When who, that or which is the object of the clause, you can leave it out: the photos (that) Kim took. A preposition stays at the end (the hotel we stayed at), and where can replace it for places. When who, that or which is the subject, you must keep it.
A Two sentences into one
The woman is pulling a suitcase. It's very heavy. > The suitcase (that) she is pulling is very heavy.
Kim took some photos. Have you seen them? > Have you seen the photos (that) Kim took?
You can say it with or without that.
- The suitcase that she is pulling ... / The suitcase she is pulling ...
- ... the photos that Kim took? / ... the photos Kim took?
B Leaving out that / who / which
You do not need that / who / which when it is the object.
| subject | verb | object | > |
|---|---|---|---|
| The woman | was pulling | a suitcase | the suitcase (that) the woman was pulling |
| Kim | took | some photos | the photos (that) Kim took |
| You | wanted | the book | the book (that) you wanted |
| We | met | some people | the people (who) we met |
Do not repeat the object: the film we saw was great, not the film we saw it was great.
- Did you get the trainers you were after? (or ... the trainers that you were after?)
- The people we met on holiday were lovely. (or The people who we met ...)
- Everything she told me was true. (or Everything that she told me ...)
- The meal we had was superb. (not The meal we had it was ...)
C Preposition at the end
Some verbs come with a preposition (to, in, at etc.). In these clauses the preposition moves to the end.
Never add it or them as well: the films I told you about, not the films I told you about them.
- Leo is talking to a woman. > Do you know the woman Leo is talking to?
- We stayed at a guest house. > The guest house we stayed at was by the harbour.
- I told you about some films. > These are the films I told you about.
D where for places
For a place, you can use where.
- The guest house where we stayed was by the harbour. (= The guest house we stayed at ...)
E Subject: keep who / that / which
When who / that / which is the subject of the clause, you must use it.
- I met a man who has climbed Everest twice. (who is the subject)
- Sam was wearing a coat that was too long for him. (that is the subject)
Exercises
102.1 Make one sentence from two.
(Kim took some photos. Have you looked at them yet?) Have you looked at ...
Have you looked at the photos Kim took?
Have you looked at the photos Kim took?
(You lent me an umbrella. I've lost it.) I've lost ...
I've lost the umbrella you lent me.
(Ella is wearing a hat. I love it.) I love ...
I love the hat Ella is wearing.
(I bought you some chocolates. Where are they?) Where are ...
Where are the chocolates I bought you?
(She gave us an excuse. I didn't believe it.) I ...
I didn't believe the excuse she gave us.
(You bought some mangoes. How much were they?) How much ...
How much were the mangoes you bought?
102.2 Make one sentence from two.
(I was pulling a suitcase. It was very heavy.) The suitcase ...
The suitcase I was pulling was very heavy.
The suitcase I was pulling was very heavy.
(You made a cake. It was delicious.) The cake ...
The cake you made was delicious.
(I'm wearing boots. They're not very comfortable.) The boots ...
The boots I'm wearing aren't very comfortable.
(We invited some neighbours to the barbecue. They didn't turn up.) The neighbours ...
The neighbours we invited to the barbecue didn't turn up.
102.3 Complete the sentences. Use the information in the box: I looked at a map / they live in a flat / I was standing on a stool / we were waiting for a train / you stayed at a hotel / Kate is talking to a man / you were looking for a phone / you spoke to some people.
What was the hotel you stayed at like?
What was the hotel you stayed at like?
Who are the ?
Who are the people you spoke to?
Did you find the ?
Did you find the phone you were looking for?
The is too small for them.
The flat they live in is too small for them.
The wasn't very clear.
The map I looked at wasn't very clear.
I fell off the .
I fell off the stool I was standing on.
The was very late.
The train we were waiting for was very late.
Who is the ?
Who is the man Kate is talking to?
102.4 Read the situations and complete the questions. Use where.
Omar spent a week in a guest house. You want his opinion: Was the guest house where you stayed any good?
Was the guest house where you stayed any good?
Grace had lunch in a café. You ask her: What's the name of the café ?
What's the name of the café where you had lunch?
Ruth lives in a town. You ask her: Do you like the town ?
Do you like the town where you live?
Dan works in a warehouse. You ask him: How big is the warehouse ?
How big is the warehouse where you work?