Relative Clauses: Questions And Answers

Explore Questions and Answers to deepen your understanding of relative clauses.



62 Short 71 Medium 80 Long Answer Questions Question Index

Question 1. What is a relative clause?

A relative clause is a type of dependent clause that provides additional information about a noun or pronoun in the main clause. It is introduced by a relative pronoun (such as who, whom, whose, which, or that) or a relative adverb (such as where, when, or why). Relative clauses help to add descriptive details and clarify the meaning of the main clause.

Question 2. How do you identify a relative clause in a sentence?

A relative clause can be identified in a sentence by looking for a dependent clause that begins with a relative pronoun (such as who, whom, whose, which, or that) or a relative adverb (such as where, when, or why). The relative clause provides additional information about a noun or pronoun in the main clause.

Question 3. What is the function of a relative clause in a sentence?

The function of a relative clause in a sentence is to provide additional information about a noun or pronoun in the main clause.

Question 4. What are the different types of relative clauses?

The different types of relative clauses are defining relative clauses and non-defining relative clauses.

Question 5. How do you form a relative clause?

A relative clause is formed by combining a relative pronoun (such as who, whom, whose, which, or that) with a verb and a subject. The relative pronoun acts as a connector between the main clause and the relative clause, providing additional information about the noun or pronoun it refers to.

Question 6. What is the difference between a restrictive and a non-restrictive relative clause?

A restrictive relative clause provides essential information about the noun it modifies and cannot be removed without changing the meaning of the sentence. It is usually not separated by commas.

A non-restrictive relative clause provides additional, non-essential information about the noun it modifies and can be removed without changing the meaning of the sentence. It is usually separated by commas.

Question 7. Give an example of a restrictive relative clause.

An example of a restrictive relative clause is "The book that I borrowed from the library is due tomorrow."

Question 8. Give an example of a non-restrictive relative clause.

An example of a non-restrictive relative clause is: "My sister, who is a doctor, lives in New York."

Question 9. What is the role of a relative pronoun in a relative clause?

The role of a relative pronoun in a relative clause is to introduce the clause and connect it to the noun or pronoun it modifies.

Question 10. What are some common relative pronouns?

Some common relative pronouns are "who," "whom," "whose," "which," and "that."

Question 11. Can a relative pronoun be omitted in a relative clause?

Yes, a relative pronoun can be omitted in a relative clause, especially when it is the object of the clause and the verb is not followed by a preposition.

Question 12. What is a relative adverb?

A relative adverb is a word that introduces a relative clause and relates it to the main clause. It functions as both an adverb and a pronoun, providing information about time, place, reason, or manner. Examples of relative adverbs include "where," "when," and "why."

Question 13. How is a relative adverb used in a relative clause?

A relative adverb is used in a relative clause to modify a noun or pronoun and provide information about time, place, reason, or manner. It connects the relative clause to the main clause and helps to add more detail or context to the sentence.

Question 14. What are some common relative adverbs?

Some common relative adverbs are where, when, and why.

Question 15. What is the difference between a relative pronoun and a relative adverb?

The difference between a relative pronoun and a relative adverb is that a relative pronoun introduces a relative clause and functions as a pronoun within that clause, while a relative adverb introduces a relative clause and functions as an adverb within that clause.

Question 16. What is a head noun?

A head noun is the main noun that a relative clause modifies or provides additional information about.

Question 17. How is a head noun related to a relative clause?

A head noun is the noun that the relative clause modifies or provides additional information about.

Question 18. Can a relative clause modify any noun in a sentence?

Yes, a relative clause can modify any noun in a sentence.

Question 19. What is the antecedent of a relative pronoun?

The antecedent of a relative pronoun is the noun or pronoun that the relative pronoun refers to or replaces in a relative clause.

Question 20. How do you determine the antecedent of a relative pronoun?

To determine the antecedent of a relative pronoun, you need to identify the noun or pronoun that the relative pronoun is referring to or modifying within the sentence.

Question 21. Can the antecedent of a relative pronoun be a pronoun itself?

Yes, the antecedent of a relative pronoun can be a pronoun itself.

Question 22. What is a resumptive pronoun in a relative clause?

A resumptive pronoun in a relative clause is a pronoun that repeats or refers back to the noun or pronoun that is the subject or object of the relative clause. It is used to avoid ambiguity or to add emphasis.

Question 23. How is a resumptive pronoun used in a relative clause?

