in English Language Arts ELA

Common Mistakes in English: Relative Clauses

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Have you ever found yourself struggling to understand or use relative clauses in English? You’re not alone! Relative clauses are one of the most common grammar mistakes made by English learners. In this blog post, we’ll take a closer look at relative clauses and how to avoid some of the most common mistakes.

What are Relative Clauses?

Relative clauses are groups of words that provide additional information about a noun or pronoun. They are introduced by a relative pronoun, such as who, which, or that. For example:

  • The man who lives next door is a doctor.
  • The book that I’m reading is really interesting.
  • The car which we bought last year is still running great.

In each of these sentences, the relative clause provides additional information about the noun or pronoun in bold. In the first sentence, the relative clause tells us that the man lives next door. In the second sentence, the relative clause tells us that the book is interesting. In the third sentence, the relative clause tells us that the car was bought last year.

Common Mistakes with Relative Clauses

There are a few common mistakes that English learners make with relative clauses. Here are a few of the most common:

  • Using the wrong relative pronoun. The relative pronoun you use depends on the function of the relative clause. For example, you should use who for people, which for things, and that for both people and things.
  • Omitting the relative pronoun. In some cases, you can omit the relative pronoun, but it’s important to do so correctly. For example, you can omit the relative pronoun in the following sentence:

    The man I saw yesterday is a doctor.

    However, you cannot omit the relative pronoun in the following sentence:

    The book I’m reading is really interesting.

  • Using a comma before the relative clause. You should not use a comma before a relative clause unless the relative clause is nonrestrictive. A nonrestrictive relative clause provides additional information that is not essential to the meaning of the sentence. For example:

    The man, who lives next door, is a doctor.

    In this sentence, the relative clause is nonrestrictive because it provides additional information about the man that is not essential to the meaning of the sentence. However, you should not use a comma before a restrictive relative clause. A restrictive relative clause provides information that is essential to the meaning of the sentence. For example:

    The man who lives next door is a doctor.

    In this sentence, the relative clause is restrictive because it provides information about the man that is essential to the meaning of the sentence.

How to Avoid Mistakes with Relative Clauses

Here are a few tips to help you avoid mistakes with relative clauses:

  • Choose the correct relative pronoun. The relative pronoun you use depends on the function of the relative clause. For example, you should use who for people, which for things, and that for both people and things.
  • Omit the relative pronoun when possible. In some cases, you can omit the relative pronoun, but it’s important to do so correctly. For example, you can omit the relative pronoun in the following sentence:

    The man I saw yesterday is a doctor.

    However, you cannot omit the relative pronoun in the following sentence:

    The book I’m reading is really interesting.

  • Use a comma before a nonrestrictive relative clause. You should use a comma before a nonrestrictive relative clause, but not before a restrictive relative clause.

Conclusion

Relative clauses are an important part of English grammar, but they can be tricky to use correctly. By following the tips in this blog post, you can avoid some of the most common mistakes with relative clauses and improve your English writing skills.