Relative Clauses

1. Relative Clauses

2. Relative clauses with who/that/which • A clause is a part of a statement. A relative clause tells us which person or thing (or what kind of person or thing) the speaker means. • Who/that is used when we are talking about people. • When we are talking about things, we have to use that/which.

3. Examples • The man who lives next door is very friendly. • Who was the girl that spoke very offensively in the ball? • Everything that happened was not my fault. • The window which was broken has now been repaired.

4. Contact clauses • If a clause is an object relative clause and it is defining, who, that or which is not necessary. • It is not possible to omit who, that or which in a subject relative clause. • The man was feeling ill left early.

5. Examples • Have you seen the dress (which) I bought yesterday? • The woman (who was) injured in the accident was taken to the hospital. • There were some children (who were) swimming in the river.

6. Whose • Whose is used to indicate possession in relative clauses instead of his/her/their.

7. Examples • An orphan means a child whose parents are dead. • She’s the journalist whose article was on the front page of The Times.

8. Where/when/why • Where is used to talk about places. • When is used to indicate time. • We can use why when we are explaining the reason in a relative clause. It is also possible to use that instead or leave out why and that.

9. Examples • I couldn’t understand the reason why they were rude. • I recently went back to the town where I was born. • 1945 was the year when World War II ended.