We know that Relative Clauses are responsible for giving extra information to a sentence by defining a noun, its defines something about someone or somewhat we are talking about in the sentence. In English they receive the name ofdefining relative clauses./ We know that relative clauses are responsible for the extra information given to clauses delimiting a noun and define something about someone or something cited. In English, they are called restrictive prayers.
Let's talk about Defining Relative Clauses / Let's talk about Restrictive Prayers:
Look at the example: / See the example:
the man who works next block he lives in Manhattan.
The man who works the next block lives in Manhattan.
“who works next block" is a defining relative clause, because it tells us which man we are talking about. / "who works next block" it is a restraining prayer because it tells us which man we are talking about.
Let's look some more examples: / Let's look at some other examples:
→ Be careful! There's the man that ran towards my sister last week.
Watch out! There's the man who ran after my sister last week.
→ The film that we watched last month was beautiful.
The movie we watched last month was beautiful.
→ This is the dress I saw her wearing last night.
This is the dress I saw her wearing last night.
The defining relative clauses are related to some information about something someone, so, they tell us which cat, which dog, which film, which play, which dress, which person, man or woman we are talking about. / Restrictive clauses are related to some information about something or someone, so they tell us which cat, dog, movie, play, dress, person, man or woman we are talking about.
To make the defining relative clauses we most use the relative pronouns, such as, who and that to talk about people and which and that to talk about things. Like in the examples below: / To form the restrictive clause, you must use the relative pronouns, such as "who" and "that", to talk about people, and “which" and “that”, to talk about things.
→ He isthe man whorides my bike.
He's the man who rides my bike.
→ she She isthe woman thatdrives me home.
She is the woman who brings me home.
→ This is the house thatI love most.
This is the house I love the most.
→ This is the place whichwe were yesterday.
This is where we were yesterday.
The examples shown us use the pronouns in two situations: for people and thing. Remember that we have to consider their functions. Look at the chart: / As the examples have shown us, we use pronouns in two situations: for people and things. Remember that we have to consider the functions of pronouns. See the table:
We can simplify or reduce the relative clauses in some cases. There are several ways to do it. Let's check: / We can simplify or reduce restrictive clauses in some cases. There are some ways to do this. Let's check it out:
The) We can omitted the pronoun when it's the object of the verb. / We can omit the pronoun when it is the object of the verb.
We can say: / We can say:
Do not stop now... There's more after the advertising ;)
this is the book that I bought in the bookstore.
This is the book I bought at the bookstore.
this is the book which I bought in the bookstore.
This is the book I bought at the bookstore.
this is thebookI boughtin the bookstore.
This is the book I bought at the bookstore. (We don't use the same structure in Portuguese)
Look that in this sentence “book” is the object of the verb, in this case, the verb buy. / Vfor in this sentence “book” is the object of the verb, which, in this case, is “to buy”.
“I” is the subject. / “I” is the subject of the verb.
So, we can omitted the relative pronoun because it's the object, but when the relative pronoun is the subject it can't be omitted. Look, we can use it with different pronouns, but not without it. / We we can omit the relative pronoun because it is the object; but when the relative pronoun is the subject, it cannot be omitted.See that we can form the sentence with different pronouns, but we cannot do without it.
✓ this is the catthatappears from nowhere. /This is the cat that appeared out of nowhere.
✓ this is the cat whichappears from nowhere. / This is the cat that appeared out of nowhere.
✗ This is the cat appears from nowhere.This is the cat that appeared out of nowhere.
B) We can omitted the pronoun when the relative clause contains the verb "be" plus: an adjective phrase, a prepositional phrase, a past participle and a present participle: / We can omit the pronoun when the restrictive clause presents the verb “be” (to be/be) + an adjective phrase, a prepositive phrase, past participle and present participle.
→ Relative Clause with the verb 'be' + an adjective phrase: / Restive Prayers with the verb 'be' + an adjective phrase:
The girl who is interested in your laptop will telephone later.
The girl who is interested in your notebook will call you later.
The girl interested in your laptop will telephone later.
The girl interested in your notebook will call you later.
→ Relative Clause with the verb 'be' + a prepositional phrase:/ Restive clauses with the verb 'be' + a prepositional sentence:
The DVD which is on the coffee table has been watched.
The DVD on the coffee table has already been watched.
The DVD on the coffee table has been watched.
The DVD on the coffee table has already been watched.
→ Relative Clause with the verb 'be' + a past participle: / Restive Prayers with the verb 'be' + past participle:
The person who has been forgotten once stayed worried the next time.
The person who was forgotten once is worried the next time.
The person forgotten once is worried the next time.
The person forgotten once is worried the next time.
→ Relative Clause with the verb 'be' + a present participle: / Restive Prayers with the verb 'be' + present participle:
The actors who are playing in the theater are very polite.
The actors doing the play are very polite.
The actors playing in the theater are very polite.
The actors doing the play are very polite.
By Janaína Mourão
Graduated in Letters - English
Would you like to reference this text in a school or academic work? Look:
MOURãO, Janaína Pereira. "Restrictive Prayers in English"; Brazil School. Available in: https://brasilescola.uol.com.br/ingles/oracoes-restritivas-ingles.htm. Accessed on June 28, 2021.
