English Grammar Understanding the Basics - Evelyn P. Altenberg, Robert M. Vago 2010
Lesson 49: Sentences with relative clauses
Unit 16: Combining sentences
Part III: Getting started with sentences
A well-known children’s story starts with the line, This is the house that Jack built. It continues,
This is the malt that lay in the house that Jack built. This is the rat that ate the malt that lay in the house that Jack built. The story continues until it ends with the following sentence: This is the farmer sowing his corn, that kept the cock that crowed in the morn, that waked the priest all shaven and shorn, that married the man all tattered and torn, that kissed the maiden all forlorn, that milked the cow with the crumpled horn, that tossed the dog, that worried the cat, that killed the rat, that ate the malt that lay in the house that Jack built.
(www.amherst.edu/~rjyanco94/literature/mothergoose/rhymes/ thisisthehousethatjackbuilt.html, retrieved November 9, 2008.)
This story gives us a good demonstration of complex sentences with relative clauses, which are a kind of dependent clause (see Lesson 48). For example, in the sentence This is the house that Jack built, the main clause is This is the house, and the dependent, relative clause is that Jack built. The relative clause acts as an adjective: it modifies the noun phrase the house, telling us more about it. This is why relative clauses are also referred to as adjective clauses.
Quick 49.1 iP4
A relative clause (adjective clause) is a kind of dependent clause; it provides additional information about a noun phrase in the main clause. Example (relative clause underlined):
I brought the cookies that are on the plate.
In each sentence below, the relative clause is underlined, and the noun phrase which the relative clause is modifying is in bold. The main clause can stand on its own as a sentence without the relative clause; the relative clause just provides additional information about the noun phrase it’s modifying and cannot stand alone. Like other clauses, a relative clause has its own subject and verb phrase.
1. She transferred the plate to the tray that she just washed.
2. Blanche thought about the man who was living in Italy at the time.
3. He called the company that usually supplies the pipes.
Test yourself 49.1
Underline the relative clause in each of the sentences below.
Sample: Mr. Sanders was wearing a suit that he bought in Italy.
Getting started (answers on p. 233)
1. He paid no attention to the newspaper which was next to him.
2. The police arrested the man whom they had been looking for.
3. Mrs. Peterson was reaching for the phone that was nearest her chair.
4. He might recognize the woman who is hosting the show.
5. Cliff bought a present that was just perfect for his girlfriend.
More practice (answers on the website)
6. I am renting an apartment that has two bedrooms.
7. She met someone whose daughter had graduated from Duke University.
8. Are you going to eat the desert that I baked especially for you?
9. He came to the party with a friend whom I haven’t seen in ages.
10. You should pay for your vacation with the money that I gave you.
The relative clause doesn’t necessarily follow the main sentence (clause); it can also be within the main sentence. In the following sentences, the relative clause is underlined and the main sentence (clause) is in bold. In sentences 4 and 5, the relative clause follows the main clause; in sentences 6 and 7, it’s inside the main clause.
4. I’ve brought the horse which has been specially trained.
5. We tipped the waiter who had served us so well.
6. The man who was living in Italy at the time knew all the facts.
7. The company that usually supplies the pipes has gone out of business.
Again, if the relative clause (the underlined part) is removed, the main clause can still stand on its own as a sentence.
Test yourself 49.2
Underline the relative clause in each of the sentences below. The relative clause may be anywhere in the sentence.
Sample: A business that manufactures engines can be difficult to run.
Getting started (answers on p. 233)
1. She gave him a smile that lit up her face.
2. The professor who gives easy tests is on sabbatical this semester.
3. The approaches which are most likely to succeed are too complicated.
4. The hotel which is near the shore doesn’t open until April.
5. Are you satisfied with the computer that your parents bought for you?
More practice (answers on the website)
