RELATIVE

WHAT ARE THEY?

SENTENCES HOW MANY ARE THERE? 2. NON-DEFINNING.
RELATIVE clauses give essential or
additional information to define, 1.DEFINING. . They don’t identify the people
identify or have additional or things we are talking about,
knowledge about the person or They are used to identify but give additional information.
thing we are talking about the person or thing we are They are essentially found in
talking about. written form.
RELATIVE PRONOUNS
The man who is sitting next to Alex, who used to be a football
1. WHO is used for people when the pronoun is Alex is a friend of mine player, is now a teacher in my
the subject of the clause. If it is the object it can school
The programme which is about
be omitted. wild life is on tonight” Madrid, which is the city where I
live, is the capital of Spain”
“The teacher who came to school this year is The relative pronoun can
from Ireland” be omitted when it is the . They are placed between
object of the clause. commas, or appear at the end.
“The teacher (Whom) you saw yesterday at
school is from Ireland” “I bought the house (which) . In all cases a relative pronoun
2. WHOM is used for people when the pronoun you saw the other day” is required. They cannot be
is the object of the clause (though it can omitted
“That is the car my brother
normally be omitted. bought last week”
3. CO-ORDINATING
3. WHOSE is used for the possessive case.
. They refer to the whole of the main clause and the only
Anna, whose sister works in my office, is getting pronoun ever used is WHICH.
married.
Sometimes you can use “with” instead. She speaks very fast, which makes it hard to understand what she
“The boy whose arm is broken is very clever” says.
“The boy with the broken arm is very clever”.
. WHAT can be used with the meaning (“the thing which…”)
4. WHICH is used for things, subject or object of when there is no antecedent (i.e. no noun or pronoun to
the clause. If it is the object it can be omitted. which it refers)
“ The book which is on the table is the one I didn’t understand what she said
(which) you lent me.”
USE OF RELATIVES WITH PREPOSITIONS.
6. THAT is more common and is used for people
and things, subject or object, after superlatives In formal style prepositions are placed before the pronoun:
and after indefinite pronouns (something, all, “The person to whom I spoke was my uncle”
everything…etc.
In informal stile it is more common to move the preposition
“He is the best football player that I’ve ever to the end:
seen”
“The person (whom /who) I spoke to was my uncle”
7. WHEN AND WHERE are relative adverbs. “The woman I told you about is very hardworking”
“That is the house where I lived when I was a “The people you were at dinner with last night are very good friends
child” of mine”
1. DECIDE WHETER THE FOLLOWIN SENTENCES ARE DEFININIG, NON -DEFINING OR
COORDINATING. Write commas when necessary

