Language (relative clauses)

 

Relative clauses

 

A)  Different clauses

 

The man who found Jane was a clergyman.

→ Where is the relative clause?  What is its antecedent?   

 

→ Compare with:

“The man, who found Jane, was a clergyman.

 

Which difference(s) do you notice?

 

 

B)  Different pronouns

1)   Subject or object ?(=pronom sujet ou complément?)

1.  She is the one who is rich in the end.

2.   The husband whom she chooses is not even handsome.

3.   The difficulties Ø  she faced helped her to be stronger.

4.   The novel which I read is said to be an autobiography.

 

2)   which antecedent ?

→ Complete with : who, whom, which, that ,  ⃠

a)    If the pronouns are subjects :

human antecedent	Ex: the man ________   influenced the author was a clergyman.   EX2: Rochester,______ tried to save his wife, could have died.
non-human antecedent	EX: The film ______ was a success deals with two love stories.

 

 

b)   if the pronouns are objects :

 

human antecedent	The lady__________ you met is Claire. NB : The lady,  ______      some of you saw before, is called Claire.
non-human antecedent	The text_____________ you read earlier is  a poem …   The document, _________ you read earlier, is a poem.

 

Going further

1)  whose

Observe: Jane, whose uncle was said to be rich, became an heiress.

We could also write: Jane became an heiress:    

_________ uncle was said to be rich.

 
→ What can you infer about “whose”?

2)  , which

We have understood everything, which is great news.

→ What does  “,which” refer to?
It refers to ________________

3)  What

They said what the teacher wanted to hear.
→ Rephrase “what”?

They said      _____________________    the teacher wanted to hear.

NB: How would you translate “tout ce que”? ___________