6. The players who just entered the stadium are wearing blue jerseys.
7. Those strawberries that you brought are absolutely delicious.
8. I will vote for the candidate whose values are close to mine.
9. The gym that she belongs to is only a mile away.
10. He is still madly in love with the woman whom he married 15 years ago.
We’ve seen (in Lesson 48) that other dependent clauses are linked to the rest of the sentence by subordinating conjunctions. The same is true of relative clauses. Those subordinating conjunctions which link relative clauses to the rest of the sentence are called relative pronouns, and you may remember that we talked about them in Lesson 26.The relative pronoun which introduces the relative clause is underlined in the sentences below:
8. I just read a book which had a really exciting ending.
9. The soldier whom I’m writing to recently came home on leave.
10. She signed a deal with the publishing company that gave her the best offer.
Note that words that are relative pronouns can also be used in other ways. For example, who can be used as a relative pronoun, but it can also be used as a question word, as in the sentence, Who married her?
Quick tip 49.2
Relative clauses begin with one of the relative pronouns: that, which, who, whom, whose.
Test yourself 49.3
Each of the sentences below contains a relative clause. Underline the relative pronoun that begins the relative clause.
Sample: The student whom I spoke to was confused.
Getting started (answers on p. 233)
1. The hotel chain that Greg founded has since gone out of business.
2. He phoned the woman who was writing the article.
3. Jill resents the man whose father won the lottery.
4. The highway which I take to work needs repair.
5. The TV show that she likes best is on Sunday nights.
More practice (answers on the website)
6. The DVD player which you bought was way too expensive.
7. I would like to meet the woman who you raved about.
8. Students whose names are not on the class roster should see me after class.
9. We are going to patronize the pharmacy which has just opened up.
10. I don’t read all the magazines that
I subscribe to.
Just as a sentence can have more than one dependent clause, it can have more than one relative clause. We saw this earlier, in the sentences about Jack, and see it here as well:
1. Pablo married the woman whose sister lived in a house which was next door to the one that I bought from the man who had first built it.
Even though this sentence is very long and contains four relative clauses, it is still perfectly grammatical.
Test yourself 49.4
Underline the relative clauses in each of the sentences below. A sentence may have more than one relative clause.
Sample: The man whom he had rescued turned out to be the criminal whom the police were looking for.
Getting started (answers on p. 233)
1. She turned on the broadcast which dealt with the scandal that had recently been in the news.
2. Buck stood behind the counter which dominated his small restaurant.
3. The photographer who took the picture which appeared in the paper that was most widely read won a Pulitzer Prize.
4. I can’t find the message that you sent me.
5. No one who breaks the law should get away with it.
More practice (answers on the website)
6. The cruise that we booked 6 months ago through the agent whom you recommended is leaving next week.
7. The furnace that heats the house which we purchased with the cash that we won in the lottery that we played 5 years ago needs to be replaced.
8. Did you ever compute the number of days that you have spent on the novel that you are writing?
9. Friends who keeps their word are the kinds of friends that I like.
10. The parking garage which is on the top floor of the building that is on the corner of the intersection is almost always full.
You may be wondering why relative pronouns are called pronouns. You know that pronouns replace noun phrases in a sentence. As we discussed in Lesson 26, all of the relative pronouns except whose do the same thing.
Quick tip 49.3
A relative pronoun connects the relative clause to the rest of the sentence. All of the relative pronouns (except whose) also replace a noun phrase in the relative clause.
(Whose replaces a determiner.)
Let’s review how Quick tip 49.3 works in the following sentence, whose relative clause is underlined:
12. Blanche thought about the man who was living in Italy.
What noun phrase is the relative pronoun who replacing? The who refers to the noun phrase the man.
Here’s another example:
13. He called the company that usually supplied the pipes.
In this case, what does the relative pronoun that replace? It replaces the noun phrase the company.
Test yourself 49.5
For each sentence below, underline the relative clause and put a squiggly line under the main clause.
Getting started (answers on p. 233)
1. I am meeting Mr. Arnold at the museum that he supports.
2. The label which contains the warning is not very clear.
3. The robber opened the case which contained the most cash.
4. The policy that the president is implementing should be successful.
5. I contacted the young man whose wallet
I found on the subway.