1. Alan whose job involves travelling a lot has already been to all countries in Europe.
2. The house I have just rented is near my office.
3. He offered me to let me stay in his house which was very kind of him.
4. This is the new teacher that I told you about.
5. Madonna who is a well-known singer is over 50.
6. You can visit London by boat which is pleasant.
7. That is the woman who complained about the room service
8. The part of the city where I live is very noisy which makes it difficult to sleep at night.
9. The person who is sitting next to me is not very clever.
10. For my birthday I was given a present which I didn’t like.
2. COMPLETE THESE SENTENCES WITH A SUITABLE 3. JOIN THESE SENTENCES USING RELATIVE
RELATIVE PRONOUN OR ADVERB PRONOUNS OMIT THE PRONOUN IF POSSIBLE. ADD
COMMAS IF NECESSARY.
1.That is the man ______________ helped me when I
couldn’t findREVIEW
the street. • My school is very big. It is in Madrid.
2.Is that your house? No, mine is the one ______ is on the
1. I told her that she had been very rude. This annoyed her very
• My school much.
_____________________________ is very big.
corner.
___________________________________________________________________
• I bought this cake yesterday. It is delicious.
3.That is the girl _________________ failed five subjects this
term. 2. The woman is a famous doctor. Her husband is • aThe
member of our club.
cake ____________________________is delicious.
4.This is the___________________________________________________________________
place ________________we first met. Do you • Anna is a nurse. Her father is a doctor.
remember?
3. My grandmother is very old. She can hardly walk.
• Anna_________________________ is a nurse.
5.So, Peter is the man _______________daughter is coming to
___________________________________________________________________
• I bought a TV set last month. It doesn't work properly.
my school this year.
4. I told the whole matter to the headmaster but•he Thesaid it wasn’t his business.
TV_________________________ doesn't work properly.
6.If you have any question, ask the girl ________ is standing
at the desk. ___________________________________________________________________
She'll help you. • Mr Dale is a very famous doctor. We visited him last
week.
7.They had to5. put
Her away
sisterthe dog___________
always bit the
helps him with boy. It
his homework. He likes this a lot.
was too dangerous. • Mr Dale ________________________is a very famous doctor
___________________________________________________________________
9.I'm looking for a person ___________ name begins with a • Peter has a new dog. It is very friendly.
"k". 6. The children were very afraid of lightning. They live opposite our house
• The new dog __________________________ is very friendly.
___________________________________________________________________
10.Do you still go to that Café _____________ we used to go
as students?7. Someone stole the TV last night. They knew the • Helen is the woman. She took me to hospital when I felt
house very well.
sick.
11.The heating is not working. Do you know anyone
___________________________________________________________________
______________ can fix it? • Mrs Kelly is the woman_____________________
8. That old man thinks women should stay at home. He has outworn ideas.
12.Jim, _______________ I've known for years, is my best
friend. ___________________________________________________________________
9. We trusted him. ThisI was
13.My new coat,__________________ a silly
bought thingYork,
in New to do.
is
very warm and comfortable. B. JOIN THE FOLLOWING SENTENCES WITH
___________________________________________________________________
4. JOIN THE10.FOLLOWING SENTENCES. OMIT She PREPOSITIONS
THEdid not want
Margaret was in love with Peter. to tell him.
PRONOUN WHERE POSSIBLE
1. The ball is very small. We are playing with that ball.
___________________________________________________________________
1. The dress11.
is beautiful. Anne is wearing the dress.
Paul is a friend of my son’s. He’s playing football on the backyard.
___________________________________
______________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
2. The person 2. The knife is very sharp. We cut bread with the knife.
12.isThe
not people
very kind. I was
next doorspeaking
often go to
outthat
for dinner. They are quite wealthy.
person.
___________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
______________________________________
13. The little girls are my daughters. They’re playing with their dolls.
3. The music is horrible. The new band is playing the music. 3. The man works in my office. I gave the book to him.
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________
______________________________________
14. Everything went according to plan. This pleased them a lot.
4. The man has gone to London. He was here yesterday 4. The actor won the Oscar. You were telling me about him
___________________________________________________________________
______________________________________ yesterday.
15. He is going to marry a girl. She is an English teacher.
5. Women are to be admired. Women work in hospitals.
___________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
______________________________________
16. I offered them my help. They rejected it. 5. The boy hit Peter on the head. You were speaking to
6. The document has no signature. We received the
___________________________________________________________________
document yesterday him.
17. Chess is quite a difficult game. More and more people are learning to play it.
______________________________________
___________________________________
7. The car is___________________________________________________________________
very big. You are driving it.
6. The glass is dirty. You are drinking out of it.
______________________________________
18. That person wants to study history. You spoke to her at the meeting
__________________________________
8. The street is very wide. You live in this street
___________________________________________________________________
______________________________________ 7. Here comes the girl. Everybody makes fun of her.
19. Helen plays the piano brilliantly. She is only 9 years old.
9. The girl has left the room. I was talking to her mother.
__________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
______________________________________
20. The sweets are delicious. I bought them yesterday
8. The book is mine. I am looking for it.
10. The woman came to see me. Her husband is my cousin.
____________________________________________________________________
________________________________