Relative

Clauses

Prepared by:IKRAM AIT DRA &

AHMED DAKHISSI

General Grammar

Chapter 18:

Supervised by:Mrs. Jennifer Evans

Mr. Youssef Tamer

TEFL & ICT Master Program 2012/2013

Outline

Definition.

Form and function.

Restrictive relative clauses.

Position and reduction of restrictive relative clauses.

Exercise.

Other types of restrictive relative clauses.

Non restrictive relative clauses.

Problems that ESL/EFL students have with relative clauses.

Activity

Definition

Relative clauses are clauses that modify noun phrases. They are used widely in written and spoken English .

I - Form and function Relative clauses are one kind of dependent clauses . They are introduced

by a special set of pronouns:

the relative pronouns- that ,which, who, whom, and whose.

Relative clauses have the same function as adjectives.

Relative clauses come after head noun.

E.G :

a girl who is smart and beautiful .

Restrictive Versus Nonrestrictive Relative Clauses:

English relative clauses are classified as restrictive or nonrestrictive depending upon their function.

A restrictive relative clause is one that serves to restrict the reference of the

noun phrase modified.

e.g: My sister who lives in Casablanca is a biologist.

A nonrestrictive relative clause adds information about the noun modified.

e.g: My sister, who lives in Casablanca, is a biologist.

Two criteria distinguishing the R &N.R Clauses:

Nonrestrictive relative clause punctuation :

The students, who had to take final exams today, are tired.

Restrictive relative clause intonation:

The students who had to take final exams today are tired.

Forming Relative Clauses:

The formation of relative clauses can be described by means of

a rule of wh-movement which moves the NP in the relative

clause that corresponds to the NP in the main clause to the

front of the relative clause living a “gap” at the place from

which it was moved.

e.g.

The movie that we saw the movie was really scary.

I’m looking for the box that he puts all his staff in the

box .

II. Restrictive relative clauses

types of Restrictive Relative Clauses: - Restrictive relative clauses can be classified in term of

grammatical function of their relative pronouns. Based on the

classification, English has six types of restrictive relative clauses,

which are the following:

1- Subject (S).

2- Direct Object (O).

3- Indirect Object (IO).

4- Object of the preposition (OP).

5- Possessive (POS).

6- Object of comparison (OC).

1- Subject (S) Relative Clauses:

Relative pronoun replaces the subject of the clause. Do not require Wh-movement.

• The Relative pronoun who and that replace human NPs.

Example :

The girl who/that hired Sophia was the manager of the market.

• The Relative pronoun which and that replace inanimate NPs.

Example :

The car that/which Brahim bought was already used.

2- Object (O) Relative Clauses:

The Relative pronoun replaces the object of the verb.

• The Relative pronouns who, whom, and that introduce O relative clauses that modify human nouns.

Examples:

- At the party there were many people who/that he did not know .

- At the party there were many people whom he did not know .

• The relative pronouns which and that replace inanimate nouns.

Example:

- The Jallaba which /that Amal was wearing was very beautiful.

3- Indirect Object (IO) Relative Clauses:

Relative pronoun comes from the indirect object position

following the preposition to or for .

Examples:

- The girl who/that we gave the cake to is

Ahmed’s sister.

- The girl we gave the cake to the girl is

Ahmed’s sister .

• Relative pronoun with to whom /for whom .

Examples:

- the student for whom Naima prepared a tajin is

my neighbor.

4-Object of the preposition (OP) Relative Clauses:

• Object of the preposition relative clauses have the same two pattern. The

difference is, IO are limited to two preposition, to and for, Whereas with OP

relatives many preposition can occur.

Examples:

- The mattress which/that he slept on had several broken

springs.

- The mattress on which/ he slept had several broken springs.

When way or manner is the object of the presentation in, the preposition

must be moved and cannot be stranded.

Example: -The manner in which he spoke was shocking.

-The manner which he spoke in was shocking.

5- Possessive (POS) Relative Clauses:

• The relative pronoun replaces an element that expresses

possession.

• the relative pronoun may be whose or may be which preceded by

of .

5.1 POS RELATIVE CLAUSES INTRODUCED BY WHOSE:

- The relative pronoun whose typically used when the head noun is

human or animate(1), or is a collective noun and we can also use it

with inanimated head noun.Examples:

- Last week I met a boy whose brother works in your law farm .

- He bought stock in a company whose profits had increased

dramatically for the last three quarter .