More practice (answers on the website)
6. Shirley is not satisfied with the interest that she is getting in her bank account.
7. Economists who can predict the duration of recessions are rare.
8. Doctors who overcharge patients should be prosecuted.
9. I was impressed with the author who gave a lecture at the library yesterday.
10. The salesman who called was very persuasive.
Test yourself 49.6
Underline the dependent clause in each of the sentences below. It will either be a relative clause, a noun clause, or an adverbial clause.
Sample: The historian visited most of the sites that he wrote about.
Getting started (answers on p. 234)
1. The architect’s design includes a window that faces the courtyard.
2. She understood what you were trying to say.
3. If you’re hungry, this town has a fantastic Greek restaurant.
4. It is obvious that we have to reevaluate our plan.
5. The offer that I have given you is a fair one.
More practice (answers on the website)
6. Her cousins need to know whether she’ll be going to Boston this weekend.
7. Even if you don’t feel good, you should definitely attend the convention.
8. The stranger who said hello to us wore elegant clothes.
9. The salesman can’t remember what he promised his customer.
10. They watched TV when they got home.
Let’s take a look at the following sentence:
14. The man whom I interviewed was not very knowledgeable.
As we discussed above, the sentence contains a relative clause, whom I interviewed, which begins with the relative pronoun whom. Will this sentence still be grammatical if the relative pronoun, whom, is left out?
15. The man I interviewed was not very knowledgeable.
If you think this sentence sounds fine, you’re absolutely right. Here are some more examples: 16a. The permit that the builders applied for was denied.
16b. The permit the builders applied for was denied.
17a. The celebrity who Jack photographed left the theater early.
17b. The celebrity Jack photographed left the theater early.
You will notice that when the relative pronoun is omitted, as in sentences 15, 16b, and 17b, one noun phrase is directly followed by another noun phrase: the man + I in
sentence 15, the permit + the builders in sentence 16b, and the celebrity + Jack in sentence 17b. So if you see a sentence that has two noun phrases next to each other, check to see if the sentence would still be grammatical and mean the same thing if you put a relat ive pronoun between the two noun phrases; this will help you identify relative clauses.
Quick tip 49.4
A relative pronoun may be omitted before a noun phrase. Example: The movie (that) I saw was exciting.
Test yourself 49.7
Underline the relative clause in each of the sentences below. In some cases, the relative pronoun will have been deleted.
Sample: The waiter set the table he had placed outside the restaurant.
Getting started (answers on p. 234)
1. The little square in the town we visited contained benches.
2. Other famous people will be performing at the theater that my brother works at.
3. The pilot who flew the aircraft must have been well trained.
4. My neighbor owns the horse which won this race.
5. The guest I invited is sleeping on the sofa.
More practice (answers on the website)
6. We left a nice tip for the waiter who served our delicious dinner.
7. The tennis racket I bought for you was made abroad.
8. The author whose book I am reading will go on a promotional tour.
9. The thing I like best about Jill is her positive attitude.
10. The woman who is running for mayor of this city is well known.
When we look at relative clauses more closely, we find that there are actually two types: restrictive relative clauses and nonrestrictive relative clauses. Compare the following sentences; the relative clauses are underlined.
18. Bridget likes doughnuts that have chocolate frosting.
19. She likes Peter Bolton, who is her son’s piano teacher.
In sentence 18, the relative clause that have chocolate frosting is telling us exactly which doughnuts Bridget really likes. The clause is telling us that Bridget doesn’t necessarily like all doughnuts; she specifically likes those that have chocolate frosting. This kind of relative clause, which limits or restricts the noun phrase it’s modifying, is called a restrictive relative clause.
In contrast, in sentence 19, the relative clause who is her son’s piano teacher is telling us something about Peter Bolton, but if we omit this relative clause, we still know who Peter is, although we don’t know the extra information that he is her son’s piano teacher. This type of relative clause is called a nonrestrictive relative clause. It’s always separated from the main sentence by commas. (You can think of it as being separated from the main clause by commas because it’s not essential.) When we say a sentence with a
nonrestrictive relative clause, we usually pause at the commas separating it from the main sentence.
