RELATIVE CLAUSES
*Relative Clauses are subordinate clauses introduced by a relative pronoun or adverb.
Defining (especificativa) Non-defining (explicativa ,…,)not om./repla
Who / that (people) *that cannot be used
Which / that (animals, objects) who
When / that (moment in time) which (cannot be omitted or replaced by that)
Where (places) when
Whose (possession) where
Whose
-Defining. Provide essential information to identify an antecedent.
*who and which can be replaced by that. Both can be omitted if they function as the
object (complement) of the subordinate clause.
Ex. We didn’t like the play (which/that) they performed in. (can be omitted)
That’s the man (who/that) I met at Mary’s house.
When the relative is the subject (when the verb follows the relative pronoun), it is
necessary
Ex. We have a friend who/that plays the piano. (the relative is the subject,
Cannot be omitted)
*when is usually replaced by that or omitted in informal contexts when it is preceded
by nouns related to time (day, week, time, year…)
Ex. It was the day (when/that) she started a German course.
*whose cannot be omitted or replaced by that.
Ex. He is the boy whose dreams came true.
*where: when it refers to a place, cannot be omitted or replaced by that.
Ex. “Le Petit Bistro” is the place where you can have the best fondue.
This is the city where Janet was born.
If a preposition is related to the relative pronoun or adverb, the relative can be omitted and
the preposition is usually located after the verb of the subordinate clause.
Eg. The playground wasn’t used by those children. The playground was built for the children.
The playground wasn’t used by those children (that/who) it was built for.
