RELATIVE (ADJECTIVE) CLAUSES

Transcription

1 Grammar Handout 3 RELATIVE (ADJECTIVE) CLAUSES I Adjectives are used to modify and give information about nouns. Adjective clauses are also used to give more information about nouns. An adjective clause is a group of words. It looks like a sentence because it has a subject and a verb, but it can t stand alone. It can only be used as part of a sentence. Relative (adjective) clauses describe or give information about nouns just like adjectives do. ADJECTIVES An adjective describes or gives information about a noun. An adjective usually comes IN FRONT OF a noun, a) I met a famous + man. adjective noun b) Jack is wearing a big + hat. adjective noun RELATIVE (ADJECTIVE) CLAUSES An adjective clause also describes or gives information about a noun. but an adjective clause FOLLOWS a noun. c) I met a man + who is a famous poet. noun adjective clause d) Jack is wearing a hat + which is too big for him. noun adjective clause TASK 1. Read the text below, and do the following tasks with your partner. 1. Do you watch a lot of TV? 2. Did you watch a lot of TV when you were a child? 3. Do you think that some TV shows are bad for children? CHILDREN AND THE MEDIA Before families had TV, most of the information which children got was from their parents, teachers and books which their parents bought. When TV entered homes, it brought a variety of information, ideas and images that children didn t have before. As more mothers started to go out to work, parents couldn t control the programs which their children watched. Today, the typical child spends an average of 5.5 hours a day using some form of media (TV, music, computers, printed material). Children who watch unsuitable programs often cause trouble in schools. The teachers who see these children as troublemakers complain to the parents. Parents, however, say that they don t have enough time to monitor the programs which their children watch. Some children live in homes which have rules about media use, but in many homes there are no rules. Children are of course unhappy about parents who set limits. However, parents have to pay attention to the programs which their children watch, and they need to set a time limit. TV channels should also make sure that their programs are suitable for children. Programs that educators find unsuitable for children should be broadcast late at night. Taken and adapted from Elbaum, Sandra N. (2001). Grammar in Context, (Unit 6), Heinle & Heinle Publishers.

2 1. What couldn t parents do as more mothers started to go out to work? Parents couldn t control the programs which their children watched. 2. Who causes trouble in schools? Children who watch unsuitable programs cause trouble in schools. 3. Who are children unhappy about? Children are unhappy about parents who set limits. 4. Which programs should be broadcast late at night? Programs that educators find unsuitable for children should be broadcast late at night. All your answers to the questions are relative clauses. who, which, and that are relative pronouns. TASK 2. Read the following rules about relative clauses and fill in the blanks. RELATIVE CLAUSES: 1. are used to define, or give additional information about nouns, 2. begin with who, which, that, whose, whom, where, when, and why, (This handout focuses on relative clauses which define nouns, and begin with who(m), which, that) 3. usually come after the noun they define. Relative pronouns who/which/that can be the subject or the object of the clause. A. SUBJECT RELATIVE PRONOUNS In an adjective clause, who, which, that is the SUBJECT of the relative clause. 1 MAIN CLAUSE RELATIVE CLAUSE + Object Object Children are unhappy about parents who set limits. Some children live in homes which have rules about media use. 2 MAIN CLAUSE RELATIVE CLAUSE MAIN CLAUSE (continued) Children who watch unsuitable programs cause trouble in schools. The teachers who see the children as complain to the parents.

3 TASK 3. Join the following sentences using who/that or which/that. e.g. I watched a program. It was about the most famous volcanoes in the world. I watched a program which/that was about the most famous volcanoes in the world. I watched a program which it was about the most famous volcanoes in the world. The man likes his job. He is the editor of this newspaper. The man who/that is the editor of this newspaper likes his job. The man likes his job who is the editor of this newspaper.!!! PLEASE take your students attention to the fact that it is not always possible to form the relative clause with both of the given sentences (especially when there is a reason-result relationship between the two sentences.) Pls. see questions 9 and The man knows a lot about technology. He set up my computer. The man who set up my computer knows a lot about technology. 2. Most parents don t want their children to watch the programs. They include violence. Most parents don t want their children to watch the programs which include violence. 3. The man is a company director. He arranged the meeting. The man who arranged the meeting is a company director. 4. The salesman doesn t work in this firm anymore. He sold you that TV set. The salesman who sold you that TV set doesn t work in this firm anymore. 5. Did you read the newspaper? It is on the table. Did you read the newspaper which is on the table? 6. The idea is going to make us a lot of money. It came to me last night. The idea which came to me last night is going to make us a lot of money. 7. The flat has five rooms. It has a great view of the lake. The flat which has a great view of the lake has five rooms. 8. Miranda is staying with her uncle. He lives in a large house outside Paris. Miranda is staying with her uncle who lives in a large house outside Paris. 9. A magician performs deadly tricks. He can earn a lot of money. A magician who performs deadly tricks can earn a lot of money. (NOT A magician who can earn a lot of money performs deadly tricks.) 10. The employee did a great job managing the conference. He was promoted to a higher position in the firm. The employee who did a great job managing the conference was promoted to a higher position in the firm. (NOT The employee who was promoted to a higher position in the firm did a great job managing the conference TASK 4. Fill in the blanks with a relative clause using your own information. (Answers vary.) e.g I don t like people who are always late. 1. I don t like apartments. 2. I don t like movies. 3. I like movies. 4. I don t like teachers. 5. I like teachers. 6. I can t understand people.

