Relative clauses & participle

A. Relative clauses
1. What is relative clauses?
Relative clauses give us more information about someone or something.
- We can use relative clauses to combine clauses without repeating information.
Compare
The couple posted a Christmas
The couple posted a Christmas present to their
present to their daughter.
daughter, who lives in South Africa.
Their daughter lives in South Africa.
- We can use relative clauses to give focus to something or someone.
Compare
This is the book which we’re reading at the We’re reading this book at the
moment. moment.

She’s the woman who I was talking about. I was talking about the woman.
2. Types of relative clause
There are two types of relative clause: one type refers to a noun or noun phrase (these are
defining and non-defining relative clauses) and the other type refers to a whole sentence or
clause, especially in speaking.
Use Example
defining relative clauses
 which or that to refer to things
 who or that to refer to people
 a defining relative clause is used
because the sentence would not make The kind of music which/that my group plays
sense without it. It gives essential is hard to describe. (without the clause which/
information that identifies or specifies that my group plays, we do not know which
which person or thing is being talked music is being referred to and the sentence
about. has no clear meaning)
 the relative pronoun which, that or
who can be left out of the relative The kind of music (which/that) my group
clause if the relative clause contains a plays is hard to describe. (the main subject of
second subject that is different from the sentence is the kind of music and a
the subject of the whole sentence different subject, my group, is the subject of
the relative clause and the verb plays)
non-defining relative clauses
 which to refer to things My car, which I only bought two months ago,
has broken down.
  who to refer to people My brother, who knows a lot about this sort of
 a non-defining relative clause gives thing, told me what I should do. (without the
additional or interesting information relative clauses the meaning of each sentence
about people or things. This is clear, but the relative clauses give relevant
information is not essential and the information)
sentence has a clear meaning without
the relative clause.
 usually put a comma both before and
after a non- defining relative clause
 note: The relative pronoun which or
who cannot be left out of a non-
defining relative clause.
 note: Do not use that to refer to people NOT My brother, that knows a lot...
or things in a non-defining relative
clause.
which for facts, situations and actions They lost the game, which disappointed their
 which can be used to link a whole supporters. (They lost the game is a full
sentence describing a fact, situation or sentence; the relative clause refers to it and
action with a comment on that fact, comments on it)
situation or action
where
 to refer to places in both defining and In the part of the city where I live, nothing
non-defining relative clauses interesting ever happens. (defining)
 where cannot be left out The hotel, where I had stayed previously, was
excellent. (non-defining)
when
 to refer to times in both defining and This is the time of year (when) the tourists
non-defining relative clauses start to arrive. (defining)
 it is possible to leave when out of a At this time of year, when the tourists have
defining relative clause but do not left, this place is lovely. (non-defining)
leave it out of a non-defining relative
clause
whose + noun
 use as a possessive form in both She is a writer whose books I always like to
defining and non- defining relative read. (= I like to read her books) (defining)
clauses Rachel, whose address I don't know, lives
somewhere outside the city centre. (= I don't
know her address) (non-defining)
Exercise 1: Choose all the correct options.
1. The woman _______ called said she'd ring again later.
 A. who B. which C. that D. –
2. One of the people _______ I admire the most is Nelson Mandela.
A. who B. that C. whose D. –
3. That's the man _______ daughter is a professional footballer.
A. who B. which C. that D. whose
4. Where's the book _______Paul lent you?
A. who B. which C. that D. –
5. I'm looking for something _______ will clean glass.
A. who B. which C. that D. –
6. The day _______ they met was her birthday.
A. who B. when C. whose D. where
7. The park _______ I go running is really peaceful.
A. where B. that C. which D. whose
8. That's exactly the information _______ I needed!
A. that B. who C. which D. –
9. The film _______ we saw last week was awful.
A. that B. which C. who D. –
10. That's the hospital _______ I was born.
A. when B. where C. who D. whose
11. The doctor _______I usually see doesn't work there anymore.
A. that B. who C. whose D. –
12. The week _______they were in Edinburgh was lovely and sunny.
A. when B. where C. who D. whose
13. That's the woman _______ bought my old car.
A. that B. which C. who D. –
14. He called a plumber _______ he found online.
A. that B. who C. whose D. –
15. They ate at a restaurant _______ serves only vegan dishes.
A. that B. where C. which D. –
16. The passengers _______ flights were cancelled got a refund.
A. that B. where C. who D. whose
Exercise 2: Complete the sentences with 'who', 'which', 'whose', 'when' or 'where'.
1. The new school, _________ has a pool, opened last week.
2. My cousin, _________ you met last year, just got married.
3. We visited the museum, _________ we all bought something.
4. She offered me a coffee, _________ was just what I needed!
5. Yesterday, _________ was a holiday, we visited my sister-in-law.
6. He works with his parents, _________ company makes furniture.
7. The party's at the weekend, _________ more people can come.
8. The hospital, _________ local people depend on, is being closed down.
Exercise 3: Complete this text by filling the gaps with one suitable word
