Relative Clauses: SUMMARY

RELATIVE CLAUSES

They are most often used to define, add extra information or identify the noun that precedes them.(antecedent)

Relative Pronouns

I told you about the woman who / that lives next door.

Do you see the cat which/ that is lying on the roof?

That’s boy whose mother is a nurse.

Relative Adverbs

The day when / that we met him was my birthday.

This is the station where Emily met James.

This is the reason why / that I love English.

Subject Pronoun or Object Pronoun?

If the relative pronoun is followed by a verb, the relative pronoun is a subject pronoun. Subject pronouns must always be used.

the apple which is lying on the table is rotten

If the relative pronoun is not followed by a verb (but by a noun or pronoun), the relative pronoun is an object pronoun. Object pronouns can be dropped in defining relative clauses.

the apple (which) George put on the table is red

Defining Relative Clauses

- give detailed information defining a general term or expression.

- are not put in commas.

- object pronouns in defining relative clauses can be dropped:

The boy (who/whom) we met yesterday is very nice.

Non-Defining Relative Clauses

- give additional information on something, but do not define it. 

- are put in commas.

- Object pronouns in non-defining relative clauses must be used.

Jim, who/whom we met yesterday, is very nice.

EXERCISES
Easy exercises
Join the sentences using a relative clause 
 Test on relative clauses