Connective relative clauses

Connective relative clauses are coordinate clauses which looks similar to non defining clauses. They are often linked to the main clause by pronouns (who, whom, whose, which) conjunctions (and, or, ..) and adversatives (but, although, etc..). Instead of non defining clauses, which usually used in writing, coordinate relative clauses are used when speaking because they add information to the main clause.

Examples of connective clauses

– Every morning I usually take the first bus which I find quite empty.

– She explained everything to his boss who offered to help her.

– Every morning I wear my shirt, my tie, my trousers and my jacket and I look myself in the mirror before going out.

– My brother told me everything but I refused to believe him.

– I accepted her apologies although that wasn’t the first misunderstanding.

 

Pay attention!

The importance of commas in relative clauses	– The girls who arrived late weren’t allowed to go in.	Only those girls who arrived late weren’t allowed to go in.
	– The girls, who arrived late, weren’t allowed to go in.	All the girls arrived late and they weren’t allowed to go in.