Page 149 - Advanced English Grammar in Use

h e i a u v e C l a u s e s i H i n e g i n w n u i w a s
a b o u t . )

A relative clause gives more information about someone or something referred to in a main
clause. Some relative clauses (defining relative clauses) are used to specify which person or thing
we mean, or which type of person or thing we mean:
• The couple who live next to us have sixteen grandchildren.
• Andrew stopped the police car that was driving past.
Notice that we don't put a comma between the noun and a defining relative clause. Relative
clauses begin with a relative pronoun: a wh-yvovA (who, which, etc.) or that. However,
sometimes we omit the wh-word I that and use a zero relative pronoun (see B below):
• We went to a restaurant (which/that) Jane had recommended to us.

We prefer to put a relative clause immediately after or as close as possible to the noun it adds
information to:
^ • The building for sale was the house which had a slate roof and was by the stream.
• (rather than The building for sale was the house by the stream which had a slate roof.)

B When we use a defining relative clause, the relative pronoun can be the subject or the object of
the clause. In the following sentences the relative pronoun is the subject. Notice that the verb
follows the relative pronoun:
• Rockall is an uninhabited island which/that lies north west of mainland Scotland.
• We have a friend who/that plays the piano.
In the following sentences the relative pronoun is the object. Notice that there is a noun (or
pronoun) between the relative pronoun and the verb in the relative clause. In this case, we can
use a zero relative pronoun:
• He showed me the rocks (which/that) he had brought back from Australia.
• That's the man (who/that) I met at Allison's party.
Adding information about things Adding information about people
Relative which that zero relative Relative who that zero relative
pronoun pronoun pronoun pronoun
subject / / X subject / / X
object / / / object / /

We can also use whom instead of who as object, although whom is very formal:
• She's an actress whom most people think is at the peak of her career.
We use that as subject after something and anything; words such as all, little, much, and none
used as nouns; and superlatives. (Which is also used as subject after something and anything, but
less commonly.) We use that or zero relative pronoun as object after these:
• These walls are all that remain of the city, (not ...all which remain...)
• She's one of the kindest people (that) I know, (not ...who I know.)
• Is there anything (that) I can do to help? (rather than ...anything which I can do...)
You can't add a subject or object to the relative clause in addition to the relative pronoun:
^ • The man who gave me the book was the librarian, (not The man who he gave me...)
*Notice also that adding a pronoun to the main clause in addition to the relative clause is
unnecessary, although it is found in speech:
• A friend of mine who is a solicitor helped me. (or, in speech A friend of mine who is a
solicitor - she helped me.)

Relative clauses (2)—(4) =