2.4. Relative clauses part 1

 

Speaking in Teams about the pictures in exercise 1.1 on page 80

Listening Exercise 1.2 on page 80

Listening Exercise 1.3 on page 80

Relative clauses:

1. Defining and non-defining relative clauses:

The old photograph that you can see ahead of you shows Marconi at Signal WI. (defining relative clause) 

 The story of radio probably begins with Heinrich Hertz, who was the first to produce radio waves in a laboratory. (non-defining relative clause) 

2. Relative pronouns:

2.1. Adding information about people

2.1.1. Defining relative clause (subject pronoun - the relative pronoun is the subject of the relative clause):

There were many people 11. doubted that Marconi would ever succeed. 

 (Or informally: There were many people that doubted Marconi would ever succeed.)

2.1.2. Defining relative clause (object pronoun - the relative pronoun is the object of the relative clause): 

Augusta Righi was an Italian physicists Marconi studied with in the 1890s.

2.1.3. Non-defining relative clause (subject pronoun):

The story of radio probably begins with Heinrich Hertz Eallwas the first to produce radio waves in a laboratory.

2.1.4. Non-defining relative clause (object pronoun):  

Augusto Righi, who Marconi respected greatly, guided his research. (Very formally: Augusto Righi, whom Marconi respected greatly, guided his research.)

2.2. Adding information about things or animals:

2.2.1. Defining relative clause (subject pronoun): 

The invention that made this possible was the vacuum tube. More formally: The invention which made this possible ...  

2.2.2. Defining relative clause (object pronoun):

The model (that) you can see in Case 1 shows how this works. More formally: The model which you can see ...

2.2.3. Non-defining relative clause (subject and object pronoun): 

Marconi opened a 'wireless telegraph' factory in England, which employed around 50 people.

Marconi's 'wireless telegraph factory, which he set up in England, employed around 50 people

2.3. Other words beginning relative clauses:

2.3.1. Referrinng to time

'When' after a noun referring to a time, or words such as day, period, time: 

The first public demonstration of the power of radio came in 1901, when Marconi announced that he had received a transmission from across the Atlantic. 

More formally, we can often use a preposition + which: It was a period during which they met very infrequently. or... a period when ... 

Less formally, we can use that or no relative pronoun in defining relative clauses: 

I can still remember the time (that) I first watched television.

2.3.2. For reasons

We often use why after reason: 

You can probably guess the reason why radio began to lose some of its popularity. or informally ... the reason (that) radio began to lose ... 

 

2.3.3. For locations:

We often use where after a noun referring to a location, and after the words case, condition, example, experiment, instance, point, process, situation and system:

Move now to room 36, where you can find information and displays. 

Marconi's goal was to find a system where telegraphic messages could be transmitted. 

More formally, we can use a preposition + which: He devised an experiment in which a spark jumped across a gap in a metal ring. 

2.3.4. For belongings:

We use whose + noun to talk about something belonging to or connected with a person, town, country or organisation: 

For most people, however, it is the Italian Guglielmo Marconi whose name is mainly associated with the development of radio. 

In formal uses, noun + of which can sometimes replace whose + noun: Project Geneva is a computing project, the purpose of which is to analyse very large amounts of data on environmental change. or Project Geneva is a computing project whose purpose is to analyse large amounts of data on environmental change.

2.4. Prepositions in Relative Clauses:

A preposition usually comes before the relative pronoun in formal styles: 

In 7907 Marconi made the announcement for which he will always be remembered. 

After a preposition we usually use whom rather than who in formal styles: 

 Augusto Righi, with whom Marconi studied in the 1890s, was a physicist. 

Augusto Righi, whom Marconi studied with in the 1890s, was a physicist. 

A preposition usually comes at the end of the clause in less formal styles: 

In 1901, Marconi made the announcement which he will always be remembered for. 

Augusto Righi, who Marconi studied with in the 1890s, was a physicist. 

We can use of which and of whom after all, both, each, many, most, neither, part, several, some; a number (e.g. one, the first, half) and superlatives:

Radio entertainers, many of whom became household names, were highly paid. 

We can use the preposition from, with where and when: Marconi set up a transmission station in Cornwall, from when the first transatlantic radio message was sent.

Collaborative Exercise 3.2 on page 84

Individual Exercise 3.1 on page 83

Oral Feedback of Exercise 3.1 on page 83

Exam Task on page 86