Unit 2 - Grammar
You already started to study artiques and quantifiers in 1 ESO:
(+) some / no
(-) any
Defining relative clauses:
(Oraciones de relativo especificativas)
When we talk about people, things and events to give essential information about the nouns they reter to.
A relative clause always comes after the noun it describes. If we erase the relative clause, the main sentence loses its full meaning.
The woman who/that lives next door works in a bank. ------> "who/that lives next door"’ is a defining relative clause. It tells us which woman we are talking about.
Look out! There’s the dog which/that bit my brother. ------> "which/that bit my brother"’ is a defining relative clause. It tells us which dog we are talking about.
The film which/that we saw last week was awful. ------> "which/that we saw last week"’ is a defining relative clause. It tells us which film we are talking about.
With defining relative clauses we can use who or that to talk about people, which or that to talk about thing. There is no difference in meaning between these, though 'who' tends to be preferred in more formal use.
Omission of the relative:
This is the skirt (which/that) I bought in the sales. ------> the subject of “bought” is “I” => This is the skirt I bought in the sales.
We can omit the relative pronoun “who”, “which” or “that” if it is not the subject of the defining relative clause.
We cannot omit “whose”.
This is the dog which/that bit my brother. ---------> here the relative pronoun is the subject of the verb of the relative clause ("bit"), so "which/that" cannot be omitted => This is the dog bit my brother.
Be careful!!!!
Remember: This is the dog which/that bit my brother. ---------> If the relative pronoun is the subject of the verb of the relative clause ("bit"), "which/that" cannot be omitted.
The man (who/that is) interested in your car will telephone later. ------> If the relative clause contains the verb 'be' + an adjective phrase, you can omit the relative pronoun and the verb to be.
The books (which/that) are on the table have been read. ------> If the relative clause contains the verb 'be' + a prepositional phrase , you can omit the relative pronoun and the verb to be.
A person (who/that has been) tricked once is careful the next time. ------> If the relative clause contains the verb 'be' + a past participle [a passive form] , you can omit the relative pronoun and the verb to be.
The family (who/that are) living in the house are very rich. ------> If the relative clause contains the verb 'be' + a present participle [a continuous form] , you can omit the relative pronoun and the verb to be.
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Non-Defining relative clauses:
We use non-defining relative clauses to give extra information about someone or something.
We use commas to separate a non-defining relative clause form the main clause. If we erase this clause, the main sentence keeps its full meaning.
We don't use the relative pronoun "that" in non-defining relative clauses.
The Maths teacher, who is very handsome, gave me a ten in my last test.
John, who is the neighbours son, won the first prize in class.
