Grammar
Relative clauses
Restrictive relative clauses are used to define what we are talking about, they give
essential information.
The contract which we want to negotiate will run for six years.
Non-restrictive relative clauses give extra, non-essential information.
His contract, which he negotiated last week, runs for six years.
Both restrictive and non-restrictive relative clauses use the following relative
pronouns: who, whom, which, whose, where, when, why.
- Restrictive relative clauses
o Have no commas
o Can replace who or which with that
o Can omit who, which or that when they are object of the clause
- Non-restrictive relative clauses
o Use commas
o Do not use that
o Cannot omit the relative pronoun
Whom is used instead of who:
- When preceded by a preposition (the person to whom you are referring …)
- When it is the object of the relative clause, in formal written English
When is a time-relative pronoun, where is a location-relative pronoun
Future: simple and future continuous
Use the future simple (will + infinitive)
- In written English
- To make predictions based on your opinions
- To express a decision made at the moment of speaking
- To make an invitation, a promise or an offer
Use the future continues (will + be + -ing)
- To say that something will be going on at a particular moment in the future
- To talk about a future event that is going on at a specific time
- To talk about a future activity which is the result of a previous arrangement
- To talk about things that will happen anyway
State verbs (seem, be, appear, believe, contain, suppose) are not normally used in the
continuous.
Future: clauses
In time clauses which refer to the future time, use a present tense (after, when, while,
as soon as, until, after, before and as)
I shall retire when I am 67
Use the present simple in time clauses for things which will happen:
- At a particular moment in the future (we will start the meeting when she arrives)
- For the same length of time as something else mentioned in the future (I will
type the report when you do the graphics)
Use the present continuous for something:
Relative clauses
Restrictive relative clauses are used to define what we are talking about, they give
essential information.
The contract which we want to negotiate will run for six years.
Non-restrictive relative clauses give extra, non-essential information.
His contract, which he negotiated last week, runs for six years.
Both restrictive and non-restrictive relative clauses use the following relative
pronouns: who, whom, which, whose, where, when, why.
- Restrictive relative clauses
o Have no commas
o Can replace who or which with that
o Can omit who, which or that when they are object of the clause
- Non-restrictive relative clauses
o Use commas
o Do not use that
o Cannot omit the relative pronoun
Whom is used instead of who:
- When preceded by a preposition (the person to whom you are referring …)
- When it is the object of the relative clause, in formal written English
When is a time-relative pronoun, where is a location-relative pronoun
Future: simple and future continuous
Use the future simple (will + infinitive)
- In written English
- To make predictions based on your opinions
- To express a decision made at the moment of speaking
- To make an invitation, a promise or an offer
Use the future continues (will + be + -ing)
- To say that something will be going on at a particular moment in the future
- To talk about a future event that is going on at a specific time
- To talk about a future activity which is the result of a previous arrangement
- To talk about things that will happen anyway
State verbs (seem, be, appear, believe, contain, suppose) are not normally used in the
continuous.
Future: clauses
In time clauses which refer to the future time, use a present tense (after, when, while,
as soon as, until, after, before and as)
I shall retire when I am 67
Use the present simple in time clauses for things which will happen:
- At a particular moment in the future (we will start the meeting when she arrives)
- For the same length of time as something else mentioned in the future (I will
type the report when you do the graphics)
Use the present continuous for something:
