Relative Clauses

Frases Relativas (Versión inglés/español)

¿Qué son las frases relativas? Son aquellas frases relativas a o relacionadas con algo o

alguien, al cual o al que estas frases van subordinadas

mediante un pronombre relativo: que, quien, el cual, cuyo,

etc.

- ¿Quién es María?

- María es la chica que vino ayer(Frase relativa)

“…que vino ayer” o “…la cual vino ayer” tiene relación o dice

algo de la chica para identificarla. Ya sabemos que María no es otra si no la chica que vino ayer.

Relative clauses

María is the girl who came yesterday

or

María is the girl that came yesterday

This is the house which I bought last week

or

This is the house that I bought last week

Relative clausesTwo types of Relative clauses:

Restrictive: closely connected with the antecedent

This is not something that would disturb me

Non-restrictive: Nouns which are already definite. They add something to the noun by given more information about it.They are not essential and can be omitted. The non-restrictive relative clauses are always between commas

It’s all based on violence, which I hate

Frases Relativas (explicación en español)

Dos tipos de frases relativas:

Restrictive (frases especificativas en español): Aquellas frases

estrechamente conectadas con su antecedente.

Antecedente: nombre con el que la frase relativa está relacionado (puede ser una persona o una cosa)

que vino ayer es María

que pintaste era la mía

Non-restrictive (frases explicativas en español): Son aquellas frases

que normalmente dicen algo de la persona o cosa con las que van relacionadas pero no son importantes y por lo tanto se pueden omitir sin que la frase principal pierda sentido. Usualmente van entre comas.

Juan, que usa muletas, se ha vuelto a caer

Restrictive clauses

Relative PronounsPERSONAL ANTECEDENT

According to the function in the sentences we have:

(según la función que desempeñen dentro de la frase)

subject : WHO

object : WHO/WHOM

genitive: WHOSE (personal/non-personal antecedent)

(they can be changed by THAT except WHOSE)(se pueden cambiar por THAT excepto WHOSE)

SUBJECT

This is the man who came yesterday (formal)

that (Informal)

OBJECT

This is the man whom you should know (formal)

who (formal)

that (Informal)

GENITIVE

This is the man whose wife works with you

Restrictive clauses using preposition

Las preposiciones pueden ser usadas delante de los pronombres

relativos o detrás del verbo de la frase de relativo.

Si escribimos la preposición delante del relativo sólo podemos

usarWHOM.

Pero las preposiciones se pueden escribir detrás de su verbo,

entonces podemos usar otros pronombres relativos.

to whom you spoke.

This is the man whom you spoke to.

who you spoke to

that you spoke to

muy formal

formal

informal

Restrictive clauses

Relative Pronouns

SUBJECT

There's still one thing which is not explained

that

OBJECT

The house which you bought was my family’s

that

subject / object : WHICH

(it can be substituted by THAT)

genitive: WHOSE

NON-PERSONAL ANTECEDENT:

Non- restrictive

Relative pronouns

"It's all based on violence, which I hate"

Subject: WHO (personal antecedent)

WHICH (non-personal antecedent)

Object: WHOM / WHO

WHICH

(They cannot be substituted by “that”)

Tom, who I haven’t seen for ages, is coming next week

His house, which is enormous, has no running water

Remember: “The non-restrictive relative clauses are always between commas”

Relative adverbs

WHEN = in/on which (time) (cuando)

WHERE = in which (place) (donde)

WHY = for which (reasons) (por lo que/ por la razón que...)

WHAT = that which (lo que...)

The year in which he died = The year when he died

The day on which she arrived = The day when she arrived

The house in which he lived = The house where he lived has no running water.

"What I mean is this..."

ACTIVITIES

JOIN THE SENTENCES BY USING A RELATIVE PRONOUN

a. The woman is coming soon. Her husband is in the prison.

b. Yesterday I met a man. He was wearing in red.

c. That's Tom's sister. I spoke to her yesterday.

d. I bought a car..... has two doors.

e. I met a man..... is blue-eyed.

f. I live in a house.... roof is being mended.

MORE ACTIVITIESJOIN BY MEANS OF A RELATIVE PRONOUNS

a. This man is my uncle. He came yesterday.

b. That is the boy. His father made him study for two hours.

c. The book is very interesting. You bought it yesterday.

d. I want to know it. My friends told you.

e. She was dancing with a student. He had a slight limp.

f. I am looking after some children. They are very spoilt.

g. The bed has no mattress. I slept on this bed.

h. Romeo and Juliet were two lovers. Their parents hated each other.

i. There wasn't any directory in the telephone box. I was phoning from this box.

j. I was sitting on a chair. It suddenly collapsed.

k. This is the story of a man. His wife suddenly loses her memory.

l. I met Mary. She asked me to give you this.

m. I met Mary, .............................

n. Tom,....... was driving all day, was tired and wanted to stop.

o. I was waiting for a man. He didn't turn up.

p. The firm is sending me to New York. I work for this firm.