In the last lesson, I introduced some common relative clause structures that involved using prepositions. These structures served two purposes:
to join two sentences together to make one
and to make your language more formal and sophisticated
For example:
It looks like it will stop raining shortly. If that is the case, I will go out and do the groceries.
It looks like it will stop raining shortly, in which case I will go out and do the groceries.
In this lesson, we will have a look at other similar structures that are less obvious, and to identify how and when we can use this structure more freely.
First of all, let's look at this sentence.
In the Dependent Clause, THIS refers to INCREASE FUNDING FOR THE MARKETING DEPARTMENT. In a situation like this, where we have used a referencing pronoun (a referencing pronoun replaces something previously mentioned to make things efficient) with a phrase before it, THE PURPOSE OF, we can join these two sentences together using a relative clause.
We have to increase funding for the marketing department, the purpose of which is to hire additional staff.
Do you remember from the previous lesson what the preposition rule is when constructing relative clauses?
After a preposition you can only use WHOM (for people) and WHICH (for everything else).
So, where you have repeated information, you can use a referencing pronoun. And when you have a referencing pronoun inside a phrase that contains a preposition, you can join the sentences together using a relative clause by replacing the that pronoun with either WHICH or WHOM. We are going to investigate a lot more examples now.
THIS in the dependent clause refers to JULIAN WILL WIN THE NEXT ELECTION. We can replace THIS with WHICH (as it is not a person and it follows a preposition). We have to move ACCORDING TO POLLS to later in the sentence as it will interrupt the relative clause structure. The final sentence should look like this:
I believe that Julian will win the next election, the probability of which, according to polls, is over 70%.
In the dependent clause, HERE could be written as THIS PLACE (which sounds unnatural). Therefore, we can replace HERE with WHICH (as it is not a person). You would then need to move the FROM WHICH to the front so that it acts as the connector between the main clause and dependent clause.
The summit sits at an altitude of 800m above sea level, from which you can witness a beautiful sunset.
In the dependent clause, STORAGE FREEZER could be written as THIS. Therefore, we can replace THIS with WHICH.
Temperatures in the storage freezer can reach minus 20 degrees Celsius, the surface of which can become icy and slippery.
ON MARS here is the repeated information and can be replaced with ON WHICH, resulting in a sentence that looks like:
Scientists have reported extreme climatic conditions on Mars, the temperatures on which can reach as low as minus 60 degrees Celsius.
THIS CAMPAIGN is the repeated information here and can be replaced with WHICH, resulting in a sentence that looks like:
The team have been hard at work on the promotional campaign, the target of which is 20-30 year old university students.
Lastly, I want to list some examples taken from television series from English-speaking countries. Hopefully you'll get an idea of how common this structure really is.
He has grown elaborate breeding plumage for this moment..... but he needs a stage on which to show it off.
(from Planet Earth II | ep: A World of Wonder | 2017)
Jeremy will have an opinion on this, despite having bought a farm on which, for many years, he was paid to not grow anything.
(from The Grand Tour | ep: Past v Future | 2017)
Have you reached a verdict on which you all agree? Not guilty. They found him not guilty.
(from Sherlock | ep: The Reichenbach Fall | 2012)
Engrossing. Who cares? It's only collecting images, none of which mean anything.
(from Farscape | ep: Self Inflicted Wounds: Part 1 - Could'a, Would'a, Should'a | 2012)
Thank you, thank you. I turned around because Rita has two duos, one of which are twins.
(from The Voice UK | Blind Auditions | 2015)
In fact... that constitutes a level three ethnic discrimination violation, the penalty of which is one official warning to all of you.
(from Ronny Chieng: International Student | ep: Guest: (N.) Someone Who Leaves | 2017)
Legend tells of a hidden place within which lies a device of untold power.
(from Arrow | ep: Code of Silence | 2016)
Six younglings are sent to the secret caverns of Ilum, where they are tested by The Gathering, an ancient Jedi ritual where each youngling must harvest a crystal, around which they will construct their own lightsaber.
(from Star Wars: The Clone Wars | ep: A Test of Strength | 2012)
As President and CEO of Wickes Steel Shipbuilding, I'm proud of the work my family has put into building these great machines. They're an unshakable foundation upon which the Navy can take her fleet to new heights.
(from NCIS | ep: The Tell | 2012)
There's a certain level at which the entrepreneur doesn't have enough left in it to be... to be as motivational as it needs to be.
(from The Dragon's Den | season 13 episode 13 | 2016)
I hope this lesson has given you some useful insight into how versatile, and how varied, relative clauses can be. I hope you will be able to use some of these to make your language more interesting and sophisticated.