RELATIVE SENTENCES

 

THE ANTECEDENT is a word that belongs to the main clause. It is the person, object, place, etc. the relative clause refers to.

THE RELATIVE CLAUSE always follows its antecedent.

A RELATIVE PRONOUN joins the antecedent to the relative clause.

In DEFINING relative clauses, the relative pronoun is not always necessary

 

 

DEFINING RELATIVE CLAUSES

 

They specify the person, object, time or place we are talking about.

These sentences are introduced by relative pronouns:

WHO or THAT, if the relative sentence refers to people

WHICH or THAT, if the relative sentence refers to things

WHOSE for possession

WHEN for days, months, years...

WHERE for places.

 

COMMON FEATURES

Who, which, that (and sometimes when and where) can be omitted (to make a contact clause)  if they do not act as subjects of the relative sentence.

They are necessary to understand the antecedent

They are never placed between commas

 

NON-DEFINING RELATIVE CLAUSES

 

They add information about the antecedent.

These sentences are introduced by relative pronouns:

WHO, if the relative sentence refers to people

WHICH, if the relative sentence refers to things

WHOSE for possession

WHEN for days, months, years...

WHERE for places.

 

COMMON FEATURES

The relative pronoun can never be omitted.

They are not necessary to understand the antecedent.

They are always placed between commas.