Lecture Notes on Relative Pronouns

Introduction

• Speaker: Arnel
• Topic: Relative pronouns (who, which, that, whose, whom) and relative clauses (also called adjective clauses)
• Objective: Cover essential information and end with a mini test

Overview of Relative Pronouns

• Key Relative Pronouns:
  • Who
  • Which
  • That
  • Whose
  • Whom
• Function: The relative pronoun is the head of the relative clause, which always follows the noun it describes.

Usage of Relative Pronouns

• Who vs. That:
  • "Who" is more formal, while "that" is less formal and used in spoken English.
  • Examples:
    • "I had a friend who could speak six languages."
    • "I had a friend that could speak six languages."
• Which vs. That:
  • "Which" is slightly more formal.
  • Examples:
    • "I bought a blanket which glows in the dark."
    • "I bought a blanket that glows in the dark."
• Whose:
  • Used to indicate possession.
  • Example: "I spoke to a friend whose uncle is a lawyer."
• Using Who for Animals:
  • Personal context can allow for "who" to be used for pets. E.g., "My neighbor has a dog who constantly barks."
  • Use of "which" for general animal categories: "Giant pandas, which are endangered..."

Understanding Relative Clauses

• Defining vs. Non-defining Relative Clauses:
  • Defining Relative Clauses: Provide necessary information to identify the noun.
    • Example: "The printer that is next to the door can only print in black and white."
  • Non-defining Relative Clauses: Provide additional, non-essential information, often set off by commas.
    • Example: "The printer, which is ancient and needs to be thrown away, can only print in black and white."
• Removing Relative Clauses:
  • Defining clauses are essential for clarity; removing them causes confusion.
  • Non-defining clauses can be removed without losing the sentence's meaning.

Comma Usage in Non-defining Clauses

• Always use commas to separate non-defining relative clauses.
• Rule: Do not use "that" in a non-defining relative clause.
• Commas in spoken English are not present, but pauses can serve a similar purpose.

Review of Key Points

• Pronoun Summary:
  • Use "who" or "that" for people.
  • Use "which" or "that" for things.
  • Use "whose" for possessive cases.
  • Generally, "who" is preferred for pets.
• Clauses:
  • Defining clauses are essential for identification.
  • Non-defining clauses provide extra information and need commas.

Subject vs. Object in Relative Clauses

• Understanding the role of relative pronouns is important:
  • Relative pronouns can be subjects or objects in relative clauses.
  • Example where the pronoun is the object: "The dish that you brought is amazing."
  • Example where the pronoun is the subject: "The lines that have an X on them are important."
• Removing Object Pronouns:
  • You can remove the relative pronoun if it is the object of the clause.

Whom vs. Who

• Who: Subject form
• Whom: Object form (less common in spoken English)
• Example sentences:
  • "Jared was a prisoner who always broke the rules."
  • "Jared was a prisoner whom everyone feared."

Test Preparation

• Expect a test on filling in relative pronouns and recognizing which can be removed.
• Example: "The email that you sent me had a mistake."

Conclusion

• Thank you for watching! Looking forward to the next lesson.