Relative Clauses

Relative Clauses

1. Defining Relative Clauses

   • used to specify or identify which person or thing we mean (no comma)
     • Functioning as SUBJECT of the clause (subject relative pronoun)
       • who
         • that
           • which
             • We've found a shop which/that sells old records.
         • We have a friend who (that) owns a snake.
     • Functioning as OBJECT of the clause (object relative pronoun)
       • who/whom (formal)
         • that
           • which
             • zero relative pronoun
             • The food (that) we had to eat was horrible.
         • The person who/whom you met was the Chairman.

2. THAT used as a subject or object after:

   • Impersonal pronouns (anything, something, nothing, which)
     • I am ready for anything that will happen (sub. rel. pro.)
     • He has done something (that) I find unacceptable (obj. rel. pro.)
     • BUT: Anybody who is interested...
     • Superlatives
       • She's one of the kindest people (that) I know./ It's the silliest argument ever.
       • 'which' not possible here, 'who(m)' is if we are ref. to people
   • Quantifiers (all, little, much, none, a lot) used as nouns
     • 'who' when ref. people
       • All who saw her were impressed.
     • 'that' when ref. objects, etc.
       • That is all that should be said.

3. Prepositions in relative clauses

   • the preposition usually comes at the end of the clause
   • if the preposition comes before the pronoun only 'whom' is possible
     • we cannot use 'that' after prepositions
       • I don't remember the house in which we were staying.
     • This is the friend about whom I was telling you.

4. Whose

   • a possessive rel. pro.
   • appears in both types of clauses
     • ref. to both people and objects
       • can never be ommited
   • is followed by a noun
     • whose + noun = noun + of which (objects)
       • It's a company whose products are well-known.
         • It's a company, the products of which are well-known.
     • whose + noun = noun + of whom (people)

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