What are the different types of relative clauses?

Relative clauses are a type of dependent clause that provide additional information about a noun or pronoun in a sentence. They are introduced by relative pronouns (such as who, whom, whose, which, and that) or relative adverbs (such as when, where, and why). There are several different types of relative clauses, including:

1. Restrictive relative clauses: These clauses provide essential information about the noun or pronoun they modify. They are not separated by commas and cannot be removed from the sentence without changing its meaning. For example: "The book that I borrowed from the library is very interesting."

2. Non-restrictive relative clauses: These clauses provide additional, non-essential information about the noun or pronoun they modify. They are separated by commas and can be removed from the sentence without altering its meaning. For example: "My sister, who is a doctor, lives in New York."

3. Subject relative clauses: These clauses act as the subject of the sentence and are introduced by relative pronouns such as who, which, or that. For example: "The person who called me yesterday was my old friend."

4. Object relative clauses: These clauses act as the object of the sentence and are introduced by relative pronouns such as whom, which, or that. For example: "I bought the dress that she recommended."

5. Possessive relative clauses: These clauses indicate possession and are introduced by relative pronouns such as whose. For example: "The man whose car was stolen reported it to the police."

6. Adverbial relative clauses: These clauses provide additional information about time, place, reason, or manner and are introduced by relative adverbs such as when, where, why, or how. For example: "I remember the day when we first met."

It is important to note that relative clauses can be used in both defining and non-defining contexts, depending on whether they are restrictive or non-restrictive. The correct usage of relative clauses is crucial for conveying precise meaning and maintaining sentence clarity.