1. RELATIVE
SENTENCES
© BENI SUAREZ PRADO 2011

2. RELATIVE SENTENCES
FUNCTION AS THERE ARE TWO
ADJECTIVES TYPES
NON-
DEFINING
DEFINING

3. DEFINING RELATIVE CLAUSES
 Define the noun that is before
 Give extra information about someone or something
 They usually go after the noun they describe
 They are necessary to understand/ define the noun

4. Let’s see an example:
MAIN SENTENCE
The man didn’t
WHO CAME YESTERDAY give me his name
WHICH MAN ? RELATIVE CLAUSE
It identifies or defines “the man”:
The one who came and not the one who
phoned
SO…

5. … from two simple sentences:
1. The man didn’t give me his name.
2. The man came yesterday.
Common element
we make a complex sentence:
The man who came yesterday didn’t give me his name
By replacing one of the elements by a RELATIVE PRONOUN

6. RELATIVE PRONOUNS:
Defining clauses:
SUBJECT OBJECT POSSESSIVE
WHO
WHO
PERSON THAT WHOSE
THAT
∅
WHICH
WHICH
THING THAT WHOSE
THAT
∅
PLACE WHERE

7. EXAMPLES:
1. The girl is very friendly. 2. The girl works in the shop.
subject
The girl Who works in the shop is very friendly
that
verb
It can’t be omitted
1. The girl is very friendly. 2. I was talking to that girl.
The girl Who I was talking to is very friendly
that
It can be omitted

8. EXERCISES ON-LINE
EXERCISE 1 EXERCISE 2
EXERCISE 3 EXERCISE 4

9. NON-DEFINING RELATIVE CLAUSES
 Give extra information about someone or something
 They are NOT necessary to understand the noun
 They go between commas
 The relative pronoun CAN NEVER be omitted.

10. Let’s see an example:
MAIN CLAUSE
Barbara , who is my best friendhas gone on holidays
,
? RELATIVE CLAUSE
We don’t need It gives extra information but
more definition. It is not necessary to understand
We know Barbara the main information.

11. … from two simple sentences:
1. Barbara has gone on holidays.
2. Barbara is my best friend.
Common element
we make a complex sentence:
Barbara,who is my best friend, has gone on holidays
By replacing one of the elements by a RELATIVE PRONOUN

12. RELATIVE PRONOUNS:
Non-defining clauses:
SUBJECT OBJECT POSSESSIVE
WHO WHO
PERSON WHOSE
WHICH WHICH
THING WHOSE
PLACE WHERE

13. EXAMPLES:
1. My parents are retired. 2. My parents come to Spain
every year.
subject
My parents, who are retired, come to Spain every year.
verb
It is not omitted
1. My parents are retired. 2. You saw them in the photo.
My parents, who you saw in the photo, are retired.
It IS NOT omitted

14. EXERCISES ON-LINE:
EXERCISE 1 EXERCISE 2
EXERCISE 3