We can use relative clauses to join two English We can use relative clauses to join two English sentences, or to give more information about sentences, or to give more information about something.something.

When the relative pronoun isWhen the relative pronoun is  subject or objectsubject or object  of a of a clause and refers to aclause and refers to a  human, the relative human, the relative pronounpronoun  whowho or or whomwhom  is used. Sometimes,is used. Sometimes,  whowho or or whomwhom can be can be replaced by replaced by  that. However, that. However, whomwhom  is is not used very often in modern English.not used very often in modern English.I'm looking for a secretary I'm looking for a secretary who / thatwho / that can use a computer well. can use a computer well.She has a son She has a son who / thatwho / that is a doctor. is a doctor.

If the relative is theIf the relative is the  subject or objectsubject or object  of a clause and of a clause and refers to a thing,refers to a thing,  whichwhich  or or thatthat  must be used.must be used.We bought a house We bought a house which / thatwhich / that is 200 years old. is 200 years old.I sent a letter I sent a letter which / thatwhich / that arrived three weeks later. arrived three weeks later.

WhoseWhose is a possessive pronoun like "his," "her" and is a possessive pronoun like "his," "her" and "our." "our." We use We use whosewhose to find out which person something to find out which person something belongs to. belongs to. The dog is over there. The dog's / its owner lives next The dog is over there. The dog's / its owner lives next door.door.→→ The dog  The dog whosewhose owner lives next door is over there. owner lives next door is over there.The little girl is sad. The little girl's / her doll was lost.The little girl is sad. The little girl's / her doll was lost.→→ The little girl  The little girl whosewhose doll was lost is sad. doll was lost is sad.

In formal English when a preposition in In formal English when a preposition in the relative clause is placed in front the relative clause is placed in front (fronted), only whom/who or which are (fronted), only whom/who or which are used.used.The waiter to whom I spokeThe waiter to whom I spoke

With informal style the preposition is With informal style the preposition is not required to be fronted, not required to be fronted, and who and that may also be used.and who and that may also be used.The mailman who I spoke toThe mailman who I spoke to

WhereWhere can be used for referring to a place. can be used for referring to a place.The restaurant The restaurant wherewhere I usually have dinner is I usually have dinner is nice.nice.

WhenWhen can be used for referring to a time. can be used for referring to a time.There are times There are times whenwhen I feel so lonely. I feel so lonely.

WhyWhy can be used for referring to a reason. can be used for referring to a reason.This is This is whywhy she refused the offer. she refused the offer.

My grandfather, My grandfather, who is 87who is 87, goes swimming every day., goes swimming every day.

‘‘who is 87’ is a who is 87’ is a non-non-defining relative defining relative clauseclause. It adds extra . It adds extra information to the information to the sentence. If we take the sentence. If we take the clause out of the clause out of the sentence, the sentence sentence, the sentence still has the same still has the same meaning.meaning.Non-defining relative clausesNon-defining relative clauses add extra  add extra

information to sentences.information to sentences.

Remember that Remember that defining relative clausesdefining relative clauses are used  are used to add important information. The sentence would to add important information. The sentence would have a different meaning without the defining have a different meaning without the defining relative clause.relative clause.

I’m going to wear the shirt that I bought in I’m going to wear the shirt that I bought in London.London.

  The defining relative clause tells us which shirt.The defining relative clause tells us which shirt.

The shirt, which is lovely dark blue, only cost £10. The shirt, which is lovely dark blue, only cost £10. The non-defining relative clause doesn’t tell us The non-defining relative clause doesn’t tell us

which shirt – it gives us more information about which shirt – it gives us more information about the shirt.the shirt.

Non-defining relative clauses are more often Non-defining relative clauses are more often used in written English than in spoken used in written English than in spoken English. You can tell that a clause is non-English. You can tell that a clause is non-defining because it is separated by commas defining because it is separated by commas at each end of the clause.at each end of the clause.

And thank you for And thank you for paying attentionpaying attention