Grammar Practice 1
Handout 6
Relative clauses
A relative clause begins with a relative pronoun or a relative adverb.
RELATIVE PRONOUNS RELATIVE ADVERBS
who, whom, whose, that which, whose, that when, where
typically refer to people typically refer to animals and objects refer to a time or a place
A relative pronoun can be the subject or the object of its own relative clause.
SUBJECT RELATIVE PRONOUN EXAMPLES
WHO, WHICH, THAT We don’t know the woman who donated this money.
We got on the first bus that came.
OBJECT RELATIVE PRONOUN EXAMPLES
WHO, WHOM, WHICH, THAT, Ø The woman who I saw yesterday was Sheila.
We got on the first bus that we saw.
I. Subject or Object?
1. The young man who lives on the corner rides on a motorbike.
2. It’s the same actor who we saw at the theatre.
3. I loved the card that you sent.
4. I have a friend who lives in London.
5. The person whom you met wasn’t Michael.
6. Our new boss, who seems to be nice, has said nothing about Mr Bell, whom he replaced.
II. Relative pronouns: who or which?
Pronouns: Used for:
who people, animals
which objects, animals
1. Who was standing in the corner reminded me of someone I knew.
The girl _______
2. The table _______
which was standing in the corner was reserved.
3. which is the most fascinating machine in existence.
Learn more about structures and systems of the human body, _______
focus on the group a whole
4. The committeewhich
_____ was responsible for the decision was disbanded. singular verb , pronoun which
5. who were responsible for the decision resigned. focus
The committee _____ on the members of a group
individuals plural verb , pronoun who
6. She thanked me for saving the life of their beloved dog which
_____ was now prancing around with the children as though
nothing had happened.
7. Another dog which
_____ can prove difficult to train is the Chow Chow.
8. The christian which
_____ we threw to the lions was as tough as old boots. (uttered by a Roman guard who despised christians
or the christian was dead before being thrown to the lions) which dehumanization
9. The tree which
_____ we saw in the magic forest said: ‘Hello.’ (in a ‘fairy story’ context)
1
, Grammar Practice 1
Handout 6
• The relative clause gives more information about the noun phrase it postmodifies. The postmodified noun phrase is called
the antecedent of the relative clause.
• If a relative clause modifies the whole independent clause, it comes at the end of the sentence and is separated from the
independent clause with a comma. The relative pronoun is always which.
III. Identify the antecedents of relative pronouns in the following relative clauses.
1. We were taken every week to the theatre, at which new plays were constantly being produced.
2. We were taken every week to the theatre, which was a great delight to us. AMBIGIOUS
3. We went to the theatre every week, which was our one relaxation.
4. The singer gave five encores, for which he received enthusiastic applause. AMBIGIOUS
5. He gave five encores, all of which were quite new to the audience.
6. He gave five encores, which was a very generous acknowledgement of the welcome he had received.
7. The climbers spent two nights on the mountainside, which was swept by biting winds.
8. They spent two nights on the mountainside, which was an ordeal for the hardiest of them.
IV. Defining/Restrictive and non-defining/non-restrictive relative clauses:
proper name have unique reference
1 a) The professor who teaches Chemistry 101 is an excellent lecturer. R serves the purpose of identification restrictive
1 b) Professor Wilson, who teaches Chemistry 101, is an excellent lecturer. NR
2 a) We took some children on a picnic. The children, who wanted to play soccer, ran to an open field as soon as we arrived at the
park. NR all children ran
2 b) We took some children on a picnic. The children who wanted to play soccer ran to an open field as soon as we arrived at the
park. The others played a different game. R only part of the children
IDENTIFYING DATA Relative clauses ADDITIONAL DATA
defining/restrictive non-defining/non-restrictive
- identify the intended reference of the head noun; - the reference of head nouns has either been previously
additionally, the clause may add new information about the identified or is assumed to be already known; the clause is
head noun an independent unit that adds elaborating, descriptive
information which is not required to identify the head
non restrictive relative clauses are usually separated from the head noun by a comma; in spoken language
In writing, ...............................
-
intonation and pauses serve the same function.
V. Choose the correct explanation.
1) The teacher thanked the students, who had given her flowers. B
2) The teacher thanked the students who had given her flowers. A
(a) The flowers were from only some of the students.
(b) The flowers were from all of the students.
3) There was a terrible flood. The villagers, who had received a warning of the impending flood, escaped to safety. B
4) There was a terrible flood. The villagers who had received a warning of the impending flood escaped to safety. A
(a) Only some of the villagers had been warned; only some escaped.
(b) All of the villagers had been warned; all escaped.
