Grammar unit 3

Grammar unit 3

1. Relative clauses

   • Non-defining Relative Clause
     • A type of relative clause, a non-defining relative clause tells us more about the subject of a sentence, but the information doesn't help to define what we're talking about. The information included in the clause is extra: it's not essential for understanding the sentence.
       • Non-defining relative clauses contain a few main things: a relative pronoun, a verb, plus other optional elements such as the subject of the verb. You should always use commas, hyphens or brackets to separate the non-defining relative clause from the rest of the sentence.
   • Defining relative clauses
     • As the name suggests, defining relative clauses give essential information to define or identify the person or thing we are talking about. Take for example the sentence: Dogs that like cats are very unusual. In this sentence we understand that there are many dogs in the world, but we are only talking about the ones that like cats. The defining relative clause gives us that information.
       • Examples: Children who hate chocolate are uncommon. They live in a house whose roof is full of holes.
   • Preposition in relative clauses
     • There are often prepositions in relative clauses, and a relative pronoun is the object of that preposition. In everyday English, the preposition is normally placed at the end of the relative clause and the pronoun may be included or omitted. In formal English, the preposition is placed before the relative pronoun, and in this case the pronoun cannot be omitted. In the examples below, the pronouns in parentheses can be omitted.

2. Conditionals

   • Zero conditional
     • The zero condition is used to form a sentence where both the condition and the result are true events. The best examples of this type of sentences are those related to scientific arguments.
       • If + Condition (sentence with conjugated verb in present simple) + Result (sentence with conjugated verb in present simple)
   • First conditional
     • The first condition is to propose scenarios that are likely to come true in the future. For this reason, manifest plans are specific conditions.
       • If + Condition (sentence with a conjugated verb in the present simple) + will + Result (sentence with a verb in the infinitive).
   • Second conditional
     • The second condition falls into the realm of hypothetical imaginary scenarios. It is used to give unrealistic ideas to less realistic actions now or in the future.
       • If + Condition (sentence with a conjugated verb in the past simple) + would + Result (sentence with a verb in the infinitive).
   • Third conditional
     • The third condition shows a situation that did not happen in the past. This is the type of sentence most closely related to the Spanish subjunctive.
       • If + Condition (sentence with a conjugated verb in the past perfect) + would have + Result (sentence with a conjugated verb in the past).

3. references

   • www.britishcouncil.org.mx/blog/conditionals
   • (2022). Retrieved 21 January 2022, from https://www.ef.com/wwen/english-resources/english-grammar/preposition-placement-relative-clauses/