Relative Clauses


Relative Pronouns

which what who (whose, whom)
that whatever whoever (whomever)

Examples of relative clauses that use relative pronouns:

Noun Phrase Relative Clause Rest of sentence
noun/pronoun relative pronoun as object [within the relative clause] relative pronoun as subject [within the relative clause] subject in the relative clause verb phrase rest of clause
Exhausted women   who   hated studying English are buried here.
Important fortune tellers whom   we needed to meet   arrived yesterday.
The authorities (to) whom   citizens turn for help   ignored the problem.
Several parents   whose children   left home blamed the government.
The throw pillow   whose cover   was torn   will be disemboweled.
The Johnsons at whose home   we met yesterday lectured us on religion.
That man   who   is eating cheese needs a napkin.
The new sidewalk (that)   I walked on   is dry now.
A machine   which   eats money is not useful.
The iceberg (which)   the penguin loved   was soiled by the walrus.
The point at which   we had to give up   had come.
The officials   each of whom   were treated to taffy begged for more.
The litigants (all of whom)   Spot knew by name also sued for damages.
That time (when)   we lost our souls was humiliating.
That shop (where)   Ferdinand found Eau de Smoke was closed for fumigation.
The reason (why)   styrofoam keeps tapioca warm is unknown.

Relative clauses can also be reduced into phrases

Relative clauses containinga form of the verb "to be" can be reduced to several types of phrases by deleting the signal word and the form of the verb "to be." These are called reduced relative clauses. [Note: the reduced relative clauses should be punctuated (with commas) according the criteria set forth in the restrictive vs. non-restrictive elements section.]

Relative clauses can be reduced to a prepositional phrase modifier:

The people who are in the most desperate situations will eat each other.

The people (in the most desperate situations) will eat each other.

Relative clauses can be reduced to an adjective phrase modifier:

There is something which is wacky about his proposal to construct a statue of Lenin out of long-grained rice.

There is something (wacky) about his proposal to construct a statue of Lenin out of long-grained rice.

Relative clauses can be reduced to an appositive:

Willem de Swim, who is an ichthyologist at the Monterey Aquarium, is the world's foremost expert on teaching fish to find their comfort level with water.

Willem de Swim, (an ichthyologist at the Monterey Aquarium,) is the world's foremost expert on teaching fish to find their comfort level with water.

Relative clauses can be reduced to a gerund phrase (expressing the same time as the main verb):

The butchers who are making sausages will begin to include toy surprises within the casings.

The butchers (making sausages) will begin to include toy surprises within the casings.

Relative clauses can be reduced to a gerund phrase (expressing earlier time than the main verb):

The duck who had quacked once too often was encouraged to leave the pond by the monastery.

The duck (having quacked once too often) was encouraged to leave the pond by the monastery.

Relative clauses can be reduced to past participial phrases:

[Past participial] The monkey that had been given a Big Mac seemed to prefer eating the lice he picked off his brother.[Passive]

The monkey, (given a Big Mac), seemed to prefer eating the lice he picked off his brother.

[Past participial] The rats that were dissected for fun have come back to haunt the boxes in Jerry's garage. [Passive]

The rats, (dissected for fun), have come back to haunt the boxes in Jerry's garage.