RELATIVE CLAUSES AND

CONNECTING WORDS

Brandon Domínguez Mena

Wendy Magaña Morán
Ximena Castro Bronca
 RELATIVE CLAUSES

Defining and non-defining

We use defining relative clauses to give essential information about someone or

something – information that we need in order to understand what or who is

being referred to. A defining relative clause usually comes immediately after

the noun it describes.

We usually use a relative pronoun (e.g. who, that, which, whose and whom) to

introduce a defining relative clause (In the examples, the relative clause is in

bold, and the person or thing being referred to is underlined.):

They’re the people who want to buy our house.

Here are some cells which have been affected.

They should give the money to somebody who they think needs the treatment

most.

Spoken English:

In defining relative clauses, we often use that instead of who, whom or which.

This is very common in informal speaking:

They’re the people that want to buy our house.

Here are some cells that have been affected.

REDUCED RELATIVE CLAUSES

Relative clauses can also be reduced to shorter forms if the relative clause

modifies the subject of a sentence. Relative clause reduction refers to

removing a relative pronoun to reduce:

● An adjective/person who was happy: happy person

● An adjective phrase/man who was responsible for: man responsible for

● A prepositional phrase/boxes that are under the counter: boxes under

the counter
 ● A past participle/student that was elected president: student elected

president

● A present participle/people who are working on the report: people

working on the report

CONNECTING WORDS

Words that connect ideas together fall into four main groups:
❏ the and relationship, which shows that additional information is given
that is likely to add to your argument, or which give further illustration
of your point
❏ the but relationship, which shows that you wish to present information
that will contrast with or contradict your previous point
❏ the so relationship, which gives the idea of outcome or result… this is the
case, so that must follow
❏ and words that give a sense of time, words which mark each point in a
series of points, or indicate that you are about to summarise or conclude.

1. Addition: ● consequently
● thus
● also 4. Comparison:
● in addition
● too ● similarly
● as well ● in the same way
2. Alternation: ● likewise
5. Conclusion:
● Instead
● alternatively ● in conclusion
3. Cause: ● finally
● lastly
● therefore
● so
 9. Equivalence:
6. Condition:
● in other words
● then ● that means
● in that case ● namely
● ● that is to say
7. Contradiction: 10. Example:

● in fact ● for example

● actually ● for instance
● as a matter of fact 11. Generalisation:
8. Contrast:
● as a rule
● yet ● in general
● however ● usually/normally
● but 12. Counter-evidence:
● nevertheless
● on the other hand
● conversely