Title: Academic Writing (V): Relative Clause
1Academic Writing (V) Relative Clause
2?Definition
- R Clause functions as an
- adjective and modifies a
- noun or a pronoun.
- Also called adjective
- clauses.
3?A relative clause begins with a Relative Pronoun
and Adverb
4?Position of Relative Clauses
- Place a relative clause after its antecedent and
as close to it as possible to avoid confusion. - Ex. He left the gift in his friends car that he
had - just bought.
- (Occasionally, a prepositional phrase comes
between the antecedent and the RC) - Ex. Try writing a sentence of your own that
- contains a relative clause.
5?Verb Agreement in Relative Clauses
- Ex. People who work part-time
- usually receive no benefits.
6?Punctuation of Relative Clauses (restrictive
and nonrestrictive)
- (Whether or not the added clause affects the
meaning of the entire sentence.) - R necessary because it identifies its antecedent
- for the reader.
- The professor who teaches my biology class won a
Nobel Prize two years ago. - N not necessary to identify its antecedent
- merely offers additional information.
- Professor Jones, who teaches my biology class,
won a Nobel Prize two years ago.
7?Relative Pronouns as subjects Subject Pattern
Relative Clauses
8?More Examples
9?Test Yourselves (determine the importance of
the given information)
- 1. John Fish explained the complex structure of
DNA. He is a research - chemist.
- 2. While he lectured, he showed us a slide. The
slide diagrammed the - double helix structure of DNA.
- 3. Words in English are often difficult for
foreigners to pronounce. They - begin with the consonants th.
- 4. Foreigners also have difficulty with English
spelling. English spelling is - not always consistent with its
pronunciation. - 5. Anyone must have a logical mind. He or she
wants to be a computer - programmer.
- 6. Fans quickly lose interest in a sports team.
The team loses game after - game.
10?Relative Pronouns as Objects
11?More Examples
12?Test Yourselves
- 1. Albert Einstein was a high school dropout. The
world recognizes - him as a genius.
- 2. As a young boy, Einstein had trouble in
elementary and high - school. He attended these schools in
Germany. - 3. He did poorly in subjects. He disliked them.
- 4. The only subjects were mathematics and
physics. He loved them. - 5. He developed theories. We use theories to help
us understand - the nature of the universe.
- 6. Einstein is best known for his General Theory
of Relativity. He - began to develop this theory while
living in Switzerland.
13?Possessive Relative Clauses
14?More Examples
15?Test Yourselves
- 1. First National Bank tries to attract female
- customers. The banks president is a
woman. - 2. Companies conduct market research to
- discover trends among consumers.
- Consumers tastes change rapidly.
- 3. A manufacturer can offer lower prices. Its
- costs are lower because of mass
production.
16?Possessive Relative Clause as the Object Pattern
17?Test Yourselves
- Ex. Maya Angelou, whose poetry we have been
reading - in our English class, is one of
Americas most famous - female poets.
- 1. William Shakespeare lived and wrote 400 years
ago. - High school students struggle to
understand his - English.
- 2. Nike is a sporting goods company. Most people
- recognize the companys swoosh symbol.
- 3. The actress has starred in several films. I
cant - remember her name.
18?Relative Pronouns as Objects of Prepositions
- (Formal prepositions comes before the relative
pronoun vice versa)
19?More Examples
20?Test Yourselves
- 1. Finding reasonably priced housing in big
cities is a problem. Many young - People are concerned about the problem.
- 2. Affordable apartments are scarce. Young people
would like to live in - them.
- 3. Of course, many young people share apartments,
but they have to - choose roommates carefully. They will
share living space and expenses - with these roommates.
- 4. In many countries, young people continue to
live with their parents in the - same house. They grew up in that house.
- 5. In the United States, young people dont want
to live with their parents. - They typically declare their
independence from their parents at age - eighteen.
21?Relative Pronouns in Phrases of Quantity and
Quality
- Quantity some of which, one of whom, all
- of whom, each of which, etc.
- Quality the best of which, the most
- important of whom, the more
- economical of which, the
loveliest - of which, etc.
- (They are always non-restrictive)
22? Main Structure The object always follows the
preposition of.
23?More Examples
24?Test Yourselves
- 1. There is a chain of islands in the Caribbean
Sea. The most - charming of the islands is Puerto Rico,
The Land Enchantment. - 2. Puerto Rico attracts thousands of visitors.
Many of them come for - the sunny weather, the beautiful
beaches, and the Spanish - atmosphere.
- 3. Puerto Ricos economy is growing. The most
important sector of - the economy is clothing manufacturing.
- 4. Puerto Ricans have strong ties to the United
States. All of them - are U.S. citizens.
- 5. Puerto Rico has three political parties. One
of them favors Puerto - Ricos becoming a state.
25?Adverbial Relative Clauses
- when where replace entire prepositional
phrase, such as on Sunday or in the city.
26?More Examples
27?Test Yourselves
- 1. Germany had been divided into two countries
- since 1945. it was defeated in World War
II in - 1945.
- 2. 1989 was the year. The Berlin Wall was torn
- down in that year.
- 3. In 1990, Germany became one country again.
- East and West Germany were united in
1990. - 4. There was anxiety in places. People fear
- losing their jobs in some places.
28?Review
29?Editing Practices
30?Assignment