Unit 60: RELATIVE CLAUSES

If we want to give extra information about a noun, and an adjective (Unit 64) is not enough, we can use a relative clause. Relative clauses often begin with one of the relative pronouns: who, which, that, where and whose.

1

For people, begin the relative clause with who or that:

I know a man who cooked at the Calgary Tower restaurant.
He cooked.

Do you know the woman that can help us?
She can help us.

2

For things, begin the relative clause with which or that:

I want a knife that can cut through this tough meat.
It can cut through tough meat.

The two knives which were in the drawer are dull.
They are dull.

3

For places, begin the relative clause with where:

In Calgary there are restaurants where you can bring your own wine.
They allow you to bring your own wine there.

4

For GENITIVE (Unit 49), begin the relative clause with whose:

Do you know the man whose daughter is a hostess?
His daughter is a hostess.

5

We can leave out the relative pronoun:

if it is an OBJECT PRONOUN (Unit 50)

The restaurant - I go to serves authentic Mexican cuisine. (I go to It.)
The chefs - I know are very talented. (I know them.)

if the first verb in the relative clause is be.

Did you see the man - standing by the door? (who was standing)
The boy - knocked down by the car was John. (who was knocked)

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Exercise 60.1