We are waiting for Apu.

Apu is from India.

Same thing in different sentences.

D.O.

Subj

.

We are waiting for Apu,We are waiting for Apu,

Apu is from India.Apu is from India.Apu is from India.Apu is from India.

is fromis from India.India.

Subj

whowho

We are waiting for Apu , is fromIndia.who

We are waiting for Apu, who is from India.

This is the main clause.This is the subordinate clause.

Subordinate/Dependent clause

Its meaning is incomplete if we remove the main clause.

Main /independent clause

If we remove the subordinate clause from the sentence, its meaning is still complete.

The two sentences can be linked into one.We use a relative pronoun to substitute the common item and join the two sentences in one.

LINKING WORDSLINKING WORDS

RELATIVE PRONOUNS

WHO / THAT WHICH / THAT WHOSEPREPOSITION

+ WHOM or

+WHICH(Formal)

LINKING WORDSLINKING WORDS

RELATIVE ADVERBS

WHEN / THAT WHERE WHY / THAT

Two types of relative clauses:Two types of relative clauses:Non-Defining

Extra information about a noun in a sentence

The new Woody Allen film, which I saw last week, is very good.

Use commas Always use a relative

pronoun: who/whom ,which

whose, where, when

Defining

Essential information about a noun in a sentence

You’re the man (that) I saw last week.

No commas Can omit pronoun if it is

not the SUBJECT of the relative clause

That (informal) can replace which / who/ when / why but not where, whose or whom

Defining relative clauses Defining relative clauses = No commas= No commas

A defining relative clause identifies A defining relative clause identifies which which person or thing we meanperson or thing we mean exactly. exactly.

It It cannotcannot be left out of the sentence or the be left out of the sentence or the meaning of the sentence is incompletemeaning of the sentence is incomplete::

It’s the bookIt’s the book that I read yesterdaythat I read yesterday. .

* * It’s the book.It’s the book. (this sentence is (this sentence is incomplete)incomplete)

Defining relative clauses Defining relative clauses = No commas= No commas You can You can omitomit the pronoun if it is the the pronoun if it is the

OBJECT of the relative clause (if there is OBJECT of the relative clause (if there is a a SUBJECTSUBJECT and a and a VERBVERB after the after the relative pronoun relative pronoun ))

It’s the bookIt’s the book thatthat II readread yesterday yesterday (omit)(omit) It’s the book I read yesterdayIt’s the book I read yesterday..

The girl The girl whowho liveslives next door is French. next door is French.

We can never omit WHOSE and WHEREWe can never omit WHOSE and WHERE

Non-defining relative Non-defining relative clauses = with commasclauses = with commasThis kind of clause gives This kind of clause gives additional additional informationinformation about a person or thing. about a person or thing.

The sentence The sentence still makes sense withoutstill makes sense without the non-defining relative clause:the non-defining relative clause:

My neighbour, My neighbour, who studies who studies engineeringengineering, is very noisy. , is very noisy. My neighbour is very noisy. My neighbour is very noisy.

Formal / InformalFormal / InformalNon-DefiningNon-Defining relative clauses (with relative clauses (with commas) are more common in commas) are more common in written written EnglishEnglish because they are quite formal. because they are quite formal.

In In spoken Englishspoken English we would probably use we would probably use two sentences.two sentences.

Compare:Compare:Elvis Presley, who has sold over one billion albums, died of Elvis Presley, who has sold over one billion albums, died of prescription drug abuse.prescription drug abuse. [written] [written]

withwithElvis has sold over a billion albums. He died of an Elvis has sold over a billion albums. He died of an

overdose.overdose. [spoken [spoken]]

Verb + prepositionVerb + preposition When the When the verb is followed by a prepositionverb is followed by a preposition in in

the relative clause we can use two structures: the relative clause we can use two structures:

The woman is a lawyer. I The woman is a lawyer. I spoke tospoke to a woman a woman

Formal: Formal: PrepositionPreposition + + rel.pronounrel.pronoun

The woman The woman toto whom*whom* I spoke is a lawyer I spoke is a lawyer..

(*(*We can’t omit the relative pronoun after a prepositionWe can’t omit the relative pronoun after a preposition))

OrOr Informal: Informal: PrepositionPreposition after the after the verbverb

The woman The woman (who)(who) I I spoke spoke toto is a lawyer is a lawyer..

Relative AdverbsRelative AdverbsTime: when Time: when oror in/on/at + which in/on/at + which oror that that

That was the year That was the year when/that/in which when/that/in which I I got my degree. got my degree.

11 September 2001 was the day 11 September 2001 was the day when/that/on whichwhen/that/on which people’s attitude people’s attitude towards terrorism changed. towards terrorism changed.

The adverb (when) The adverb (when) cancan be omitted. be omitted. 11 September 2001 was the day people’s 11 September 2001 was the day people’s

attitude towards terrorism changed.attitude towards terrorism changed.

Relative AdverbsRelative Adverbs Place: where Place: where or or

in/on/at + which in/on/at + which oror that that That’s the factory That’s the factory where/in whichwhere/in which they they

make chemicals. make chemicals. That’s the spot That’s the spot where/on whichwhere/on which the the

battle took place. battle took place.

The adverb (where) The adverb (where) cannotcannot generally be generally be omitted.omitted.

Relative Adverbs: Relative Adverbs: Reason: why (for which)Reason: why (for which)

I will explain the reasons I will explain the reasons why /for why /for whichwhich the accident occurred the accident occurred

The adverb (why)The adverb (why) can can be omitted.be omitted.

I will explain the reasons the accident I will explain the reasons the accident occurredoccurred

Relative pronounsRelative pronounsPossessive: whosePossessive: whose It takes the place of It takes the place of his, her, theirhis, her, their or a noun or a noun

in possessive case in possessive case ‘s.‘s. Andy Warhol was a pop artistAndy Warhol was a pop artist whose whose paintings paintings

are famous worldwide.(are famous worldwide.(His His paintings are paintings are famous…)famous…)

Charlie, Charlie, whose whose sister lives in London,sister lives in London,

is travelling to England this summer. (is travelling to England this summer. (Charlie’s Charlie’s sister lives in London).sister lives in London).