Relative clauses help to connect two separate ideas which might be expressed in two separate sentences.
I've just failed my driving test. It's a pity
I've just failed my driving test, which is a pity
Defining Relative Clauses
The information provided in a defining relative clause is essential to understanding the meaning of the sentence.
It was a record which/that marked an entire generation
Non-defining relative clauses
Non-defining relative clauses provide interesting additional information which is not essential to understanding the meaning of the sentence. In written English, this kind of clause is separated by commas, or between a comma and a full stop.
My brother, who works in London, has got a new job
Omitting the pronoun and prepositions
Only possible in defining relative clauses. If there is a subject pronoun after the relative pronoun, we can omit it.
He is not someone who I really get on with (He is not someone with whom I really get on)
That's the house I used to live in (That's the house in which I used to live in)
When / Where /Why
- In non-defining clauses they follow a named time or place.
Come back at 3.30, when I won't be so busy
- In defining clauses
- When : after words such as time, day, moment
There is hardly a moment when I don't think of you
-
- where: after words such as place, house, street
This is the street where I live
- After reason, we can use why/that or no pronoun.
Does anyone know the reason (why / that) crime is so high?
Which
We can use which to talk about a whole clause not just a noun phrase.
There was nobody left on the train, which made me suspicious
We can use which after prepositions and before nouns in fixed phrases like in which case, the chance of which, at which time.
It would seem that the guilty person has been found, in which case you are free to go.
Who / Whom / Whose
We usually use who as subject and object in relative clauses, but we can use whom in formal written language. We use Whom not who after prepositions.
Mr Brown, who/whom the police suspect of arson, was released without charge
He was a person whom everyone regarded as trustworthy
To whom it may concern
Mr Brown, to whom the police gave a caution, was held overnight. (NOT to who)
Whose means "of whom" and it is used in both defining and non-defining clauses.
Several guests, whose cars were parked outside, were waiting at the door.
The old lady whose bag was taken was really upset.
What / Whatever / Whoever / Wherever /Whenever
What is not a relative pronoun. We use it as a noun to mean "the thing that"
I don't understand what you are saying
We use whatever, whoever, wherever, whenever to mean "the thing that" "the person who" ...
You can rely on Helen to do whatever she can
Whoever arrives first can turn on the heating
We can leave whenever you like.
Wherever you go, I will follow you
None of Whom / All of Which / Some of Whose
We can use quantifiers like some, none and few with of whom, of which, and of whose in non-defining relative clauses
Three suspects were interviewed, all of whom were released without charge
She bought three used games, one of which was defective
We usually put prepositions at the end of relative clauses, but we can put them before the relative pronoun in formal language.
Prison is not the kind of place that you would want to spend time in
Prison is not the kind of place in which you would want to spend time