- A crystal is a piece of matter whose boundaries are naturally

formed plan e surfaced .

5.2 Pos relative clauses introduced by of which :

- Used with inanimated possessors. Three patterns are possible when of+ which is part of an object NP.

Examples:

The reports of which the government prescribes the size are boring.

- The reports the size of which the government prescribes are boring.

6- Object of comparison (OC) Relative Clauses:

OC relative clauses include comparative structures, in which

the NP that is replaced by the relative pronoun originates after

the conjunction. The relative pronouns used are who, whom,

and that for noun phrase referring to humans.

Example :

- The girl who/that Rahma was faster than won the 100

meter.

- The sports car which/that the Alfa Romeo was faster

than was a Porsche.

Additional facts about Restrictive Relative Clauses:

What as an alternative to which and that in nonstandard

dialects. It is used in both S and O relative clauses.

Example: - And you see that car what just went by.

Resumptive pronouns:

Pronouns that occupies the position that the NP replaced by

the relative pronoun had before it underwent wh- movement.

Example:

- Usually they give you a thing…, you know, a thing that you

don’t want it.

III. Position and reduction of restrictive relative clauses.

3.1 Extraposed Relative Clauses :

Restrictive relative clauses sometimes do not always appear directly after the head noun they modify.

Example:

- A man who has red hair just came in .

- A man just came in who has red hair.

Relative clauses that have been moved away from the head nouns

their modify are called extraposed relatives.

Example : a) I saw Nadia who I hadn’t seen for years yesterday .

b) I saw Nadia yesterday who I hadn’t seen for years.

Extraposed relatives can be a source of amusing errors.

Example: a) A pole that must have been nine feet tall fell on a

workman.

b) A pole fell on a workman that must have been nine

feet tall.

3.2 Stacking

Relative clauses are frequently strung together, one clause

after the other. This phenomenon , which appears to occur

more frequently in conversation than in writing, is called

stacking.

Example:

- The people who take the course who Abde el illah

likes usually more from local high schools.

- The book that I like which everyone else in the class

hates was written by Joan Didion.

3.4 Omission of Nonsubject Relative Pronouns

In all types of clauses except S relative clauses, it is possible to delet the relative pronoun, with the relative clause thus beginning with the subject NP. Such clauses are sometimes said to have a “ Zero relative pronoun”.

Examples:

- We have just met that women who/whom/that

Asma likes so much .

- We have just met that women Asma likes so much.

- We just met that women who/that likes Asma so

much.

-* We just met that women likes Asma so much .

In IO and OP relatives, reduction can occur only in the patterns that

have the preposition stranded at the end of the clause.

Examples:

- The student who the dean sent a message to is out of

town.

- The student the dean sent a message to is out of

town.

********************************

- The student to whom the dean sent a message is out

of town.

-* The student to the dean sent a message is out of

town.

Of which POS relatives with stranded prepositions can be

reduced. However, POS relatives introduced by whose cannot

be reduced.

Example:

- The reports which the government prescribes the size

of are boring.

- The reports the government prescribes the size of are

boring.

************************

- Last Friday I met a girl whose brother works in your

company.

- Last Friday I met a girl brother works in your company.

3.5 Reduction in Subject Relative Clauses

In certain S relatives, it appears that the relative pronoun can be omitted if an additional change is made.

1) Reduction in clause with Be :

In S relative clauses, the relative pronoun and a form of be may be deleted when they are followed by:

A present participle

E.g. - That women who is standing over there knows the dean.

- That women standing over there knows the dean.

Past participle in a passive sentence

E.g - The bills that were passed by the house yesterday died in the Senate.

- The bills passed by the house yesterday died in the Senate.

An adjective followed by a prepositional phrase

E.g - Senators who are familiars with details of the proposal believe that it has a good chance of passing.

- Senators familiars with details of the proposal believe that it has a good chance of passing.

2) Postnominal Modifiers with Stative Verbs in –ing Form

Postnominal modifiers with stative Verbs might be a special type of reduced relative clause.

Example:

- A man resembling your father is sitting in front of me.

Exercise Indicate whether each sentence can undergo relative

extrapositive . If it cannot, say why. Example: The girl who loved me slapped the

secretary. Answer: no (Extraposition would move the relative

clause after the secretary, and this would change the meaning of the sentence.)

