CBSE Class 10 - English Grammar - Relative Clauses and Relative Pronouns(#cbsenotes)(#eduvictors)

CBSE Class 10 - English Grammar - Relative Clauses and Relative Pronouns

Look at the following sentences:

1. The house we moved into is absolutely beautiful.

2. All morning Lencho — who knew his fields intimately — looked at the sky.

3. The woman, who was preparing supper, replied, "Yes, God willing".

The italicised part gives non-essential information about a person or thing are called relative clauses. The words 'Who', 'which' and 'that' as subjects of a relative clause are relative pronouns.

Broadly there are two types of relative clauses:

1. Defining or identifying clause.

If we remove relative clause, meaning of the sentence changes significantly.

e.g. The woman who visited me in the hospital was very kind. 

 The woman was very kind. (removing relative clause changes context significantly.)

2. Non-defining or non-essential clause 

If we remove the relative clause, some detail is lost but overall meaning does not change. Above said three examples are of non-defining clauses.

A non-defining relative clause usually has a comma or dash (-) in front of it and a comma or dash after it. If the relative clause comes at the end, we just put a full stop.

Exercise:

Join the sentences given below using who, whom, whose, which, as suggested.

1. I often go to Mumbai. Mumbai is the commercial capital of India. (which)

2. My mother is going to host a TV show on cooking. She cooks very well. (who)

3. He's the accountant. He does my accounts. (who)

4. These sportsperson are going to meet the President. Their performance has been excellent. (whose)

5. Lencho prayed to God. His eyes see into our minds. (whose)

6. This man cheated me. I trusted him. (whom)

7. The house sat on the crest of a low hill. It was the only one in the entire valley. (-)

8. That's the cat. I photographed it. ()

9. He is the man. I sent the money to him. (whom)

Answer:

1. I often go to Mumbai, which is the commercial capital of India.

2. My mother, who cooks very well, is going to host a TV show on cooking.

3. He is the accountant who does my accounts.

4. These sportsperson, whose performance has been excellent, are going to meet the President.

5. Lencho prayed to God, whose eyes see into our minds.

6. This man, whom I trusted, cheated me.

7. The house — the only one in the entire valley — sat on the crest of a low hill.

8. That's the cat I photographed.

9. He is the man to whom I sent the money.