Relative Clauses Questions Long
In the context of defining relative clauses, the concept of 'omission' refers to the ability to leave out certain elements within the relative clause that are not essential for understanding the meaning of the sentence. This omission is possible because the omitted elements can be inferred from the context or because they are redundant.
When constructing a relative clause, we typically use a relative pronoun (such as who, which, that, etc.) or a relative adverb (such as where, when, why, etc.) to connect the relative clause to the main clause. However, in some cases, we can omit these relative pronouns or adverbs when they are the object of the relative clause.
For example, consider the sentence: "The book that I bought is on the table." In this sentence, the relative pronoun "that" is used to introduce the relative clause "that I bought." However, we can omit the relative pronoun and say: "The book I bought is on the table." The meaning of the sentence remains the same, and the relative pronoun "that" is understood to be implied.
Similarly, we can omit relative pronouns or adverbs when they are the subject of the relative clause. For instance, instead of saying "The person who is standing over there is my friend," we can say "The person standing over there is my friend." Here, the relative pronoun "who" is omitted, and the sentence still conveys the same meaning.
It is important to note that the omission of relative pronouns or adverbs is only possible when they are not the subject of the relative clause. If they are the subject, they cannot be omitted, as it would result in an ungrammatical sentence.
In summary, the concept of 'omission' in defining relative clauses allows us to leave out relative pronouns or adverbs when they are not essential for understanding the sentence. This omission is possible because the omitted elements can be inferred from the context or because they are redundant.