2019-10-14 Writing: relative clauses

Greg Malivuk
[email protected]
http://www.pastebin.com/u/gmalivuk - Notes from all classes
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Adjective Clauses (Relative Clauses)
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clause = a group of words that has a subject and verb
	(All sentences have at least one clause.)
adjective = a word that describes a noun
adjective clause = a clause that describes a noun
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What is the difference in meaning between:
I like all of my students who do their homework.
	= Some of my students do their homework. I like those students.
I like all of my students, who do their homework.
	= I like all of my students. All of them do their homework.

- Commas around an adjective clause mean it’s not giving necessary information. The rest of the sentence still has the same meaning without it.
- Use a comma if the speaker and listener already know which thing(s) it’s about. Don’t use a comma if you need more information to know which it’s about.
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who = person or people
(whom = person or people when they’re the object)
which = thing or things
that = people or things but not after a comma or preposition
whose = possessive (to describe a person using a possession: the man whose book I read)
when = times
where = place
why = reason (This is really only used with the word “reason”.)
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Practice 5 - Underline the adjective clauses in each sentence and circle the relative pronoun. Draw an arrow to the noun it describes.
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You have to pay attention to the whole sentence in order to understand the structure and what kind of clause it is:
I don’t remember when you graduated. - noun clause, representing specific information
They gave you a diploma when you graduated. - adverb clause, giving time information about “gave”
We met them in 2010, when you graduated. - adjective clause, giving more information about “2010”
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practice 6 - Complete these sentences with “who” or “which”
1 which
2 who
3 who
4 which
5 who/that
6 which (this refers to the whole expression, “marrying for love”, not just “love”)
7 who/that
8 who/that
Which sentences could also use “that”? (These sentences don’t have a comma.)
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You sometimes need to use the context to figure out which noun is being modified:

I don’t like talking to people at meetings that last longer than two hours. (that = meetings)
I don’t like talking to people at meetings that are unprepared. (that = people)

You shouldn’t drink out of bottles of water that have been opened. (that = bottles)
You shouldn’t drink out of bottles of water that isn’t clear. (that = water)
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p. 180
A person who never votes in elections is not a good citizen.
- The clause tells us necessary information to identify what kind of person we’re talking about.
Rachel Moore, who never votes in elections, is not a good citizen.
- The clause tells us extra information. Rachel’s name already identifies her, so we know who it’s about.

Clauses with necessary information can be called identifying, defining, or restrictive adjective clauses.
Clauses with extra information are non-identifying, non-defining, or non-restrictive. Use commas.
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Homework (to start in class): p. 181 exercise 7 (both parts)