1. A guy who was wearing the cap you reported stolen just walked in.

2. Anyone who wants to come is welcome.

3. A women who was pregnant left with her sister.

4. I met a man who says he knows you the other day.

Solutions

1. Yes

2. Yes

3. No. Extraposition would move the relative clause after the secretary, and this would change the meaning of the sentence.

4. Yes

A) Infinitival Relative Clauses (Infin):

Verbs in infinitive following and modifying a

head noun, have undergone relative pronoun

deletion

The have the verb in the infinitive and are

not always introduced by relative pronouns

Other types of Restrictive R.C1

Examples:

Here is a chair to sit on. here is a chair on which to in.We need a sack to carry the money in. we need a sack in which to carry the

money John is not the right person to confide in. John is not the right person in whom to confide

B) Adverbial Relative Clauses “ Preposition + which” combination is

replaced by: where, when, why:This is the university in which I’m studying

This is university where I’m studying

How well I remember the day on which he was born

How well I remember the day when he was born

C. Free Relative Clauses definite free relative clauses:

introduced by: what, where, when

stand alone rather than following and

modifying a head noun

Example:

-The students applauded when ikram stopped

presenting.

C. Free Relative Clauses (continu’ed)

indefinite free relative clauses

introduced by the words: whoever, whomever,

whatever, whichever, whenever

these words can be paraphrased with “if”

Example:

-Professor Jennifer supports whoever asks her for

help.

-If a student asks professor Jennifer for help, she

always does.

Punctuate the following stc:

Woman without her man is nothing

Woman, without her man, is nothing

Woman, without her, man is nothing

2Non restrictive relative

clauses

Non restrictive REL. CLAUSES: give additional information:

My ESP teacher, who is from Seattle, is helpful.

this non restrictive relative clause does not tell us which person (teacher) the speaker means, we already know.

can be deleted without changing the meaning.

Non restrictive REL. CLAUSES:

are separated by commas:

a) My brother who graduated from university

emigrated to Canada.

R: I’ve only one brother who graduated from university

and emigrated to Canada

b) My brother, who graduated from university,

emigrated to Canada.

N.R: I’ve more than one brother, I’m speaking about the

one who graduated from university and emigrated to

Canada

Non restrictive REL. CLAUSES: “who” or “which” cannot be left out:

We stayed at the hotel, which Amy recommended

to us.

“whom” can be used, in case of the object:

This morning I met Diane, whom I hadn’t seen for

months

“whose” and “where” can be used:

Khadija is going to spend a few weeks in Sweden,

where her husband works.

Distinguishing b/w R.R. and N.R Punctuation:

Non restrictive relative clauses have commas,

Restrictive R. CL do not.

N.R:

My sister, who lives in Chicago, is a biologist.

R :

My sister who lives in Chicago is a biologist.

Distinguishing b/w R.R. and N.R

intonation

N.R relative clauses are marked by pauses and falling intonation at the end:

The student, who is sitting next to me, is always smiling.

Distinguishing b/w R.R. and N.R Restrictive relative clauses may

modify “any” , “no”, and “every”. Non restrictive may not:

N.R: Any man, who goes back on his word, is no friend of mine.

R: Any man who goes back on word is no friend of mine.

Distinguishing b/w R.R. and N.R THAT as a relative pronoun: N.R

cannot be introduced by “THAT”:R: The plan that we discussed

yesterday will be adopted.N.R: The plan, that we discussed

yesterday, will be adopted.

Distinguishing b/w R.R. and N.R Stacking: Non restrictive cannot

be stacked, Restrictive can be:R: I really like that car that you

have that your wife is zipping around town in.

N.R: They gave the job to Rob, who is very qualified, who starts next month.

Distinguishing b/w R.R. and N.R

Sentence modification: N.R may modify an

entire sentence, R may only modify noun

phrases

N.R:

Professor Jennifer gave everyone an A,

which is just fine with Ahmed.

Japanese: introducing adverbial relative clauses by

“which” in stead of “when” and “where”:

This is the house which Shakespeare was born.

June is the month which it often rains in Japan.

Problems ESL/EFL SS have with Relative Clauses 3

Problems ESL/EFL SS have with Relative Clauses

Chinese: Omission of relative pronouns in

subordinate clauses.

There are many people want to emigrate to

the US.

Problems ESL/EFL SS have with Relative Clauses

Arabic speaking SS: L1 interference

Case 1: the appearance of the resumptive pronoun.

This is the room which we study in it.

Case 2:

- subject verb agreement, some learners consider “who”

always singular.

The people who is talking there are friends.

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