1. You use non-defining clauses to give 2. You always start a non-defining relative 3.
When you are talking about
extra information about the person or clause with a relative pronoun things, you use “which” as the
thing you are talking about. The subject or object of a non-defining
information is not needed to identify When you are talking about people, you use relative clause.
that person or thing. In written English, “who”. “Who” can be the subject or object
a non-defining relative clause is usually of a non-defining relative clause. I am teaching at the Vilas centre,
separated from the main clause by a which is just over the road.
comma, or by two commas. My grandfather, who died in 1968, was an
actor. (You do not normally use “that” in
I went to the zoo with Tom, who I think non-defining relative clauses)
you met. I was in the same group as Mary, who I like
a lot.
(In formal English, “whom” is sometimes
used instead of “who” as the object of a
non-defining relative clause.
5. You can use “when” and
“where” in
She was engaged with a teacher, whom she
4. You can also use a non-defining non-defining relative clauses after
had met at Madrid.
relative clause beginning with “which” expressions of time or place.
to say something about the whole
situation described in a main clause. This happened in 1975, when I was
a child.
I never met my cousin, which was a
pity.
A) Write these sentences again together with a relative clause. Use the
sentences in brackets to make your relative clauses.
5. When you are talking about a group Examples: Peter´s father goes sailing every day.(Peter´s father is 56)
of people or things and then want to
say something about only some of
Peter´s father, who is 56, goes sailing every day.
them, you can use one of the following
expressions: 1. He showed me a photograph of his mother. (His mother in an actress)
He showed me a photograph of his mother,
……………………………………………
many of which none of
whom 2. I often go to visit my friends in Madrid. (Madrid is only 20 miles away)
some of which many of ….………………………………………………………………………………………………......
whom 3. Thank you for your letter. (I was happy to get your letter)
one of which some of …………………………………………………………………………………………………
whom 4. Next Saturday I´m going to London. ( My brother lives in London)
They were all friends, many of …………………………………………………………………………………………………….
whom 5. The new theatre will be opened next Sunday. ( The theatre holds 50000
had known each other for years. people)
……………………………………………………………….……………........…………………..
6. He spent a nice day by the lake. (He had a picnic by the lake)(use where)
……………………………………………………………………………………………………...
B) Join the sentences using who, whose, or which. Make C) Rewrite these sentences using phrases with “of
sure that the relative clause goes next to the word it gives which” or “of whom”
extra information about.
Example: I got three books for my birthday. I had
Example: I met Tom´s mother. She works at the university. read one of them before.
I met Tom´s mother, who works at the university. I got three books for my birthday, one of these I had
read before.
1. My brother is studying French. He has never been
abroad. 1. There were some noisy people in the cinema. Two
..…………………………………………………………………………… of them kept interrupting the film.
2. I am moving to Barcelona. Barcelona is in the north-east. ………………………………………………………………..…….
……………………………………………………………………………... 2. Only five people came to look at my car and
3. This is Mary. We stayed in Mary´s house for our holidays. neither of them wanted to buy it.
……………………………………………………………………………... ………………………………………………………….………......
4. The house at the end of the street has just been sold. 3. She talked about several very interesting people.
The He was still in contact with some of them.
The house has been empty for two years. ……………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………... 4. They made all kind of suggestions. I couldn´t
5. Mr. Smith is retiring next year. Mr. Smith has worked for understand most of them.
the same company all his life. ………………………………………………………………...……
……………………………………………………………………………...
6. Yesterday I met Ann. She told me she was getting
married.
……………………………………………………………………………...
7. He told me his address. I wrote down the address on a
piece
of paper.
……………………………………………………………………………...
