Grammar Invasion_Relative pronouns and relative sentences

There are two kinds of relative clause:

Let's watch this video about them!!

1.  Defining relative clauses:

We use relative clauses to make clear which person or thing we are talking about:

Marie Curie is the woman who discovered radium.
This is the house which Jack built.

In this kind of relative clause, we can use that instead of who or which:

Marie Curie is the woman that discovered radium.
This is the house that Jack built.

We can leave out the pronoun if it is the object of the relative clause:

This is the house that Jack built. (that is the object of built)

Be careful!
The relative pronoun is the subject/object of the relative clause, so we do not repeat the subject/object: Marie Curie is the woman who she discovered radium. (who is the subject of discovered, so we don't need she) This is the house that Jack built it. (that is the object of built, so we don't need it)

2.  Non-Defining Relative clauses:

We also use relative clauses to give more information about a person, thing or situation:

Lord Thompson, who is 76, has just retired.
We had fish and chips, which I always enjoy.
I met Rebecca in town yesterday, which was a nice surprise.

With this kind of relative clause, we use commas (,) to separate it from the rest of the sentence.

Be careful!
In this kind of relative clause, we cannot use that: Lord Thompson, who is 76, has just retired. (NOT Lord Thompson, that is 76, has just retired.) and we cannot leave out the pronoun: We had fish and chips, which I always enjoy. (NOT We had fish and chips, I always enjoy.)

A relative pronoun is used to connect a clause or phrase to a noun or pronoun. 

The most common relative pronouns are who, whom, whose, which, and that. Sometimes when and where can be used as relative pronouns as well.

 

Over and out.