Stepping Stones VWO 3 Grammar

• Engels
• Middelbare school
• vwo
• Leerjaar 3

Theme 3

Law and order

Relative clause (betrekkelijke bijzin)

You use WHO for people.

The girl who won the lottery.

The US citizens who voted for Biden

Relative clause (betrekkelijke bijzin)

You use WHICH for animals and things. 

The dog which rescued the little boy.

The painting which had been stolen.

Relative clause (betrekkelijke bijzin)

You use THAT for people, animals and things.

The girl that won the lottery.

The dog that rescued the little boy.

The painting that had been stolen.

Relative clause 

You use WHOSE to indicate possession (possessive form of who)

This is George, whose brother went to school with me.

The dog whose owner lives next door to us.

The house whose roof is thatched. 

WHO

WHOM

Who versus whom

You use WHO when the relative pronoun is the subject of the clause (oftewel: het onderwerp van de bijzin).

The old lady who lives next door to us.

You use WHOM when the relative pronoun is the object of the sentence ( ofte wel het lijdend voorwerp of meewerkend voorwerp van de bijzin).

The young lady with whom Peter fell in love is Australian.

The girl whom David married is called Emma.

WHOM

This is George, whom you met at our house last year.

This is George’s brother, with whom I went to school. 

                -->  always use WHOM after a preposition!!!

Nowadays we normally use who:

This is George, who you met at our house last year.

This is George’s brother, who I went to school with.

Quite formal!!

No commas

who, which, that

commas

who, which

Defining relative clause

We need the information in the relative clause to understand which person or thing we are talking about:

Dave has three brothers. The brother who/ that is 13 years old is called Tom.

The lady who/that lives next door is 89 years old.

The book which/ that you bought yesterday is a must-read.

1. No commas.

2. you can replace who or which by that

Non-Defining relative clause

We do not need the information in the relative clause to understand which person or thing we are talking about. It's just extra information:

Dave's brother Tom, who fell off his bike this morning, is 13 years old.

Our neighbour Mrs Jones, who is 89 years old, has three cats and a dog.

This book, which you bought yesterday, is a must-read.

1. Commas!!!

2. Only who or which (NO that)!!

TESTING

Complete the sentences with relative pronouns and commas when necessary.

1.  Benjamin .....  is the youngest  child of the Turner family is 4 years old.

2.  The house ...... burned down yesterday evening was from the 17th century.

3.  I met Rebecca ..... I haven't seen in years in town yesterday.

4.  Ginny ....... dog went missing cried for hours.

5.  This fountain pen ...... I got from my mother is very dear to me.

6.  The problem ..... Jane told us about this morning will not be solved easily.

7.  The car .... windows were open was investigated by the police.

8.  The girl to ...... I am writing a letter lives in Tokyo.

TESTING

Complete the sentences with relative pronouns and commas when necessary.

1.  Benjamin , who  is the youngest child of the Turner family , is 4 years old.

2.  The house which/that burned down yesterday evening was from the 17th century.

3.  I met Rebecca , who/whom I haven't seen in years  , in town yesterday.

4.  Ginny , whose dog went missing ,  cried for hours.

5.  This fountain pen , which  I got from my mother  , is very dear to me.

6.  The problem which/that Jane told us about this morning will not be solved easily.

7.  The car whose windows were open was investigated by the police.

8. The girl to whom I am writing a letter lives in Tokyo.

More practice?

https://www.englisch-hilfen.de/en/exercises/pronouns/relative_pronouns2.htm

https://www.english-4u.de/en/grammar-exercises/relative-pronouns.htm