We can also use whose with prepositions: He's the man from whosehousethe pictures were stolen, (formal) He's the man whosehousethe pictures were stolen from.

Write:Join these sentences using whose.

1 He is the customer. I lost his address. He is the customer whose address I lost. 2 She is the novelist. Her book won first prize. 3 They are the children. Their team won the match. 4 You are the expert. We want your advice. 5 I'm the witness. My evidence led to his arrest. 6 She's the woman. The film was made in her house.

 

1.7B Defining and non-defining clauses [ > leg 1.26,1.29,1.31-32,1.34-37]

1 When we write relative clauses with who, which or whose, we have to decide whether to use commas 'round the clauses' or not.

2 In sentences like: e.g. “I've never met anyone who can type as fast as you can” or “The magazine which arrived this morning is five days late”... the relative clauses tell us which person or thing we mean. They give us essential information which we cannot omit. We call them defining clauses because they 'define' the person or thing they refer to. We never use commas in such sentences. We never use commas with that in relative clauses: I've just had a phone call from the people (that) we met during our holidays.The wallet (that) you lost has been found.

3 In sentences like: e.g. “Our new secretary, who can type faster than anyone I have ever met,has completely reorganized our office” and “Time Magazine, which is available in every country in the world,is published every week”, etc., the relative clauses add 'extra information'. If we take them out of the sentences, we won't seriously change the meaning. We call these non-defining clauses (they do not 'define') and we use commas before and after them.

4 Sometimes we have to decide when the information is 'essential' or 'extra' and we may or may not use commas. We must decide this for ourselves: He asked lots of questions(,) which were none of his business(,) and annoyed everybody.

Write: Add commas to the following sentences where necessary.

1 My husband /,/ who is on a business trip to Rome all this week /,/ sent me this postcard. 2 The person who told you that story didn't know what he was talking about. 3 Will the driver whose vehicle has the registration number PXB240 please move it? 4 The author Barbara Branwell whose latest novel has already sold over a million copies will be giving a lecture at the public library tomorrow. 5 The person you got that information from is my cousin. 6 The play Cowards which opens at the Globe soon had a successful season on Broadway. 7 ‘Cowards’ is the name of the play which ran for over two years. 8 The thing that pleases me most is that I'll never have to ask for your help again. 9 The manager whom I complained to about the service has refunded part of our bill. 10 Sally West whose work for the deaf made her famous has been killed in a car accident. 11 We found it impossible to cross the river that had flooded after the storm. 12 I have just learned that the engine part which I need is no longer made.

 

1.7C Sentences with two meanings [> leg 1.26]

The use or omission of commas round relative clauses can sometimes affect the meaning: My wife, who is in Paris, will be returning tomorrow. Without commas, this could suggest that I have another wife who is (or other wives who are) somewhere else!

Write: Say what these sentences mean a) without commas; b) with commas. 1 The test paper which everyone failed was far too difficult. 2 My brother who is in Canada is an architect.

 

1.7D Write: Put in relative pronouns where necessary and commas where necessary. THIS CHARMING PROPERTY. People1 who tell the truth about the properties they are selling should be given prizes for honesty. A house2 ... is described as 'spacious' will be found to be too large. Words like 'enchanting', 'delightful', 'convenient', 'attractive3 ... are commonly used all mean 'small'. The words 'small' and 'picturesque'4...are not so frequently used both mean 'too small'. A 'picturesque house' is one with a bedroom5... is too small to put a bed in and a kitchen6... is too small to boil an egg in.

My prize for honesty goes to someone7... recently described a house8... he was selling in the following way: This house9... is situated in a very rough area of London is really in need of repair. The house10 … has a terrible lounge and a tiny dining room also has three miserable bedrooms and a bathroom11... is fitted with a leaky shower. The central heating12... is expensive to run is unreliable. There is a handkerchief-sized garden13... is overgrown with weeds. The neighbours14... are generally unfriendly are not likely to welcome you. This property15... is definitely not recommended is ridiculously overpriced at £85,000.