We are waiting for Apu. Apu is from India. Same thing in different sentences.

We are waiting for Apu,Apu is from India.

We are waiting for Apu ,is fromIndia.whoWe are waiting for Apu, who is from India.Subordinate/Dependent clause

Its meaning is incomplete if we remove the main clause.Main /independent clause If we remove the subordinate clause from the sentence, its meaning is still complete. The two sentences can be linked into one.We use a relative pronoun to substitute the common item and join the two sentences in one.

LINKING WORDS

LINKING WORDS

Two types of relative clauses:Non-Defining

Extra information about a noun in a sentence The new Woody Allen film, which I saw last week, is very good.Use commasAlways use a relative pronoun: who/whom ,which whose, where, when

Defining

Essential information about a noun in a sentence Youre the man (that) I saw last week.

No commasCan omit pronoun if it is not the SUBJECT of the relative clauseThat (informal) can replace which / who/ when / why but not where, whose or whom

Defining relative clauses = No commasA defining relative clause identifies which person or thing we mean exactly. It cannot be left out of the sentence or the meaning of the sentence is incomplete:

Its the book that I read yesterday. * Its the book. (this sentence is incomplete)

Defining relative clauses = No commasYou can omit the pronoun if it is the OBJECT of the relative clause (if there is a SUBJECT and a VERB after the relative pronoun )

Its the book that I read yesterday (omit) Its the book I read yesterday.

The girl who lives next door is French.

We can never omit WHOSE and WHERE

Non-defining relative clauses = with commas

This kind of clause gives additional information about a person or thing. The sentence still makes sense without the non-defining relative clause:

My neighbour, who studies engineering, is very noisy. My neighbour is very noisy.

Formal / InformalNon-Defining relative clauses (with commas) are more common in written English because they are quite formal. In spoken English we would probably use two sentences.Compare:Elvis Presley, who has sold over one billion albums, died of prescription drug abuse. [written]withElvis has sold over a billion albums. He died of an overdose. [spoken]

Verb + prepositionWhen the verb is followed by a preposition in the relative clause we can use two structures: The woman is a lawyer. I spoke to a woman

Formal: Preposition + rel.pronoun The woman to whom* I spoke is a lawyer.(*We cant omit the relative pronoun after a preposition)OrInformal: Preposition after the verb The woman (who) I spoke to is a lawyer.

Relative AdverbsTime: when or in/on/at + which or that

That was the year when/that/in which I got my degree. 11 September 2001 was the day when/that/on which peoples attitude towards terrorism changed. The adverb (when) can be omitted. 11 September 2001 was the day peoples attitude towards terrorism changed.

Relative Adverbs Place: where or in/on/at + which or thatThats the factory where/in which they make chemicals. Thats the spot where/on which the battle took place.

The adverb (where) cannot generally be omitted.

Relative Adverbs: Reason: why (for which)I will explain the reasons why /for which the accident occurred

The adverb (why) can be omitted.I will explain the reasons the accident occurred

Relative pronounsPossessive: whoseIt takes the place of his, her, their or a noun in possessive case s. Andy Warhol was a pop artist whose paintings are famous worldwide.(His paintings are famous)

Charlie, whose sister lives in London,is travelling to England this summer. (Charlies sister lives in London).