RELATIVE CLAUSES

DEFINING RELATIVE CLAUSES:

Ø  They contain necessary information – this information cannot be omitted

Ø  Are never separated with commas (The man who works with me is from London.)

Ø  THAT (!), WHICH, WHO, WHOSE, WHOM can all be used

Ø  When the relative clause has its own subject, the relative pronoun can be left out (We bought
the brand, you recommended us.)

Ø  The preposition in the relative clause can either be put after the verb or before the relative
pronoun (but not after THAT!) (She cooked the dish he told her about. She cooked the dish about
which he told her. AND – This is the actor about WHOM they wrote in the newspapers. X This is the
book THAT I´ve been looking FOR.)

NON-DEFINING CLAUSES

Ø  They contain supplementary information – this information can be omitted.

Ø  Are separated by commas (My sister Emma, who lives in Ealing, is a storyteller. Charlotte told
me about her new job, which she´s enjoying very much.)

Ø  THAT cannot be used.

Ø  Relative pronouns cannot be left out.

Ø  The preposition in the relative clause can either be put after the verb or before the relative
pronoun (Ms Clear, who you spoke to yesterday, is our Chief Trainer. Ms Clear, to whom you spoke
yesterday, is our Chief Trainer.)


SOME  /ALL / NONE (FOR MORE THAN TWO) / NEITHER (FOR TWO)/ BOTH / ANY /EVERY.../ FIVE/ HUNDREDS/ A
                                          FEW/ MOST/ ....

                                                OF

                                           WHOM (PEOPLE)

                                          WHICH (THINGS)

Susan has three daughters, all of whom are married. He owns four Audis, two of which he never uses.
                        I tried on so many skirts, none of which fitted me.