TERCERO MECNICA 15/12/2014

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. If the defining relative clause were removed from the sentence,
the sentence would still be gramatically correct, but its meaning would have changed
significantly.
Defining relative clauses are composed of a relative pronoun (sometimes omitted), a verb,
and optional other elements such as the subject or object of the verb. Commas are not
used to separate defining relative clauses from the rest of the sentence. Commas or
parentheses are used to separate non-defining relative clauses from the rest of the
sentence.
EXAMPLES
Children who hate chocolate are uncommon.
They live in a house whose roof is full of holes.
An elephant is an animal that lives in hot countries.
Let's go to a country where the sun always shines.
The reason why I came here today is not important.
RELATIVE PRONOUNS
The following relative pronouns are used in defining relative clauses. These relative
pronouns appear at the start of the defining relative clause and refer to a noun that
appears earlier in the sentence.

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REPLACING WITH "THAT" IN SPOKEN ENGLISH
The pronouns who, whom, and which are often replaced by that in spoken English. Whom
is very formal and is only used in written English. You can use who or that instead, or omit
the pronoun completely. In the examples below, the common usage is given with the
defining relative clause highlighted. The pronoun that would be used in more formal written
English instead of that is given in parentheses.
EXAMPLES
The dish that I ordered was delicious. (which)
The man that came with her has already left. (who)
The doctor that I was hoping to see wasn't on duty. (whom)

INCLUDING OR OMITTING THE RELATIVE PRONOUN

The relative pronoun can only be omitted when it is the object of the clause. When the
relative pronoun is the subject of the clause, it cannot be omitted. You can usually tell
when a relative pronoun is the object of the clause because it is followed by another
subject + verb. See below, in the first sentence the relative pronoun cannot be ommitted
because it is the subject of the relative clause ("the woman spoke"). In the second
sentence, the pronoun can be omitted because "the woman" is the object of the verb
"loved".
'That' is often used to introduce defining relative clauses when they follow the words
something, anything, everything, nothing, all or a superlative. It may be omitted when it is
not the subject of the clause.
EXAMPLES
There's something (that) you should know.
It was the best film (that) I've ever seen.
Do you have anything that will help my throat?
Everything (that) you say seems silly to me.
Nothing (that) anyone does can replace my lost bag.
I'm sorry, but that is all (that) I saw.

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NON-DEFINING RELATIVE CLAUSES
As the name suggests, non-defining relative clauses tell us more about someone or
something, but the information in these clauses does not help us to define what we are
talking about. Take for example the sentence: Gorillas, which are large and originate in
Africa, can sometimes be found in zoos. In this sentence we are talking about all gorillas,
not just some of them. The information in the non-defining relative clause tells us
something more about gorillas in general. It does not define a small group of gorillas or an
individual gorilla. If the non-defining relative clause were removed from the sentence, the
sentence would still be gramatically correct and the meaning would not have changed,
although we would have less detail.
Non-defining relative clauses are composed of a relative pronoun, a verb, and optional
other elements such as the subject or object of the verb. Commas or parentheses are
always used to separate non-defining relative clauses from the rest of the sentence.
EXAMPLES

John's mother, who lives in Scotland, has 6 grandchildren.

My friend John, who went to the same school as me, has just written a bestselling novel.

My grandmother, who is dead now, came from the North of England.

We stopped at the museum, which we had never visited before.

I've just come back from London, where John lives..

Yesterday I met a woman named Susan, whose husband works in London.