Presenters: Nguyen Hai Thuy

Duong Nguyen Hong Minh

English 3B.04
CONTENT:

RELATIVE CLAUSES
CLASSIFICATION
RULES FOR REDUCED
RELATIVE CLAUSES
NOTES

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Instructor : Mr. Nguyen Ngoc Vu, M.A.
RELATIVE CLAUSES
A relative clause is also called
an adjective or adjectival
clause.
It contains a subject and verb.
It begins with a relative
pronoun (who, whom, whose,
that, or which) or a relative
adverb (when, where, or why).
Function: an adjective.
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Instructor : Mr. Nguyen Ngoc Vu, M.A.
CLASSIFICATION

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Instructor : Mr. Nguyen Ngoc Vu, M.A.
CLASSIFICATION

DEFINING RELATIVE
CLAUSES (RESTRICTIVE
RELATIVE CLAUSES):
essential to clarify for the
preceding noun and cannot be
omitted.
E.g. The woman who lives next
door is a doctor.
Technology in language teaching
Instructor : Mr. Nguyen Ngoc Vu, M.A.
CLASSIFICATION

NON-DEFINING RELATIVE
CLAUSES (NON-
RESTRICTIVE CLAUSES):
add more information for the
preceding noun and can be
omitted.
E.g. My brother Jim, who lives
in London, is an engineer.

Technology in language teaching

Instructor : Mr. Nguyen Ngoc Vu, M.A.
RULES FOR
REDUCED
RELATIVE
CLAUSES

Technology in language teaching

Instructor : Mr. Nguyen Ngoc Vu, M.A.
 RULE 1
YOU MAY DELETE THE RELATIVE PRONOUN
AND THE “BE” VERB WHEN:
1. they are followed by a prepositional phrase.
 The man who is in the house is my father.
The man in the house is my father.
 The books that are on the desk are mine
The books on the desk are mine.
2. the main verb in the relative clause is progressive
(PARTICIPLE RELATIVE CLAUSE)
 The man who is swimming in the lake is my father.
The man swimming in the lake is my father.
 The boy who is being chosen for the team is under 9.
The boy being chosen for the team is under 9.
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Instructor : Mr. Nguyen Ngoc Vu, M.A.
PARTICIPLE RELATIVE
CLAUSES

ACTIVE RELATIVE CLAUSES.

E.g. The man driving the bus is
my brother.
PASSIVE RELATIVE CLAUSES.
E.g. The book published last
week is on the table.
Technology in language teaching
Instructor : Mr. Nguyen Ngoc Vu, M.A.
 RULE 2

YOU MAY NOT DELETE THE RELATIVE PRONOUN

AND THE “BE” VERB WHEN:
1.they are followed by an adjective:
 The man who is angry is my father.
The man angry is my father.
However, you may switch the positions of the
adjective and noun.
The angry man is my father.
2. they are followed by a noun:
 The man who is a doctor is my father.
The man a doctor is my father.
Technology in language teaching
Instructor : Mr. Nguyen Ngoc Vu, M.A.
 RULE 3
THE RELATIVE PRONOUN CAN BE DELETED
WHEN IT IS NOT THE SUBJECT OF THE
RELATIVE CLAUSE:
This is the house that Jack built.
 This is the house Jack built.
The person whom you see is my father.
 The person you see is my father.
This is the place where I live.
 This is the place I live.
I don't know the reason why she is late.
 I don't know the reason she is late
(Also : I don't know why she is late. )
The woman whom he likes is married.
 The woman he likes is married.

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Instructor : Mr. Nguyen Ngoc Vu, M.A.
 NOTES

DO NOT DELETE A RELATIVE

PRONOUN THAT IS FOLLOWED BY
OTHER VERBS, NOT “BE”.
 The man who likes roses is my father.
 The man likes roses is my father.
NEVER DELETE THE RELATIVE
PRONOUN “WHOSE”.
 The man whose car broke down went to the station.
 The man car broke down went to the station.

Technology in language teaching

Instructor : Mr. Nguyen Ngoc Vu, M.A.
 NOTES
DO NOT REDUCE ACTIVE
RELATIVE CLAUSE WHEN:
1. There is a noun between the
relative pronoun and verb.
 E.g. The man who Jim is meeting for lunch
is Vietnamese.
2. We talk about a single,
completed action.
 E.g. The girl who fell over on the ice broke
her arms.

Technology in language teaching

Instructor : Mr. Nguyen Ngoc Vu, M.A.
 NOTES
DO NOT REDUCE PASSIVE
RELATIVE CLAUSE WHEN:
1. There is a noun between the
relative pronoun and verb.
 E.g. The speed at which decisions are made
in the company is worrying.
2. The defining relative clause
includes other modal verbs,
not “will”.
 E.g. There are a number of people who
should be asked.

Technology in language teaching

Instructor : Mr. Nguyen Ngoc Vu, M.A.
 Technology in language teaching
Instructor : Mr. Nguyen Ngoc Vu, M.A.