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A relative clause is a part of a sentence beginning with a relative pronoun (although this pronoun can be omitted in certain cases). Basic relative pronouns The relative pronoun you use depends on the thing you're talking about. Generally speaking, the most basic ones are these:
Who, which and that cannot be used indiscriminately. That can only be used in defining relative clauses. Trickier relative pronouns Four relative pronouns often seem to confuse people, but they're easy to use too. WHICH This can be used to refer to the whole part of the sentence that went before. Usually a pronoun refers to a noun, but this refers to more. WHOM This is hardly ever used in spoken English, and not often in written English. It sounds very formal to most people. If you're going to use it at all, then only use it after prepositions. Even so, there's usually another less formal way to say the same thing. WHOSE This is used to show possession. It means basically 'of who(m)'. It can always be used for people and animals, but also for things, though this sometimes sounds strange and it might be better to change the structure of the sentence unless the thing is made up of people (a team, a city, an organisation). WHAT This can be literally translated to mean 'the thing that' or 'that which'. It is not used anywhere near as often as 'which' or 'that' and is not used in the same way. Non-defining relative clauses These are the ones that give extra information. They are always written between commas. If you leave out the relative clause between the commas it still makes sense. Defining relative clauses These are the ones that give you the information you need to understand the sentence. There are no commas. If you take the relative clause away, the sentence doesn't make sense. Subject and object relative pronouns The use of who/which/that may depend on whether the pronoun is the subject or the object of the sentence.
The following are the modal auxiliary verbs in English: Will, would; shall, should; may, might; can, could; must; ought; dare; need 1. They are never used alone. A modal auxiliary verb is never used alone. A principal verb is either present or implied. I can knit. (Modal verb – can, principal verb – knit) She knitted a sweater. (Principal verb – knitted) 2. Modal auxiliaries have a single form throughout the present tense, whatever be the number and person of the subject. 3. The modal auxiliaries do not have infinitive or participle forms: you cannot say to will, to must or to can. Note that when we say to will, to need or to dare, the verbs will, need and dare are used as principal verbs, and not auxiliaries. Similarly you cannot add –ing to any of these auxiliaries to make present participles. Modal auxiliaries do not have past participles either. Note that when we say willing, daring or needing, the verbs will, need and dare are used as principal verbs, and not auxiliaries. The primary auxiliaries, on the other hand, have the infinitive and participle forms. |
