What Are Relative Clauses?

Relative clauses give extra information about a noun or pronoun without starting a new sentence. They make your writing and speaking more detailed and connected.

• They usually start with a relative pronoun like who, which, or that.
• For example, in The student who won the award is very talented, the clause who won the award tells us more about ‘the student’.

Adding Detail with Quantifiers in Relative Clauses

At C1 level, you can use quantifiers to specify a part of a group within a relative clause. This makes your sentences more precise and sophisticated.

We use the pattern quantifier + of + which/whom:

• Use which for things or animals.
• Use whom for people.
• Important: You cannot use that in this structure.

Common quantifiers include:

• all of
• most of
• many of
• some of
• none of
• each of
• few of
• several of
• both of
• one of, two of, etc.

Place this phrase immediately after the noun it refers to.

Using Prepositions in Relative Clauses

Prepositions can also be part of relative clauses, and their position often depends on the level of formality you want to achieve.

• Informal/Common Style: The preposition usually comes at the end of the relative clause. This is very common in everyday speech and less formal writing.
• Formal/Academic Style: The preposition can be placed before the relative pronoun (which or whom). This structure is typical in academic papers, official reports, and very formal contexts.
• Important: You cannot use that after a preposition. You must use which for things and whom for people.

When to Use These Advanced Structures?

Mastering quantifiers and prepositions in relative clauses is a hallmark of C1 English. They allow for more concise and sophisticated expression.

• Academic Writing: Essential for clarity and precision in essays, reports, and research papers.
• Formal Communication: Used in professional emails, presentations, and official documents.
• Detailed Descriptions: Helps to provide specific information about groups or relationships between elements without creating choppy sentences.
• Avoiding Repetition: Combines information efficiently, making your language more fluid and less repetitive.

Examples

• The company has many employees, most of whom are working remotely.
• She showed me several paintings, each of which was unique.
• We visited three cities, none of which had a direct train connection.
• This is the problem about which we spoke yesterday.
• This is the problem which we spoke about yesterday.
• The committee, to whom the proposal was submitted, will meet next week.
• The committee, whom the proposal was submitted to, will meet next week.
• He presented a new theory, the implications of which are still being debated.
• There were five candidates, all of whom were highly qualified.

Practice

Common mistakes for Spanish speakers

Using 'that' with Quantifiers or Preceding Prepositions

A common error for Spanish speakers is using that in situations where which or whom is required, especially after a quantifier or a preposition.

• Incorrect: I have three sisters, all of that live abroad.
• Correct: I have three sisters, all of whom live abroad.

• Incorrect: This is the topic about that we need to talk.
• Correct: This is the topic about which we need to talk.

Incorrect Placement of the Quantifier Phrase

Ensure the quantifier phrase (most of which, some of whom) immediately follows the noun it refers to.

• Incorrect: The students are intelligent, many of whom passed the exam. (The quantifier phrase should follow 'students' directly.)
• Correct: The students, many of whom are intelligent, passed the exam.

Frequently asked questions

What's the main difference between 'quantifier + of + which' and 'which' alone?

Using quantifier + of + which/whom specifies a *subset* of a larger group. For example, I have many books, most of which are novels means only a majority are novels. Using which alone simply adds general information about the noun, like I have many books, which are stored in the attic (all books are stored there).

Can I use 'that' after a preposition?

No, you cannot use that directly after a preposition in a formal relative clause. For example, you cannot say the house in that I live. You must use which for things (the house in which I live) or whom for people (the person to whom I spoke). In informal English, the preposition moves to the end, and you can sometimes use that: the house that I live in.

Is it always necessary to use 'whom' for people in formal relative clauses?

In very formal contexts, especially when a preposition precedes the relative pronoun, whom is preferred for people (e.g., to whom, for whom). However, in less formal C1 English, who is often used even when it's technically the object of a preposition, especially if the preposition is at the end of the clause (e.g., the person who I spoke to). For quantifiers, whom is standard: many of whom.

How do these structures help my C1 English?

These structures are vital for C1 English because they enable you to express complex ideas with greater precision, conciseness, and formality. They help you connect ideas smoothly, avoid simple sentence structures, and demonstrate a sophisticated command of grammar, which is crucial for academic and professional communication.