A relative clause is one kind of dependent clause. It has a subject and verb, but can’t stand alone as a sentence. A relative clause is a clause that usually modifies a noun or noun phrase.
Class 11 English Arts and Creation answer
Grammar
Relative clauses
A. Study these examples
The woman who
lives next door works in a bank. (The
woman lives next door. She works in a bank.)
That grey thing, which you can see on the roof there, isn’t
very traditional. (That grey thing isn't
very traditional. You can see it on the roof there.)
The parts of the sentences in bold above are relative
clauses. We use relative clauses to describe or give extra information about
something we have already mentioned. We often use relative pronouns (e.g. who, where, that, which, whose) to
introduce relative clauses.
In the first example 'who lives next door' is defining relative clause. Defining relative clauses give us essential information – information that tells us who
or what we are talking about.
In the second example 'which you can see
on the roof there'. Non-defining relative clauses give us extra information which
isn't absolutely necessary. We use commas to separate them from the rest of the sentence,
unless they come at the end of the sentence, when we use a comma and a full
stop.
Relative clause and its types
·
In
English there are two main kinds of
relative clause. One kind defines the part
of the sentence to which it refers; these defining relative clauses cannot be used with a noun phrase that is
already definite. Defining relative clauses have no commas.
·
The
other kind provides additional
information about something that is already defined; these non-defining relative clauses must be separated by commas from the rest of the sentence. (If a non-defining clause
ends the sentence, the second comma is replaced by a full stop.
B. Complete the
following sentences with correct relative pronouns and write whether the
clauses are defining or non-defining.
a. That's the house ……
I was born.
→ That's the house where I was born.
b. My aunt Nita, …… a
journalist, is coming to visit next week.
→ My aunt Nita, who a journalist, is coming to visit next week.
c. People …… like
outdoor activities will love our holidays.
→ People who like outdoor activities will love our
holidays.
d. The early 1960s, ……
the Beatles first started, was a very exciting time in pop culture.
→ The early 1960s, when the Beatles first started, was a very
exciting time in pop culture.
e. My essay on
Shakespeare, …… I found quite difficult, got a really good mark in the end.
→ My essay on Shakespeare, which I
found quite difficult, got a really good mark in the end.
f. The Mayans, …… lived
in Central America, built many stunning temples.
→ The Mayans, who lived in Central America, built many
stunning temples.
g. That's the girl ……
brother is in your class.
→ That's the girl whose brother is in your class.
h. The snake …… was in
the garden last week belongs to our next-door neighbor.
→ The snake which was in the garden last week belongs to our
next-door neighbor.
C. Join the following pairs of
sentences with appropriate relative clause.
a. He is a musician.
His albums have sold millions.
→ He is a musician whose
albums have sold millions.
b. Amelia speaks
English and Chines fluently. She is from Shanghai.
→ Amelia, who
is from Shanghai, speaks English and Chines fluently.
c. That's the stadium.
Real Madrid plays there.
→ That's the stadium where
Real Madrid plays there.
d. Dublin is my
favourite city. It is the capital of Ireland.
→ Dublin, which
is the capital of Ireland, is my favourite city.
e. The person was
really helpful. They spoke to him.
→ The person, to whom
they spoke, was really helpful
f. This smartphone
takes great photos. I bought it last week.
→ This smartphone, which
I bought last week, takes great photos.
Further reading
Compare the following pairs of sentences, and decide whether
(a) or (b) is correct. In some cases both (a) and (b) are possible, but with
different meanings. What is the difference in meaning in these cases?
|
1 |
a) Everest which
is the highest mountain in the world was not climbed until 1953. |
b) Everest, which
is the highest mountain in the world, was not climbed until 1953. |
|
2 |
a ) The river that
runs through Paris is called the Seine. |
b) The river that
runs through Paris, is called the Seine. |
|
3 |
a) They were sent some silk by their cousin who is in the merchant navy. |
b) They were sent some silk by their cousin, who is in the merchant navy. |
|
4 |
a) We need someone who
can read Chinese. |
b) We need someone, who
can read Chinese. |
|
5 |
a) Thank you for your letter which arrived today. |
b) Thank you for your letter, which arrived today. |
|
6 |
a) Mr Branston who
is a rather shy man does not like making speeches. |
b) Mr Branston, who
a rather shy man, does not like making speeches. |
|
7 |
a) We got in through the window which somebody had left open. |
b) We got in through the window, which somebody had left open.
|
|
8 |
a) They accused my father who is scrupulously honest of fraud. |
b) They accused my father, who is scrupulously honest, of fraud. |
|
9 |
a) Could you please let us know the dates, which would suit you best? |
b) Could you please let us know the dates which would suit you best? |
|
10 |
a) The girls who
worked hard were given a bonus. |
b) The girls, who
worked hard, were given a bonus. |
Explanation
1. Everest is a definite description.
2. The river is defined by that runs through Paris and The river that runs through Paris is
the subject of the sentence. A subject can never be separated from its verb by
a comma, (although, of course, a non- defining relative clause with a comma at each end can come
between a subject and its verb.
3. In (a) who is in
the merchant navy defines which cousin we are talking about; in other words,
this implies that there are several cousins under discussion. In (b) who is in the merchant navy merely
gives extra information; in other words, there is only one cousin under discussion
here.
4. With an indefinite expression like someone the only point of adding a relative clause is in order to
define it. Thus only (a) makes sense.
5. In (b) it is assumed that the addressee will know which
letter is being referred to without any further definition, which arrived today is, in other words,
additional information. It would be unusual for someone to write thanking for
one of a number of possible letters, namely the one that arrived today. Thus
(a) is extremely improbable.
6. (b) is correct; (a) is not. Compare 1.
7. (a) implies that there were several windows; (b) implies
that there was only one. Compare 3.
8. (b) is correct; (a) is not. Compare 1.
9. (b) is correct; (a) is not. The only use of which would suit you best would be to
define which dates were being discussed.
10. (a) implies that some girls (i.e. those who worked hard)
got a bonus, but the others did not. (b) implies that all the girls (perhaps in
contrast with the boys or the women) were given a bonus.