2
Handout 6
Relative clauses
A relative clause begins with a relative pronoun or a relative adverb.
RELATIVE PRONOUNS RELATIVE ADVERBS
who, whom, whose, that which, whose, that when, where
typically refer to people typically refer to animals and objects refer to a time or a place
A relative pronoun can be the subject or the object of its own relative clause.
SUBJECT RELATIVE PRONOUN EXAMPLES
WHO, WHICH, THAT We don’t know the woman who donated this money.
We got on the first bus that came.
OBJECT RELATIVE PRONOUN EXAMPLES
WHO, WHOM, WHICH, THAT, Ø The woman who I saw yesterday was Sheila.
We got on the first bus that we saw.
I. Subject or Object?
1. The young man who lives on the corner rides on a motorbike.
2. It’s the same actor who we saw at the theatre.
3. I loved the card that you sent.
4. I have a friend who lives in London.
5. The person whom you met wasn’t Michael.
6. Our new boss, who seems to be nice, has said nothing about Mr Bell, whom he replaced.
II. Relative pronouns: who or which?
Pronouns: Used for:
who people, animals
which objects, animals
1. Who was standing in the corner reminded me of someone I knew.
The girl _______
2. The table _______
which was standing in the corner was reserved.
3. which is the most fascinating machine in existence.
Learn more about structures and systems of the human body, _______
focus on the group a whole
4. The committeewhich
_____ was responsible for the decision was disbanded. singular verb , pronoun which
5. who were responsible for the decision resigned. focus
The committee _____ on the members of a group
individuals plural verb , pronoun who
6. She thanked me for saving the life of their beloved dog which
_____ was now prancing around with the children as though
nothing had happened.
7. Another dog which
_____ can prove difficult to train is the Chow Chow.
8. The christian which
_____ we threw to the lions was as tough as old boots. (uttered by a Roman guard who despised christians
or the christian was dead before being thrown to the lions) which dehumanization
9. The tree which
_____ we saw in the magic forest said: ‘Hello.’ (in a ‘fairy story’ context)
1
, Grammar Practice 1
Handout 6
• The relative clause gives more information about the noun phrase it postmodifies. The postmodified noun phrase is called
the antecedent of the relative clause.
• If a relative clause modifies the whole independent clause, it comes at the end of the sentence and is separated from the
independent clause with a comma. The relative pronoun is always which.
III. Identify the antecedents of relative pronouns in the following relative clauses.
1. We were taken every week to the theatre, at which new plays were constantly being produced.
2. We were taken every week to the theatre, which was a great delight to us. AMBIGIOUS
3. We went to the theatre every week, which was our one relaxation.
4. The singer gave five encores, for which he received enthusiastic applause. AMBIGIOUS
5. He gave five encores, all of which were quite new to the audience.
6. He gave five encores, which was a very generous acknowledgement of the welcome he had received.
7. The climbers spent two nights on the mountainside, which was swept by biting winds.
8. They spent two nights on the mountainside, which was an ordeal for the hardiest of them.
IV. Defining/Restrictive and non-defining/non-restrictive relative clauses:
proper name have unique reference
1 a) The professor who teaches Chemistry 101 is an excellent lecturer. R serves the purpose of identification restrictive
1 b) Professor Wilson, who teaches Chemistry 101, is an excellent lecturer. NR
2 a) We took some children on a picnic. The children, who wanted to play soccer, ran to an open field as soon as we arrived at the
park. NR all children ran
2 b) We took some children on a picnic. The children who wanted to play soccer ran to an open field as soon as we arrived at the
park. The others played a different game. R only part of the children
IDENTIFYING DATA Relative clauses ADDITIONAL DATA
defining/restrictive non-defining/non-restrictive
- identify the intended reference of the head noun; - the reference of head nouns has either been previously
additionally, the clause may add new information about the identified or is assumed to be already known; the clause is
head noun an independent unit that adds elaborating, descriptive
information which is not required to identify the head
non restrictive relative clauses are usually separated from the head noun by a comma; in spoken language
In writing, ...............................
-
intonation and pauses serve the same function.
V. Choose the correct explanation.
1) The teacher thanked the students, who had given her flowers. B
2) The teacher thanked the students who had given her flowers. A
(a) The flowers were from only some of the students.
(b) The flowers were from all of the students.
3) There was a terrible flood. The villagers, who had received a warning of the impending flood, escaped to safety. B
4) There was a terrible flood. The villagers who had received a warning of the impending flood escaped to safety. A
(a) Only some of the villagers had been warned; only some escaped.
(b) All of the villagers had been warned; all escaped.
2
