Defining Relative Clauses
As the name suggests, these clauses give essential information to define or identify the person or thing we are talking about. Obviously, this is only necessary if there is more than one person or thing involved.
Examples
- Dogs that like cats are very unusual.
In this sentence we understand that there are many dogs, but it is clear that we are only talking about the ones that like cats.
Punctuation
- Commas are not used in defining relative clauses.
Relative pronouns
The following relative pronouns are used in defining relative clauses:
| Person | Thing | Place | Time | Reason | |
| Subject |
who/that |
which/that |
|||
| Object |
who/whom/that/ |
which/that/ |
where |
when |
why |
| Possessive |
whose |
whose |
Notes:
- The relative pronoun stands in place of a noun.
This noun usually appears earlier in the sentence:
|
The woman |
who/that |
spoke at the meeting |
was very knowledgeable. |
|
Noun, subject of |
relative pronoun referring to 'the woman', subject of 'spoke' |
verb + rest of relative clause |
verb + rest of main clause |
- Who, whom and which can be replaced by that. This is very common in spoken English.
- The relative pronoun can be omitted when it is the object of the clause
|
The woman |
that |
the man loved |
was living in New York. |
|
Noun, subject of main clause |
relative pronoun, referring to 'the woman', object of 'loved' |
verb + rest of relative clause |
verb + rest of main clause. |
(You can usually decide whether a relative pronoun is an object because it is normally followed by another subject + verb.)
4. Whose is a possessive pronoun used to refer to ownership. Whose is used for things as well as for people.
Examples
- The man whose car was stolen.
- A tree whose leaves have fallen.
5. Whom is very formal and is only used in written English. You can use who/that, or omit the pronoun completely :
- The doctor whom/who/that/ I was hoping to see wasn't on duty.
6. That normally follows words like something, anything, everything, nothing, all, and superlatives.
We use that for both a person and a thing/idea.
• This is the style that I want to use.
7. When who is the object, whom, with a preposition, can be used instead, but it is formal and rather old-fashioned. In modern speech, we use who, or we leave out the pronoun. • You are referring to a person who no longer works here.
• The person to whom you are referring no longer works here.
• The person (who) you are you referring to no longer works here.
8. Where (relative adverb) refers to places and locations. • Where is the station please?
• That's where I spent my childhood.
Examples
- There's something that you should know.
- It was the best film that I've ever seen.
- A clown is someone who makes you laugh.
- An elephant is an animal that lives in hot countries.
- The plums that were in the fridge were delicious. I have eaten them.
- Where are the plums (that) I put in the fridge?
- Has anyone seen the book I was reading?
- Nothing that anyone does can replace my lost bag.
- Let's go to a country where the sun always shines.
- They live in the house whose roof is full of holes.
| I know a woman. She speaks 6 languages. | I know a woman who speaks 6 languages. |
| I know a woman. Her husband speaks 6 languages. | I know a woman whose husband speaks 6 languages. |
| I spoke to a person yesterday. | The person to whom I spoke yesterday.(formal) The person (who) I spoke to yesterday. (informal) |
| I live in a house. It is 200 years old. | I live in a house which/that is 200 years old. |
| That's the hotel. We stayed there last year. | That's the hotel where we stayed last year. That's the hotel that we stayed in last year. |