Introduction
What are relative clauses?
Clauses beginning with question words (e.g. who, which, where) are often used to modify nouns and some pronouns – to identify people and things, or to give more information about them. These are called ‘relative clauses’.
- Do you know the people who live next door?
- There’s a programme tonight which you might like.
- He lives in a village where there are no shops.
- Leslie, who works with me, often babysits for us.
When who, which, where, etc are used in this way, they are called ‘relative pronouns’. That can also be used as a relative pronoun. There are two kinds of relative clause (see here): those that typically say who or what we are talking about (‘identifying clauses’), and those that typically just give extra information (‘non-identifying clauses’).
What’s the name of the tall man which just came in? (see here)
Is that all which is left? (see here)
All what you say is true. (see here)
I’ve found the keys that you were looking for them. (see here)
I saw a girl whose her hair came down to her waist. (see here)
He got married again, what surprised everybody. (see here), (see here)
Dorota, who does my hair is from Poland. (see here)
I lent him ‘The Old Man and the Sea’, that is really easy to read. (see here)
This is Naomi, that sells the tickets. (see here)
I poured him a glass of wine, he drank at once. (see here)
We met a man of whom I’ve forgotten the name. (see here)
He’s married to a singer whose you may have heard. (see here)
We need a house we can stay for a few days. (see here)
He liked the people with who he worked. (see here)
The idea was interesting which she put forward. (see here)
You’re the one that know where to go. (see here)
I can’t think of anybody whom to invite. (see here)
The children will have a garden which to play in. (see here)
This is a letter from my father, whom we hope will be fully recovered soon. (see here)