Foscari - Dipartimento di Scienze Ambientali, Informatica e Statistica

21 Relative Clauses
1 We use who or that in a relative clause to identify people.
The people who/that we employ are very highly qualified.
As people is the object of the clause the relative pronoun can be left out.
The people we employ are very highly qualified.
If the relative pronoun defines the subject of the sentence, it must be included.
A counterfeiter is a person who copies goods in order to trick people.
2 We use that or which in a relative clause to identify things.
Have you read the report that/which I left on your desk?
If that or which identifies the object of the clause it can be left out.
Have you read the report I left on your desk?
If that or which defines the subject of the sentence, it must be included.
Organisations that are flexible can respond to change.
3 Non-defining clauses provide extra information about the subject or object of a sentence. The
extra information is separated by commas.
Philip Condit, who is chairman of Boeing, wants the airline to become a global company.
Note that it is not possible to use that.
The Dorfmann hotel, which is situated 30 kms outside Vienna, charges
US$ 1400 per person.
Again, it is not possible to use that in a non-defining clause.
Use the relative pronouns below to complete these quotations.
Which gap does not need a relative pronoun?
who which that where
1 “The job for big companies, the challenge __________________ we all face as bureaucrats, is
to create an environment ______________ people can reach their dreams.” Jack Welch
(US business leader)
2 ”He _______________ has never learned to obey cannot be a good commander.”
Aristotle (Greek philosopher)
3 “A leader shapes and shares a vision, __________________ gives point to the work of others.”
Charles Handy (British writer and philosopher)
4 “A leader should be humble. A leader should be able to communicate with his
people. A leader is someone ______________ walks out in front of his people, but
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