1. RELATIVE CLAUSES

2. DEFINING (ESPECIFICATIVAS) THEY DEFINE THE NOUN THEY REFER TO, SO THEY ARE ESSENTIAL. THEY DO NOT GO BETWEEN COMMAS WHO / WHICH CAN BE REPLACED BY THAT WHO/WHICH/THAT CAN BE OMITTED IF THEY ARE NOT THE SUBJECT OF THE VERB THAT GOES AFTER. IF THEY ARE OMITTED, THEY FORM A CONTACT CLAUSE

3. EXAMPLES THE MAN (WHO/THAT) I SAW WAS WEARING A BLACK HAT. Contact clause THE BOY WHO/THAT WAS PLAYING TENNIS WAS SAD.

4. NON-DEFINING(EXPLICATIVAS) THEY DO NOT DEFINE THE NOUN THEY REFER TO. THEY ARE NOT ESSENTIAL. THEY GO BETWEEN COMMAS. WHO/WHICH CANNOT BE REPLACED BY THAT WHO/WHICH CANNOT BE OMITTED.

5. EXAMPLES PETER, WHO IS MY BEST FRIEND, HAS JUST GOT MARRIED. PARIS, WHICH IS A WONDERFUL CITY, IS MY NEXT DESTINATION.

6. NOTE SOMETIMES WE DO NOT NEED TO DEFINE THE NOUN BECAUSE IT IS THE ONLY POSSIBILITY. Example: My sister, who lives in Paris, is coming tomorrow. (I only have one sister) BUT IF THERE IS MORE THAN ONE POSSIBILITY WE NEED TO DEFINE IT. Example: My sister who/that lives in Paris is coming tomorrow. (I have more than one sister)

7. WHOSE CLAUSES THEY REFER TO A POSSESSIVE PRONOUN. (CUYO/A, CUYOS/AS) WHOSE IS NEVER OMITTED NOR REPLACED.

8. EXAMPLES I SAW A BOY. HIS HAIR WAS CURLY. I SAW A BOY WHOSE HAIR WAS CURLY. JANE IS MY NEIGHBOUR. HER DOG BIT MY SON. JANE, WHOSE DOG BIT MY SON, IS MY NEIGHBOUR.

9. WHEN, WHERE AND WHY THEY CAN ALSO BE RELATIVE PRONOUNS WHEN REFERS TO A TIME EXPRESSION. WHERE REFERS TO A PLACE. WHY REFERS TO A REASON

10. EXAMPLES I BOUGHT THIS DRESS IN PARIS, WHERE I SPENT MY LAST HOLIDAYS. TOURISTS COME HERE IN JUNE, WHEN THE WEATHER IS WARMER. THE REASON WHY I AM BUSY IS BECAUSE I AM TAKING MY FINAL EXAMS.