important lessons

Clauses | Relative Clauses | Non-defining and Non-finite

GRAMMAR


THE RELATIVE CLAUSE


I. A relative clause is a subordinate adjectival clause:


_ An adjective or adjectival clause is a subordinate, dependent clause which, like an adjective, modifies or identifies (qualifying, specifying, limiting or providing further information about) a noun or a pronoun.)



_ Adjectives clauses are usually introduced by relative pronouns: who, whom, whose, which and that.


_ Sometimes the subordinating conjunctions ‘when’, ‘where’ and ‘why’ introduce adjective clauses.

_ The relative pronouns or conjunctions come immediately after the nouns, the antecedents, modified by the adjective clause they introduce.



- A Relative Pronoun has three things:

1. It refers to a preceding noun or pronoun also called antecedent:

  1. _ The doctor is a person whom we can trust.
  2. _ The film was one that I had seen before.


2. It connects its clause with the residue of the sentence:

  1. _ We hate students who bring cheat sheets. (The subordinate clause is joined to the main Clause by the relative pronoun WHO)
  2. _ You need a car that consumes less. (The subordinate clause is joined to the main clause by the relative pronoun THAT)


3. It performs an action within its own clause by serving as the subject, object, verb…., of the subordinate Clause.


4. They awarded the prize to John, who is the best athlete. (WHO is the subject of the verb in the adjectival clause who is the best athlete.)


5. Give me the present that you promised. (THAT is the object of the verb promised (promised what?)


Non-defining and Non-finite




II. Defining non-defining relative clauses: If the clause modifies (identifies, defines, restricts, answers) the question which one? about the antecedent, then it MUST NOT be set off by commas. The information in the clause is defining. (essential, and necessary to) the meaning of the sentence because it tells precisely which one it modifies:


1. With a defining relative, this rule is rigid: no comma before the clause and no comma after the clause.

2. In a relative clause, the relative pronoun is very often understood and not expressed at all.


[(The dress [which he is wearing]) (is (new.))] 

 NP-S finite wh-relative clause-PM VP-P Adj.P-Cs

_ The SPOCA pattern: SPCs:

[(The dress [he is wearing]) (is (new.))] 

 NP-S finite zero that-relative clause-PM VP-P Adj.P-Cs


III. Finite 

_ Non-finite relative clauses:

1. I couldn't understand the instructions [that were given in the Practice Exam.] 

                                                                      finite that-relative clause-PM 

_ I couldn't understand the instructions [given in the Practice Exam.]

                                                    non-finite ed-participle relative clause-PM 

2. I have lost the envelope that contained my job application.

_ I have lost the envelope [containing my job application.]

                               non-finite ing-participle relative clause-PM 


3. The British young pop star, who made his first public speech as a UN ambassador yesterday, said that the Covid-19 vaccine should be distributed worldwide.

  1. _ The British young pop star, making his first public speech as a UN ambassador yesterday, said that the Covid-19 vaccine should be distributed worldwide.

4. I have lost the envelope that contained my job application.

  1. _ I have lost the envelope containing my job application.

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