 Steven Spielberg
Steven Spielberg is an American film director 1 ________ films have been very successful. They
include Jaws, 2 ________ he made in 1975, and 3 ________ was about a shark 4 ________
attacked people on a beach. In 1982 he made ET, 5 ________ is about a creature from space 6
________ has been left on earth by mistake and 7 ________ is protected by three children until it
can go back to its own planet. Spielberg was probably the most well-known film director in the
world in the 1980s, 8 ________ he made a series of Indiana Jones films, 9 ________ were about
an archaeologist 10 ________ often got into dangerous situations. Schindler's List, 11 ________
won seven Oscars, came out in 1993 and was about a real German man 12 ________ saved the
lives of Jews 13 ________ had been sent to work in his factory during World War II. Most of the
films 14 ________ Spielberg has made have been enormously popular all over the world.
B. Participles
Use Example
the present participle (doing / not doing)
 can be used instead of repeating a She stood there wondering what to do next.
subject to talk about two things (= and she was wondering ...)
happening at the same time
 can be used instead of while / when + I began to feel ill getting off the plane.
subject + continuous verb to talk about (=while/when I was getting off ...)
one thing happening during the same
period as another
 can be used after while / when instead I found this while looking through a
of subject + be magazine. (=while I was looking ...)
 the subject of a participle must always Coming out of the house, I saw an accident.
be the same as the subject of the main (= I saw an accident when I was coming out
verb in a sentence of the house; / is the subject of both coming
and saw. It is not correct to say Coming out of
the house, an accident happened because an
accident is not the subject of coming.)
the past participle (done)
 can be used instead of and + subject + Built in 1927, this is one of the finest cinemas
passive verb to give a first piece of in London. (= this is one of the finest cinemas
information about someone or in London and it was built in 1927)
something, which is then followed by
another piece of information
 can be used to give a reason instead of Forced to save money, she stopped buying
because + subject + passive verb expensive clothes. (= because she was forced
to save ...)
get + past participle
 use as a passive pattern instead of be She got injured in the accident.
 + past participle to say that something
unpleasant or undesirable happens to
the subject
 also used in certain common phrases, When are they getting married?
such as these: get married/ get I went into my room and got dressed quickly.
divorced/ get dressed/ get changed/ There's a lot to do so let's get started.
get started
Exercise 4: Rewrite the sentences, using participles.
1. I asked a lot of questions. I was trying to find out what had really happened.
___________________________________________________________________________
2. We met. We were working in the same office.
___________________________________________________________________________
3. The Tate Modern is a huge art gallery in London. It was opened in 2000.
___________________________________________________________________________
4. This novel was written over 100 years ago. It is still relevant today.
___________________________________________________________________________
5. The storm damaged several buildings.
___________________________________________________________________________
6. I must change my clothes for the party.
___________________________________________________________________________
7. The managers are running the company. They are making a lot of mistakes.
___________________________________________________________________________
8. I was coming into the room. I realized that something was wrong.
___________________________________________________________________________
9. There's not much time left, so let's begin now.
___________________________________________________________________________
10. There is a big tourist attraction in London. It is known as The London Eye.
___________________________________________________________________________
C. Trying, succeeding & failing
Exercise 5: Complete the second sentence so that it means the same as the first, using the
word in brackets.
1. He tried unsuccessfully to persuade her to change her mind. (attempt)
 He failed ________________________________________ to persuade her to change her
mind.
2. After a while, we were able to repair the car. (succeeded)
 After a while _____________________________________ the car.
3. He finished all his work on time. (managed)
 He _____________________________________________ all his work on time.
4. She didn't try to help me at all. (effort)
 She _____________________________________________ me at all.
 5. She couldn't do everything that she was supposed to do. (failed)
 She __________________________________________ everything that she was
supposed to do.
6. I have never done any acting in public before this. (attempt)
 This is ________________________________________ in public.
7. I tried to repair it myself but I couldn't. (efforts)
 My ____________________________________________ were unsuccessful.
8. I stood between them, trying to stop them fighting. (attempted)
 I stood between them ____________________________________ them fighting.
9. We put the cupboard in a different place to see what it looked like. (tried)
 We ______________________________________ in a different place to see what it
looked like.
10. The problem was impossible for me to solve. (effort)
 I _________________________________________________ the problem, but couldn't.
D. Revision
Exercise 1: Complete each sentence with the correct form of one of the phrasal verbs below.
The meaning of each phrasal verb is given in brackets.
back up call off clear up hang on hold up