4 B. OBJECT RELATIVE PRONOUNS In an adjective clause, who, which, that is the OBJECT of the relative clause. 3 MAIN CLAUSE RELATIVE CLAUSE Object Object Parents couldn t control the programs which their children watched. TV brought information that children didn t have before. 4 MAIN CLAUSE Object RELATIVE CLAUSE MAIN CLAUSE (continued) Programs that educators find unsuitable.. should be broadcast.. Information which children got was from.. when the relative pronoun functions as the object of the relative clause; * the relative pronoun whom can also be used to give information about people, * the relative pronoun (who, whom, which, that) can be omitted (left out) without a change in meaning. e.g. Parents who(m) teachers blame complain that they don t have time to monitor the programs. Parents that teachers blame complain that they don t have time to monitor the programs. Parents ( - ) teachers blame complain that they don t have time to monitor the programs. Most of the information which children got was from their parents. Most of the information that children got was from their parents. Most of the information ( - ) children got was from their parents. TASK 5. Read each sentence and decide whether you can leave out the relative pronoun or not. 1. I didn t want to wear the dress (that) my mother gave me. 2. The book (which) I am reading was written by Dan Brown. 3. The book which has a yellow cover is a murder mystery. 4. He wears a watch that displays the time in four major world cities. 5. The steak (that) I ordered was over-cooked. 6. That is the lucky man who won the lottery. 7. Does the salary (that) you earn motivate you? 8. I bought a copy of the book (that) John wrote. 9. I don t know the man (who) your sister married.

5 TASK 6. Join the following sentences using who/whom/that or which/that. e.g. I didn t read the book. You brought it yesterday. I didn t read the book (which/that) you brought yesterday. I didn t read the book (which/that) you brought it yesterday. The woman was an old school friend. Alice met her yesterday. The woman (who/whom/that) Alice met yesterday was an old school friend. The woman (who/whom/that) Alice met her yesterday was an old school friend. 1. I liked the paragraph. You wrote it. I liked the paragraph (which/that) you wrote. 2. The car was no good. You wanted me to buy it. The car (which/that) you wanted me to buy was no good. 3. The student passed his exams. David taught him. The student (who/that) David taught passed his exams. 4. The drug didn't help Peter. Dr. Jones prescribed it. The drug (which/that) Dr. Jones prescribed didn't help Peter. 5. The film was suitable for children. Paul saw it. The film (which/that) Paul saw was suitable for children. / Paul saw the film which/that was suitable for children. 6. The diamond ring isn't genuine. William gave it to his wife. The diamond ring (which/that) William gave to his wife isn't genuine. TASK 7. Find and correct 7 other mistakes about driving when a person is tired. Josh Parker is a teacher (e.g.) which who/that often works late. He drives on a dark road which/that has no lights. A long work day, the late hour, and the dark road are a combination that it can be dangerous. Josh can fall asleep when he is driving and get into a bad accident. He says he is sometimes too tired to drive. I m a person who usually puts safety first. I don t drink and drive, and I never drive at a speed which/that is dangerous. When I m tired, however, my brain doesn t work right. Josh has a problem which many people suffer from it. Like other people who is are really tired, he sometimes makes bad decisions. When he feels tired, he drives by himself. He should drive with a friend who he tries to keep him awake!

6 TASK 8. Study the following chart that summarizes the main points in the handout and fill in the blanks. COMPARING SUBJECT AND OBJECT RELATIVE CLAUSES SUBJECT RELATIVE PRONOUNS OBJECT RELATIVE PRONOUNS The relative pronouns include... who, which, that. who, whom, which, that. In a relative clause, the relative pronoun (who, which, that) is... the subject of the clause. the object of the clause. In a sentence, the relative pronoun modifies... any noun or pronoun. In a sentence, the relative pronoun usually comes... right after the word it modifies. In a sentence, the relative clause has... a new verb. a new subject and a verb. The relative pronoun... CANNOT be omitted. can be omitted TASK 9. Read the texts below and find the statements which best complete the missing parts and change them into defining relative clauses using who, which, or that. Leave out the relative pronoun where possible. Be careful! The sentences are NOT in the correct order. * Travelling abroad is not something difficult for young people any longer. If you take the time to talk to travel agents and to shop around, some really good deals can be found. Eurorail and Interail are two travel cards (1) (c) which/that let people aged 20 or under travel in Europe, mainly by train. * One year after the flood, many old buildings in Caerwan, our historic town, have a completely new face. A sports centre has been built in place of the old mill. Many of the important old buildings, such as the castle and the town hall, have been repaired and are now more beautiful than ever, but the 18 th century school (2) (b) which/that was damaged badly during the flood had to be pulled down. In its place there is a lovely new park (3) (e) which/that has got beautiful gardens and playgrounds for children. Do not take our word for it; come and see Caerwen for yourself. * Astronauts have to be physically and mentally ready for the stress of a space mission. During the preparation stage, they are given intensive training, including years of classroom study on various technical subjects (4) (d) which/that include physics, chemistry and quantum physics. They also work in a model spaceship. After this intensive training, astronauts become familiar with all equipment (5) (h) which/that/-- they have to use on board. * The Moon is the only planet (6) (g) which/that/-- man has visited. However, it is still completely foreign to us. It has almost no colour but has huge areas of white rock. The light areas on the Moon are referred to as highlands. The surface of the Moon is covered with craters and mountains. These are the dark areas (7)(f)which/that/-- we see on the Moon s surface. The craters are large holes (8) (a) which/that were formed by meteor crashes. There are at least 30,000 craters on the Moon of different sizes. The largest one is 25,600 kilometres across. a) These holes were formed by meteor crashes. b) It was damaged badly during the flood. c) These let people aged 20 or under travel in Europe. d) They include physics, chemistry and quantum physics e) It has got beautiful gardens and playgrounds for children f) We see these areas on the Moon s surface. g) Man has visited it. h) They have to use this equipment on board.

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