Exercises

93.1 You met these people at a party:

My mother writes detective stories.

My wife is an English teacher.

I won a restaurant.

My ambition is to limb Everest.

We've just I got married.

My parents used to work in a circus.

Later you tell a friend about the people you met. Complete the sentences using who... or whose...

1. I met somebody _whose mother writes detective stories.

2. I met a man ---.

3. I met a woman ---.

4. I met somebody ---.

5. I met a couple ---.

6. I met somebody ---.

93.2 Complete the sentences. Use the sentences in the box to make relative clauses with where.

I can buy some postcards there

Ann bought a dress there

John is staying there

I was born there

we can have a really good meal there

we had the car repaired there

1. I recently went back to the town _where I was born._

2. Do you know a restaurant ---?

3. Is there a shop near here ---?

4. I can't remember the name of the garage ---.

5. Do you know the name of the hotel ---?

6. Ann bought a dress which didn't fit her, so she took it back to the shop ---.

93.3 Complete each sentence using who/whom/whose/where.

1. What's the name of the man _who_ car you borrowed?

2. A cemetery is a place --- people are buried.

3. A pacifist is a person --- believes that all wars are wrong.

4. An orphan is a child --- parents are dead.

5. The place --- we spent our holidays was really beautiful.

6. This school is only for children --- first language is not English.

7. 1 don't know the name of the woman to --- I spoke on the phone.

93.4 Use your own ideas to complete these sentences. They are like the ones in Sections D and E.

1. I'll always remember the day _I first met you._

2. I'll never forget the time ---.

3. The reason --- was that I didn't know your address.

4. Unfortunately I wasn't at home the evening ---.

5. The reason --- is that they don't need one.

6. 1989 was the year ---.

Unit 94 Relative clauses(4)--'extra information' clauses (1)

A. There are two types of relative clause. In these examples, the relative clauses are underlined. Compare:

#1 Type 1

* The woman _who lives next door_ is a doctor.

* Barbara works for a company _that makes washing machines._

* We stayed at the hotel _(that) Ann recommended to us._

In these examples, the relative clause tells you which person or thing (or what kind of person or thing) the speaker means:

'The woman who lives next door' tells us which woman.

'A company that makes washing machines' tells us what kind of company.

'The hotel (that) Ann recommended tells us which hotel.

We do not use commas (,) with these clauses:

* We know a lot of people _who live in London._ (what kind of people)

#2 Type 2

* My brother Jim, _who lives in London_, is a doctor.

* Colin told me about his new job, _which he's enjoying very much._

* We stayed at the Grand Hotel, _which Ann recommended to us._

In these examples, the relative clauses do not tell you which person or thing the speaker means. We already know which thing or person is meant: 'My brother Jim', 'Colin's new job' and 'the Grand Hotel'. The relative clauses in these sentences give us extra information about the person or thing.

We use commas (,) in these clauses:

* My brother Jim, _who lives in London_, is a doctor. (extra information about Jim)

B. In both types of relative clause we use who for people and which for things. But:

#1 Type 1

You can use that:

* Do you know anyone who/that speaks French and Italian?

* Barbara works for a company which/that makes washing machines.

You can leave out that/who/which when it is the object (see Unit 92):

* We stayed at the hotel (that/which) Ann recommended.

* This morning I met somebody (that/who) I hadn't seen for ages.

We do not often use whom in this type of clause (see Unit 93B).

#2 Type 2

You cannot use that:

* John, who (not 'that') speaks French and Italian, works as a tourist guide.

* Colin told me about his new job, which (not 'that') he's enjoying very much.

You cannot leave out who or which:

* We stayed at the Grand Hotel, which Ann recommended to us.

You can use whom (when it is the object):

* This morning I met Diane, whom (or who) I hadn't seen for ages.

In both types of relative clause you can use whose and where:

* We met some people whose car had broken down.

* What's the name of the place where you spent your holiday?

* Amy, whose car had broken down, was in a very bad mood.

* Mrs Bond is going to spend a few weeks in Sweden, where her daughter lives.