General English Level 3 V 3

UNIT 05 Getting away TOPIC 03 Travel now

	LANGUAGE FOCUS 04 What's in a sentence? Part 2 - clauses
	Find out more about the parts of a sentence.

A sentence is a group of words that has meaning. A sentence has a subject and verb and usually an object.

Find out more about sentences.

Sentences are made up of clauses - units of meaning. Many sentences have only one clause. These are simple sentences.

Example from the website

You will get a special cookbook.

Clauses can be joined by ' and ', ' but ', and ' or ' to make sentences with two units of meaning of equal importance. These sentences are called compound sentences.

Examples from the website

Take the stress out of air travel and arrive fresh and relaxed.
Visit many countries on a luxury cruise or stay in just one country in a luxury hotel.

A clause is different from a phrase . A phrase doesn't have a verb.

Examples of phrases from the website

a cool jazz bar
inside your luggage
your own elegant cabin

Relative clauses

Some sentences have one clause which gives the main information and one clause (a subordinate clause) which gives extra information about the main clause. These sentences are called complex sentences.

One type of subordinate clause is a relative clause.

1. Relative clauses with who/that/which

Relative clauses give us more information about someone or something in the main clause.

Examples from the website

These trips are for active, adventurous people who enjoy unusual experiences.
Here are some tips that will make your holiday more enjoyable.
At the end of your journey you will get a special cookbook which will help you remember the great recipes you have learnt.

The relative clauses in these sentences are:

who enjoy unusual experiences
that will make your holiday more enjoyable
which will help you remember the great recipes you have learnt

We put the relative clause immediately after the word it refers to.

Examples

The trip that I want to go on is too expensive.
The person who is leading the tour will meet you at the airport.

2. The use of that

We can use that instead of which or who .

Examples from the website

You will get a special cookbook that will help you remember the great recipes you have learnt.
These trips are for active, adventurous people that enjoy unusual experiences.

3. The use of where

You can also use where in relative clauses to show extra information about a place in the main clause.

Example from the website

You will spend each night at a local hotel where you will enjoy more wine and delicious food.

4. Relative clauses without who/that

We sometimes leave out who, which or that.

Examples from the website

..the great recipes you have learnt.
Take any medicines you need with you.

The above examples mean:

the great recipes that / which you have learnt
Take any medicines that / which you need with you.

Now go to 05 PRACTICE What's in a sentence? - Part 2 - clauses.