Relative Clauses: Adding Information

In today's lesson we looked at the use of relative pronouns like

who, which/that, whose, where, when

to add information to sentences.

We saw that there are two types of relative clauses: non-defining and defining.

A non-defining clause adds extra information after a noun, but this information is not necessary to explain which person or thing we mean:

I turned on the computer, which I had only recently bought, and it exploded!
The couple, who already have one child, are expecting a second in the Autumn.
I visited the town, where I spent so many happy years, but found that it had changed a lot.

In these sentences, the main clauses are in green. The secondary, non-defining clauses are in red.

In most non-defining clauses the additional information is put in commas. 'Which' instead of 'that' is used in these clauses.

A defining clause gives information about a noun and this information is necessary to explain which person or thing we mean:

The computer (which) I had only just bought exploded when I turned it on!
I am referring to the couple who already have one child.
The town where I spent so many happy years has changed a lot.

In these sentences the defining clauses are in italics.

In most sentences with a defining clause the added information is not put in commas.

Note that in the first example the 'which' in brackets could be omitted. Both 'which' and 'that' can be used in these clauses.

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The class exercise was mainly about non-defining relative clauses.

Here are some of the answers, and suggested ways of combining clauses together:

1. Phil, who was an excellent driver,....
Phil, whose forehead was covered in sweat, .....
> Phil, who was an excellent driver but whose forehead was covered in sweat,.....
> Phil, whose forehead was covered in sweat despite his being an excellent driver,....

2. Julia, who hadn't wanted to come in the first place,..
Julia, to whom the Admiral had entrusted the papers, ....
> Julia, who hadn't wanted to come but to whom the papers had been entrusted by the Admiral, .....

3. Alex, who had closed his eyes,.....
Alex, whose idea it had been to come,....
Alex, on whom the success of the whole mission depended,......
> Alex, whose idea it was to come and on whom the whole mission depended but who had closed his eyes,.....

5. the dog, which was sitting facing the back window,....
the dog, which loved travelling in fast cars,....
> the dog, which, loving fast cars, was sitting facing the back window,......

In the last example and number (1), note that a participle ('loving', 'being') is used instead of repeating 'which'.