Here are some more examples to help clarify the difference between restrictive and nonrestrictive relative clauses:
20. The employees who were upset came to the meeting.
21. The employees, who were upset, came to the meeting.
What’s the difference in meaning between these two sentences? According to sentence 20, only those employees who were upset came to the meeting. The other employees didn’t come to the meeting. That is, sentence 20 restricts the employees who came to the meeting to only those who were upset. Sentence 20 thus contains a restrictive relative clause.
What we know from sentence 21 is that employees came to the meeting. In addition, we know that those employees were upset. The clause provides additional information about the employees but doesn’t restrict, or limit, which employees came to the meeting. There may be other employees who were also upset but who didn’t come to the meeting. This clause is a nonrestrictive relative clause.
Again, notice that in sentence 21 the relative clause is separated from the main clause by commas. Sentence 21 is also said with pauses where the commas are.
Note that one can always remove a relative clause, of either type, and still end up with a grammatical sentence. However, if the restrictive relative clause is removed, some of the information needed to fully identify the noun phrase we’re talking about is missing.
Quick tip 49.5
A restrictive relative clause limits the noun phrase which it is modifying; a nonrestrictive relative clause does not. A nonrestrictive relative clause is separated from the main clause by pauses, and, when written, it is separated from the main clause by commas. Examples: The dogs which were friendly were being trained as Seeing Eye dogs (restrictive). The dogs, which were friendly, were being trained as Seeing Eye dogs (nonrestrictive).
Test yourself 49.8
Decide if each relative clause, underlined in the sentences below, is a restrictive or nonrestrictive relative clause.
Sample: The laundry which had just been folded was on the counter. restrictive
Getting started (answers on p. 234)
1. Mrs. Smith, who owns the house, was not interested in selling.
2. A huge truck, which someone had painted bright yellow, stood in the driveway.
3. The children who had just come back from the class trip were restless.
4. The maid broke an antique lamp, which was very valuable.
5. The painting I brought home will be perfect for the den.
More practice (answers on the website)
6. The bushes we planted last year are growing nicely.
7. Brianna is mad at John, who offended her family.
8. I am returning your bicycle, which you lent me last week.
9. The students who made the presentation did a great job.
10. This road, which we have traveled many times, is treacherous.
Test yourself 49.9
Underline the relative clause in each of the sentences below. Then decide if it is restrictive or nonrestrictive.
Sample: Rome, which is a lovely city, was her first destination. nonrestrictive
Getting started (answers on p. 234)
1. The Frenchman who is from Lyons completed the project.
2. The general, who knew nothing about the matter, nonetheless voiced his opinion.
3. A small disturbance, which was getting louder and louder, finally attracted our attention.
4. Jeremy, who was blushing profusely, asked Tatiana for some help.
5. Jim wasn’t the person she wanted to hire.
More practice (answers on the website)
6. The young lady, whose hobby was stamp collecting, was charming.
7. The man who is having a drink at the bar looks familiar.
8. The taxi I called took me to the airport.
9. Her report, which she prepared carefully, was well received.
10. The children, who are playing with their new toys, are unusually quiet.
To enhance your understanding
Proper names are not modified by restrictive relative clauses. Here is an example:
22a. George, who is an architect, is a good friend of mine. (nonrestrictive)
22b. *George who is an architect is a good friend of mine. (restrictive)
Since the identity of a proper noun is already well defined, it makes sense that restrictive relative clauses do not modify proper nouns.
Notice that if we want to be very specific about a proper name, to differentiate it from others with the same name, then using a restrictive relative clause is entirely appropriate:
23. The George who is an architect is a good friend of mine. (restrictive)
24. The France that I am familiar with is a very lovely country. (restrictive)
To further enhance your understanding
A relative clause can modify any noun phrase in a sentence, whether that noun phrase is functioning as a subject, direct object, indirect object, or object of a preposition. For example, in sentence 25, the relative clause refers to the direct object of the main clause:
25. My sister likes the house which has a large swimming pool.
And in sentence 26, the relative clause refers to the indirect object of the main clause:
26. My sister sold the house to a family that has three children.