Forming Relative Clauses

Relative clauses allow you to join short sentences together.

Consider that you have written the following two sentences:

The CF Operations Manual is mired in lists and formality.

The CF Operations Manual contains much valuable information.

When two adjoining sentences share the same subject (The CF Operations Manual), avoid repeating the subject by replacing it in one sentence with a that, which, or who and inserting it into the other sentence, like this:

The CF Operations Manual is mired in lists and formality.
which
The CF Operations Manual contains much valuable information

The CF Operations Manual, which contains much valuable information, is mired in lists and formality.

The underlined words are called a relative clause. Using a relative clause is like placing a short sentence inside a longer sentence. In effect, the relative pronoun (that, which, who, whom, whose) takes the place of the subject of the short sentence. Like the subordinate clause, the relative clause allows you to add to and comment on the substance in the main sentence. A relative clause can also help make your point more concise.

You can make one or the other sentence into a relative clause, depending on the point you want to emphasize: the valuable information in the Manual (a.) or the uninspired presentation of the information (b.). The emphasis always falls on the main clause (underlined):

a. The CF Operations Manual, which is mired in lists and formality, contains much valuable information.

b. The CF Operations Manual, which contains much valuable information, is mired in lists and formality.

Practice Exercises (12 questions)