V4 - Relative clauses and possessive nouns

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V4 - Relative clauses and possessive nouns

What is a clause?

Relative clauses

Relative clauses are used to give additional information about a noun, such as a person, place or thing. Relative pronouns introduce a relative clause. They include who, whom, that for people, that and which for things, when for time, and whose to show possession.

Relative clauses belong to one of two categories: defining relative clauses and non-defining relative clauses.

Defining relative clauses

1. Defining relative clauses give essential information to a sentence. If we remove the clause, the sentence does not make sense.

• The woman who found my wallet handed it in to reception.
• The student whose dog has run away, has gone to look for it.
• I remember the day when we first met.
• These are the earrings that my mother gave me.

Non-defining relative clauses

2. Non-defining relative clauses add extra information to a noun or noun phrase. This extra information is not essential. If we remove the clause, the sentence still makes sense. With this kind of relative clause, we use commas (,) to separate it from the rest of the sentence.

• My friend’s birthday, which was last weekend, was great fun.
• My current girlfriend, who I love very much, calls me every night.

Let's practice

Indicate whether the following clauses are defining or non-defining.

London, which is the capital of England, is one of the largest cities in the world.

1. Defining
2. Non-defining

This is the dress my mother has made for me.

1. Defining
2. Non-defining

That’s the dog that bit me.

1. Defining
2. Non-defining

Tom Cruise, who has starred in a lot of films, is a famous American actor.

1. Defining
2. Non-defining

Who or whom?

To … have you offered the flowers?

… wrote that beautiful love poem?

He is the kind of person for …. family is very important.

Do you understand relative clauses?

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Possessive 's

We use possessive 's to talk about the relationship between people or to say who owns something. Possessive 's always comes after a noun or a name. We commonly use 's for singular nouns and plural nouns not ending in s, and ' for plural nouns ending in s.

Let's practice

Write down the possessive form. Use 's / s' / ' / of

(a glass) milk

(my friend) bike

(the window) room

(Mr Smith) car

(two days) work

Do you understand possessive nouns?

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Homework

Do ex. 41 on page 138/139

Remember to finish ex. 15+17, starting on page 115 and study vocabulary 3A and 3B, take another look at the repeat vocabulary of chapters 1&2