store a few days ago is not working.

4. That's the book _____________ I recommended reading in class.

5. Is this the hotel _____________ you are staying for the tournament?

6. My dad, _____________ travels a lot on business, is in Australia at the moment.

7. It was midnight _____________ the first rescue team arrived at the scene of the accident.

8. There are several reasons _____________ I am not allowed to give you any information.

9. We stayed at the famous Rockstar hotel, _____________ also had an indoor swimming pool.

10. Did you write back to the person _____________ offered you a job?

11. The story is about a young woman _____________ 5-year old son suddenly disappears.

12. The tennis court _____________ they usually play is currently not available.

13. My sister was born at a time _____________ my dad was out of work.

14. Where is the money _____________ I gave you yesterday?

15. That's the man _____________ I spoke to the other day.

16. Mr. Fields, _____________ sister is one of the leading experts in this country, talked about
the dangers of the virus.

17. He didn't tell us _____________ he made such an irresponsible decision.

18. The present _____________ I got from my boyfriend was really fantastic.

19. I have to buy a present for my mother, _____________ birthday is next week.

20. The youth hostel _____________ we stayed last week was really big
Make reported commands from the sentences below!

1. The teacher said, "You can't leave the room!"

The teacher ordered us ______________________________________________ _______
2. Mom told me, "Don't spend too much money on clothes".
Mom warned me____________________________________________________________
3. I said to her, "Speak more slowly!"
I told her __________________________________________________________________
4. The doctor said, "You mustn't eat any sweets."

The doctor forbade me __________________________________________________________

5. Don said, "I won't tell anyone."

Don promised ________________________________________________________________

. 6. Anna said, "I won't help you."

Anna refused __________________________________________________________________

6. Jake said, "You should see a doctor."

Jake advised me _____________________________________________________________

7. I said to the teacher, "Please don't give us any homework."

I begged the teacher ____________________________________________________________

8. I told him, "I will punish you if you don't behave!"

I threatened _____________________________________________________________

9. He said, "It was you who broke the vase!"

He accused me ___________________________________________________.

Reported Statements

Change this direct speech into reported speech:

1. “He works in a bank” She said __________________________________________________

2. “We went out last night”

She told me___________________________________________________________________

3. “I’m coming!” She said _______________________________________________________

4. “I was waiting for the bus when he arrived”

She told me __________________________________________________________________

5. “ I’d never been there before”

She said _____________________________________________________________________________

Reported Questions

Change these direct questions into reported speech:

1. “Where is he?”

She asked me ______________________________________________________________-

2. “What are you doing?”

She asked me _________________________________________________________________-

3. “Why did you go out last night?”

She asked me _________________________________________________________________

4. “Who was that beautiful woman?”

She asked me _______________________________________________________________
5. “How is your mother?”
She asked me ______________________________________________________________

Reported Questions – Answers:

1. She asked me where he was.

2. She asked me what I was doing.

3. She asked me why I went (had gone) out last night.

4. She asked me who that beautiful woman was.

5. She asked me how my mother was.

Reported statements: Answers

1. She said (that) he worked in a bank.

2. She told me (that) they went (had gone) out last night (the night before).

3. She said (that) she was coming.

4. She told me (that) she was waiting for the bus when he arrived.

5. She said (that) she had never been there before.

Answers

1. The teacher ordered us not to leave the room.

2. Mom warned me not to spend too much money on clothes.
3. I told her to speak more slowly.
4. The doctor forbade me to eat any sweets.
5. Don promised not to tell anyone.
6. Jake advised me to see a doctor.
7. I begged the teacher not to give them any homework.
8. I threatened to punish him if he did not behave.
9. He accused me of breaking the vase.