Definition: A defining relative clause (also called identifying relative
clauses or restrictive relative clauses) gives essential information
about the noun or noun phrase it modifies* the purpose of a defining
relative clause is to clearly define who or what we are talking about.
Without this information* it would be difficult to know who or what is
meant.
For example:
* The hotel that we stayed in wasn't
bad. ("that we stayed in" tells the listener which hotel we are talking
about; it defines the hotel)
Punctuation Commas are not used in
defining relative clauses.
Relative pronouns The following relative
defining relative clauses:
Person Thing Place Time Reason Subject
who/that which/that
pronouns are used in
Object
who/whom/that/ø which/that/ø where when why Possessive whose whose
Notes:
"Who"*
"whom" and "which" can be replaced by "that". This is very common in
spoken English.
The "relative pronoun" can be omitted (ø) when it is
the object of the clause.
For example:
* The mouse
that the elephant loved was very beautiful.
* The mouse /ø the
elephant loved was very beautiful.
"Whose" is used for things as
well as for people.
For example:
* The man whose car
was stolen.
* A tree whose leaves have fallen.
"Whom" is
very formal and is only used in written English. You can use "who/that*
or omit" the pronoun completely.
For example:
* The
doctor whom/who/that/ø I was hoping to see wasn't on duty.
"That"
normally follows words like "something* anything* everything* nothing*
all* and superlatives".
For example:
* There's
something that you should know.
* It was the best film that I've
ever seen.
Examples:
* The woman who lives in
apartment No. 34 has been arrested.
* An elephant is an animal
that lives in hot countries.
* Do you know the girl who is
talking to Tom?
* The house /ø is being renovated.
* Has
anyone seen the book I was reading?
* The document that I need
has "important" written at the top.
* Let's go to a country where
the sun always shines.
* A seaman is someone who works on a
ship.
* The boy /who/whom/ø we met yesterday is very nice.
الموضوع : English Grammar المصدر :منتديات تقى الإسلامية الكاتب: El Helalya