A resumptive pronoun is used in a relative clause when it repeats or refers back to the noun or pronoun that is the subject or object of the relative clause. It helps to clarify or emphasize the connection between the relative clause and the main clause.

Question 24. What is a summative pronoun in a relative clause?

A summative pronoun in a relative clause is a pronoun that refers back to the entire preceding clause, summarizing or restating its meaning.

Question 25. How is a summative pronoun used in a relative clause?

A summative pronoun is used in a relative clause to refer back to a noun or pronoun mentioned earlier in the sentence, summarizing or restating its meaning.

Question 26. What is a relative clause island?

A relative clause island refers to a grammatical constraint that restricts the placement of a relative clause within a sentence. It is a syntactic environment where relative clauses cannot be inserted or occur.

Question 27. How does a relative clause island affect sentence structure?

A relative clause island affects sentence structure by introducing a dependent clause that provides additional information about a noun or pronoun in the main clause. This can result in a more complex sentence structure as the relative clause is embedded within the main clause.

Question 28. What are some common relative clause islands?

Some common relative clause islands include prepositional phrases, adverbial phrases, and certain types of noun phrases such as quantifiers or superlatives.

Question 29. Can a relative clause be moved within a sentence?

Yes, a relative clause can be moved within a sentence.

Question 30. What is the difference between a relative clause and a subordinate clause?

The main difference between a relative clause and a subordinate clause is their function within a sentence.

A relative clause is a type of subordinate clause that provides additional information about a noun or pronoun in the main clause. It is usually introduced by a relative pronoun (such as who, which, that, whom, or whose) or a relative adverb (such as when, where, or why). Relative clauses are used to add descriptive or identifying information to the noun or pronoun they modify.

On the other hand, a subordinate clause is a clause that cannot stand alone as a complete sentence and functions as a dependent clause within a sentence. Subordinate clauses can serve various purposes, such as expressing time, cause and effect, condition, contrast, or concession. Unlike relative clauses, subordinate clauses do not specifically modify a noun or pronoun in the main clause, but rather provide additional information or context to the main clause.

Question 31. Can a relative clause be used as a sentence on its own?

No, a relative clause cannot be used as a sentence on its own. It is a dependent clause that provides additional information about a noun or pronoun in the main clause. It needs to be combined with an independent clause to form a complete sentence.

Question 32. What is a reduced relative clause?

A reduced relative clause is a type of relative clause that has been shortened by omitting the relative pronoun and sometimes the verb "be." It provides additional information about a noun or pronoun in a sentence.

Question 33. How is a reduced relative clause formed?

A reduced relative clause is formed by removing the relative pronoun and the verb "be" from a relative clause, resulting in a shorter and more concise sentence.

Question 34. What is the difference between a reduced relative clause and a full relative clause?

The difference between a reduced relative clause and a full relative clause lies in their structure and the amount of information they provide.

A full relative clause includes a relative pronoun (such as who, which, that) followed by a subject and a verb. It provides additional information about the noun it modifies and is not essential to the meaning of the sentence. For example, in the sentence "The book, which is on the shelf, is mine," the full relative clause "which is on the shelf" provides extra information about the book.

On the other hand, a reduced relative clause omits the relative pronoun and the verb, resulting in a shorter structure. It still modifies the noun but is more concise. For example, in the sentence "The book on the shelf is mine," the reduced relative clause "on the shelf" provides the same information as the full relative clause but without the relative pronoun and verb.

In summary, a full relative clause includes a relative pronoun, subject, and verb, while a reduced relative clause omits the relative pronoun and verb, resulting in a shorter and more concise structure.

Question 35. Give an example of a reduced relative clause.

Example: "The book written by J.K. Rowling is very popular."

Question 36. What is a relative clause connector?

A relative clause connector is a word or phrase that is used to introduce a relative clause in a sentence. It connects the relative clause to the main clause and helps to provide additional information about a noun or pronoun in the main clause. Examples of relative clause connectors include "who," "which," "that," "whose," and "where."

Question 37. How is a relative clause connector used in a sentence?

A relative clause connector is used to connect a relative clause to the main clause in a sentence. It introduces additional information about a noun or pronoun in the main clause and helps to provide more details or describe the noun or pronoun further.

Question 38. What are some common relative clause connectors?

Some common relative clause connectors are "who," "whom," "whose," "which," and "that."

Question 39. What is a relative clause pronoun?