pull up see to stand for stick to throw away

1. Don't change your mind- ______________________________ what you've already agreed.

(keep to a decision)
2. A car _________________________________ outside and three men got out. (stopped)
3. There was only one assistant to ____________________________ all the customers. (deal
with)
4. You can recycle newspapers now instead of just ____________________ them
__________________ (getting rid of as rubbish)
5. We'll have to ___________________________________ the meeting because nobody can
attend. (cancel)
6. Could you ______________________________ for a moment - I'll be right back. (wait)
7. We were __________________________________ on the journey by a problem with the
train. (delayed)
8. I'll __________________ you ______________ if anyone says you're not telling the truth.
(support)
9. The initials UN _______________________________ United Nations. (represent the words)
10 I must _________________________________ the kitchen, it's in a terrible mess. (tidy)
Exercise 2: Complete the sentences below in such a way that it means exactly as the
sentence preceding it, using the words in CAPITALS. Write your answer in the line space
on your answer sheet.
1. 'Do you know the cost of the trips?' asked Pamela.
MUCH
Pamela asked if I knew __________________________________________________ were.
2. During the quiz, I could not think of the correct answer to the winning question.
COME
During the quiz, I was not ____________________________________ the correct answer to the
winning question.
3. I promised that I would think carefully about the job offer.
GIVE
I promised ______________________________________________________ the job offer.
4. The group continued to walk despite rain starting to fall.
EVEN
The group carried ______________________________________________ started to rain.
5. Almost all the tickets for next Saturday's concert have been sold.
HARDLY
There are _________________________________________ for next Saturday's concert.
6. Do you think it is likely that Peter will get the job he has applied for?
CHANCE
Do you think that Peter has _____________________________________ the job he has applied
for?
7. We had to finish all the work before we could leave.
UNTIL
We had to stay _______________________________________________ all the work.
8. Tim had not expected the concert to be so good.
BETTER
The concert __________________________________________ had expected.
9. If Cheryl doesn't train harder, she'll never get into the swimming team.
DOES
Chery! l will never get into the swimming team ___________________________________
more training.
10. 'Do you realise what the time is, Steve?' asked Chris.
WHAT
Chris asked Steve ________________________________________ it was.
11. The company decided to advertise the job in a national newspaper.
PUT
The company decided to _________________________________ the job in a national
newspaper.
12. At the end of his speech, the winner thanked his parents.
FINISHED
The winner ___________________________________________ his parents.
13. I applied for the job a month ago.
MONTH
It _______________________________________________________ I applied for the job.
14. They received many letters of support after they had appeared on television.
FOLLOWING
They received many letters of support
__________________________________________________ on television.
Exercise 3: Choose the correct answer
Grammar Vocabulary
1. 'Who's Winnie?' "She's the girl ________ 9. You can only drive if you've got a
father won millions of dollars in the lottery." ________ license.
a who's a right
b whose b valid
c in which her c precise
d to which her d correct
2. You should stop seeing Susan. ________ 10. What you're saying isn't at all ________
involved with her means trouble. to what we’re talking about.
a Living a relation
b Having lived b fit
c Getting c suitable d relevant
d Having got 11. What does D.C. ________ in Washington
3. 'Football's so boring?" "No way - I think D.C?
________ good match is the best thing ever." a means
a watching b stand for
b to watch c stand by
c having watched d represents
d to have watched 12. Your room is in a mess! Do a bit of
4. The book, ________ I only bought last ________ up, will you?
week, is falling apart already. a washing
a what b clearing
b which c fixing
c who d sorting
d that 13. It's Winnie's graduation tomorrow. She
5. I love the spring, ________ the flowers all has finally ________ her dreams.
begin to appear. a managed
a where b succeeded
b that c fulfilled
c what d obtained
d when 14. Winning that prize was one of the greatest
6. You shouldn't borrow my clothes without ________ of my life.
________ a efforts
a ask b attempts
c manages
b asking d achievements
c to ask 15 'Hurry up!'' ________ a minute - I'm just
d you ask coming."
7. 'You know the man ________ the roof left a Hold up
his ladder b Back up
behind?' 'It's OK - he'll be back tomorrow." c Hang on
a fixed d Hold off
b fix 16. Much to his ________, Dirk couldn't find
c fixing the house in the dark.
d who fixing a annoyance
8. Dan always left the milk out of the fridge, b interest
________ really annoyed her. c enthusiasm
a that d worry
b what
c which
d where