UNIT 92 Relative clauses (2)--clauses with or without who/that/which

A. Look again at these example sentences from Unit 91:

* The woman [who] lives next door is a doctor. (or The woman that lives...)

[The woman] lives next door. who(= the woman) is the subject

* Where is the cheese [that] was in the fridge? (or... the cheese which was...)

[The cheese] was in the fridge. that(= the cheese) is the subject

You must use who/that/which when it is the subject of the relative clause. You cannot say 'The woman lives next door is a doctor' or 'Where is the cheese was in the fridge?'

B. Sometimes who/that/which is the object of the verb. For example:

*. The woman [who] I wanted to see was away on holiday.

I wanted to see [the woman]. who(= the woman) is the object. I is the subject

* Have you found the keys [that] you lost?

You lost [the keys]. that(= the keys) is the object. you is the subject

When who/that/which is the object, you can leave it out. So you can say:

* The woman I wanted to see was away. or The woman who I wanted to see...

* Have you found the keys you lost? or... the keys that you lost?

* The dress Ann bought doesn't fit her very well. or The dress that Ann bought...

* Is there anything I can do? or... anything that I can do?

Note that we say:

the keys you lost (not 'the keys you lost them')

the dress Ann bought (not 'bought it')

C. Notice the position of prepositions(in/at/with etc.) in relative clauses:

do you know the woman?--Tom is talking [to] her

-> Do you know the woman (who/that) Tom is talking [to]?

the bed--I slept [in] it last night - wasn't very comfortable

-> The bed (that/which) I slept in last night wasn't very comfortable.

* Are these the keys (that/which) you were looking for?

* The woman (who/that) he fell in love with left him after a few weeks.

* The man (who/that) I was sitting next to on the plane talked all the time.

In all these examples, you can leave out who/that/which.

Note that we say:

the books you were looking for (not 'the books you were looking for them')

D. You cannot use what in sentences like these:

* Everything (that) they said was true. (not 'Everything what they said...')

* I gave her all the money (that) I had. (not '... all the money what I had')

What = the thing(s) that:

* Did you hear what they said? (= the things that they said)