Relative Clause (3)

Other relative pronouns

Part A
Whose

We use a relative clause beginning with whose + noun, particularly in written English, when we talk about something belonging to or associated with a person. Compare:
• Ellen Page is an architect. Her designs have won international praise. And
Ellen Page is an architect whose designs have won international praise.
• Doctor Arthur has had to do all his own typing. His secretary resigned two weeks ago. And
Doctor Arthur, whose secretary resigned two weeks ago, has had to do all his own typing.

We can use whose in both defining and non-defining relative clauses.
We sometimes use whose when we are talking about things, in particular when we are talking about town or countries, and organizations:
• The film was made in Botswana, whose wildlife parks are larger than those in Kenya.
• We need to learn from companies whose trading is more healthy than our own.
• The newspaper is owned by the Mearson Group, whose chairman is Sir James Bex.

We can also use whose when we are talking about particular items, although it is often more natural in spoken English to avoid sentences like this:
I received a letter, whose poor spelling made me think It was written by a child.
(more natural would be I received letter, and it’s poor spelling.. )

Examples:
1. First, go through the text underlining the words whose meanings you don’t know
2. My friend Miriam, whose mother is Indonesian, has gone to live in Jakarta.
3. He’s a teacher in London working with children whose first language is not English.
4. People whose work involves standing for most of the day often suffer from backache.
5. It has been found that the trees are being destroyed by a moth whose caterpillars tunnel under the bark.
6. The airline, whose head office is situated in France, has recently begun to fly between Paris and Lima.
7. An orphan is a child whose parents are dead.
8. A plumber is a person whose job it us to fit and repair water pipes.
9. A refuse collector is a person whose job it is to empty people’s dustbins and take their rubbish away.

Part B
Where, When, Whereby, Why

We often use the words where, when, and whereby as relative pronouns. But in formal English in particular, a phrase with preposition + which can often be used instead:
• This was the place where we first met or
This was the place at/in which we first met.
• He wasn’t looking forward to the time (when) he would have to give evidence to the court or
He wasn’t looking forward to the time at which he would have to give evidence to the court.
• Do you know the date when we have to submit the first essay?
Do you know the date on/by which we have to submit the first essay?
• The government is to end the system whereby (=by which means) farmers make more money from leaving land unplanted than from growing wheat or
The government is to end the system in/by which farmers make more money from leaving land unplanted than from growing wheat.

We can also use why as a relative pronoun after the word reason. In informal English we can use that instead of why:
• I didn’t get a pay rise, but this wasn’t the reason why I left
I didn’t get a pay rise, but this wasn’t the reason that I left

Examples:
1. The beach is the place where I most like to be in the summer.
2. The agreement whereby whisky made in Japan can be sold in Britain has been criticized in Scotland.
3. The period during which Russ lived in Italy was also the time when he began to paint.
4. The new law means an end to the situation whereby charities have to pay tax on money given to them.
5. The building where I used to work had 24 floors.
6. He has been unwell, and this may be the reason why he lost the match.
7. A referendum is a vote in which all the people in a country are asked to give their opinion about a policy.
8. Morse code is a system for sending messages in which letters are represented by short and long marks or sounds.
9. A chat show is a television programme in which famous people are asked questions about their lives and their work.

Part C
Who, What, Whatever, Whoever, Whichever

We sometimes use relative clauses beginning with who or what. In this case,
who means ‘the people that’ and what means something like ‘the thing(s) that’:
• Can you give me a list who’s been invited?
• I didn’t know what to do next.
Notice that we can’t use what in this way after a noun.
• I managed to get all the books that you asked for.
NOT (I managed to get all the books what you asked for.)

Relative clauses beginning with
• whatever (=anything or it doesn’t matter what)
• whoever (=the person/group who or any person/group who), or
• whichever (=one thing or person from a limited number or things or people)
are used to talk about things or people that are indefinite or unknown:
• I’m sure I’ll enjoy eating whatever you cook.
• Whoever wins will go on to play Barcelona in the final.
• Whichever one of you broke the window will have to pay for it.

Exercises:
1. Buy vanilla ice cream. It’s the only flavor (that) he likes.
2. Whichever party comes to power at the election will face major economic problems.
3. The room was lit only by the candle (that) Martha carried.
4. It is difficult to predict what she will do next.
5. Whoever wins the contract to build the tunnel will have a very difficult job to do.
6. ‘Do you want to drive or go by train?’ I’d prefer to travel whatever/whichever way is faster.’
7. Help yourself to fruit from the trees in the garden. Take whatever you want.
8. She had bought a lot about what she was going to say.

Reference: Advanced Grammar in Use – Martin Hewings