A relative clause pronoun is a pronoun that is used to introduce a relative clause in a sentence. Examples of relative clause pronouns include "who," "whom," "whose," "which," and "that."

Question 40. How is a relative clause pronoun used in a sentence?

A relative clause pronoun is used in a sentence to introduce additional information about a noun or pronoun. It functions as a subject, object, or possessive pronoun within the relative clause.

Question 41. What are some common relative clause pronouns?

Some common relative clause pronouns are "who," "whom," "whose," "which," and "that."

Question 42. What is a relative clause adjective?

A relative clause adjective is a type of clause that functions as an adjective to provide additional information about a noun or pronoun in a sentence. It begins with a relative pronoun (such as who, whom, whose, which, or that) or a relative adverb (such as when, where, or why) and is used to describe or identify the noun or pronoun it modifies.

Question 43. How is a relative clause adjective used in a sentence?

A relative clause adjective is used in a sentence to provide additional information about a noun or pronoun. It functions as an adjective by modifying the noun or pronoun it is referring to.

Question 44. What are some common relative clause adjectives?

Some common relative clause adjectives include "who," "which," "that," "whose," and "whom."

Question 45. What is a relative clause adverb?

A relative clause adverb is a type of adverb that introduces a relative clause and provides additional information about time, place, manner, or reason in relation to the main clause.

Question 46. How is a relative clause adverb used in a sentence?

A relative clause adverb is used in a sentence to provide additional information about the time, place, manner, or reason of the main clause.

Question 47. What are some common relative clause adverbs?

Some common relative clause adverbs include where, when, why, how, and who.

Question 48. What is a relative clause preposition?

A relative clause preposition is a preposition that is used within a relative clause to show the relationship between the noun or pronoun in the relative clause and the rest of the sentence.

Question 49. How is a relative clause preposition used in a sentence?

A relative clause preposition is used in a sentence to introduce additional information about a noun or pronoun. It functions as an adjective and provides more details or describes the noun or pronoun that it modifies.

Question 50. What are some common relative clause prepositions?

Some common relative clause prepositions include "who," "whom," "whose," "which," and "that."

Question 51. What is a relative clause conjunction?

A relative clause conjunction is a word or phrase that is used to introduce a relative clause in a sentence. Examples of relative clause conjunctions include "who," "which," "that," "whose," and "where."

Question 52. How is a relative clause conjunction used in a sentence?

A relative clause conjunction is used in a sentence to connect a dependent clause (the relative clause) to a main clause. It introduces additional information about a noun or pronoun in the main clause and helps to provide more details or clarify the meaning of the sentence.

Question 53. What are some common relative clause conjunctions?

Some common relative clause conjunctions include "who," "whom," "whose," "which," and "that."

Question 54. What is a relative clause determiner?

A relative clause determiner is a word or phrase that introduces a relative clause and functions as a determiner within that clause. It typically includes words such as "who," "whom," "whose," "which," and "that."

Question 55. How is a relative clause determiner used in a sentence?

A relative clause determiner is used in a sentence to introduce or identify a noun or pronoun that comes before it. It provides additional information about the noun or pronoun and helps to specify or define it further.

Question 56. What are some common relative clause determiners?

Some common relative clause determiners are "who," "whom," "whose," "which," and "that."

Question 57. What is a relative clause verb?

A relative clause verb is a verb that is used within a relative clause to provide additional information about the subject or object of the main clause. It helps to define or describe the noun or pronoun that it modifies.

Question 58. How is a relative clause verb used in a sentence?

A relative clause verb is used in a sentence to provide additional information about the subject or object of the main clause. It functions as a modifier and is introduced by a relative pronoun (such as who, which, that) or a relative adverb (such as when, where, why). The relative clause verb helps to define or describe the noun it is modifying and adds more detail to the sentence.

Question 59. What are some common relative clause verbs?

Some common relative clause verbs include "who," "which," "that," "whom," "whose," and "where."

Question 60. What is a relative clause noun?

A relative clause noun is a type of relative clause that functions as a noun within a sentence. It acts as a subject, object, or complement in relation to the main clause.

Question 61. How is a relative clause noun used in a sentence?

A relative clause noun is used in a sentence as a dependent clause that functions as a noun. It typically modifies a noun or pronoun in the main clause and provides additional information about it.

Question 62. What are some common relative clause nouns?

Some common relative clause nouns include: who, whom, whose, which, that.