Ch 12
Relative Clauses
who · which · that · where · whose
Relative clauses give more information about a noun. They connect two ideas in one sentence using a relative pronoun.
Two sentences
I have a friend. My friend lives in London.
One with relative
I have a friend who lives in London.
Relative pronouns
who (people) · which (things) · that (both) · where (places) · whose (possession)
noun + who + verb → the student who passed ✓
The teacher who taught me was very kind.
A doctor is a person who helps sick people.
The woman who lives next door is a lawyer.
noun + which + verb → the book which I read ✓
The film which won the award was brilliant.
The bag which I bought yesterday is already broken.
The train which goes to Madrid leaves at 9.
for people
the student that passed (= who)
for things
the book that I read (= which)
very common spoken
"that" is the most frequent relative pronoun in everyday speech
After superlatives and all/the only/the first/the last, always use "that": the best film that I've seen.
where
the school where I studied · the town where I grew up
whose
the student whose essay won (= the student's essay)
The café where we met has closed.
I know a man whose daughter is a pilot.
The book which I bought it is good.
→
The book which I bought is good.
Don't repeat the pronoun (it)
The person which called is my boss.
→
The person who called is my boss.
person → who (not which)
The town where I grew up it is lovely.
→
The town where I grew up is lovely.
Don't add "it" after the relative clause
She is the woman who her son is a doctor.
→
She is the woman whose son is a doctor.
possession → whose
Recap
who
people
the woman who works here
which
things
the book which I read
that
people or things (informal)
the film that I saw
where / whose
places / possession
the town where I grew up