Download relative clauses - Professor Catherine Hatzakos

RELATIVE CLAUSES
● CLAUSE: tells us that there is a subject and a verb (and possibly an object)
● Relative clauses act as adjectives, which means that they describe nouns (ONLY)
● Relative clauses begin with relative pronouns, they are:
WHO
THAT
WHICH
These function as SUBJECTS of a relative clause. Who refers
to people, that refers to people and things, and which refers
only to things.
The teacher called out the names of those students who (or that) were absent.
(Who/That refers to students and is the subject of the relative clause.)
The book that (or which) was left on the table is no longer there.
(That/Which refers to the book and is the subject of the relative clause.)
WHOM
THAT
WHICH
These can function as a DIRECT OBJECT in a relative clause.
Whom refers to people, that refers to people and things, and
which refers only to things.
I think that the gift that (or which) I found will please Samuel.
(That/Which is the object of found and refers to the gift.)
The student whom (or that) they have chosen to be editor of the class newspaper does not
want the job.
(Whom/That refers to the student and is the direct object of have chosen in the relative
clause. In spoken English, who can be used, but not be used in formal, written English.)
ADDITIONAL RELATIVE PRONOUNS AND THEIR USES:
1) Whom, that, and which may be omitted when they function as direct objects if the writer
wishes to do so. (I think the gift I found will please Samuel.)
2) Whom and which can function as the object of a preposition in a relative clause. Whom
refers to people and which refers to things.
The person for whom these plane reservations were made never picked up the
tickets. (Whom is the object of the preposition for and refers to the person)
The history class in which Adela enrolled requires a term paper. (Which is the object of
the preposition in and refers to the history class.)
3) Whose functions as a possessive pronouns in a relative clause and refers to people or things.
The person whose books are on the table will be back soon. (Whose shows that the books
belong to the person.)
4) Relative clauses can also be connected to the nouns they modify with the relative adverbs
when, where, and why.
The restaurant where we ate is only open for dinner.
Tell me the reason why you had so much difficulty with the exam.
I will never forget the time when the teacher got made at us in class.
EXERCISE 1
DIRECTIONS: Fill in the blanks with the correct relative pronoun who, whom, whose, which,
that. In some cases, more than one answer is possible.
1. Mark thanked the tutor
had worked with him for the whole semester.
2. Dr. Ruiz is the professor
semester.
economics course I am planning to take next
3. The person with
I share a locker is over there.
4. The backpack
is on the chair is mine.
5. Portland is a city
residents tend to be environmentally aware.
EXERCISE 2
DIRECTIONS: Combine each of the following sets of sentences into one sentence using a
relative clause.
1. Genetic engineering is a relatively new technology. It is expected to help immensely in
agriculture.
2. The man is a lawyer. I am renting his house.
3. The people were late. We were waiting for them.
4. She borrowed a bicycle. Its tires were slightly flat.
5. Today Michael plans to do the lab experiment. He was unable to do the experiment last
week.
6. The students was asked to make a speech at commencement. The student got the highest
grades in the class.
PROBLEMS MULTILINGUAL STUDENTS ENCOUNTER WITH RELATIVE CLAUSES.
● The relative clause is missing.
Incorrect: Alienation is noticeable among people come from different cultural
backgrounds.
Correct: Alienation is noticeable among people who (or that) come from different
cultural backgrounds.
Incorrect: There are more than one in three marriages will end in divorce.
Correct: There are more than one in three marriages that (or which) will end in
divorce.
● The formation of a relative clause is incorrect because the wrong relative pronoun or
the wrong form of it has been used.
Incorrect: I just met the people who their house I am planning to rent for the
summer.
Correct: I just met the people whose house I am planning to rent for the summer.
Incorrect: Cases have been found that even good students resort to cheating in
college due to competition and the pressure to get good grades.
Correct: Cases have been found in which even good students resort to cheating in
college due to competition and the pressure to get good grades.
● The preposition is missing when needed in a relative clause.
Incorrect: Whenever I get into a situation which it is hard to make a decision, I
try to look at it from different perspectives.
Correct: Whenever I get into a situation in which it is hard to make a decision, I
try to look at it from different perspectives.
● A noun or a pronoun has been unnecessarily repeated in a relative clause.
Incorrect: The people whom I have met them in my class are very friendly.
Correct: The people whom I have met in my class are very friendly.