B2 · 중상급 챕터 7

Connecting Information with Relative Clauses

5 총 규칙
58 예문
6 분
이 챕터의 규칙 빠른 연습

Chapter in 30 Seconds

Master the art of weaving complex ideas into elegant, concise English sentences.

  • Connect ideas using relative pronouns and adverbs.
  • Distinguish between essential and extra information with comma usage.
  • Condense complex thoughts by mastering reduced relative clauses.
Weave your thoughts into seamless, professional prose.

배울 내용

Ready to weave your ideas together more smoothly and concisely? This chapter empowers you to connect information elegantly, crafting tighter sentences by even shortening clauses. You'll soon express complex thoughts with newfound clarity and confidence.

  • Whose: 소유를 나타내기
    소유 관계를 보여주며 문장을 매끄럽게 이어주는 whose를 사용해 보세요. 문장을 더 concise하고 세련되게 만들어주는 ownership의 마법사랍니다!
  • 관계부사 (where, when, why)
    where, when, why를 활용해서 장소, 시간, 이유를 더 구체적이고 세련되게 연결해 보세요. smooth flow, natural link, precision
  • 제한적 vs 비제한적 관계절 (쉼표와 의미)
    콤마는 관계대명사 절이 '필수 정보'인지 '보너스 정보'인지 알려주는 마법의 신호예요. Commas, Essential vs Extra, "No 'that' with commas" 이 세 가지만 기억하세요!
  • 문장 줄이기: 축약된 관계절
    관계대명사절을 줄여서 문장을 더 간결하고 자연스럽게 만들어 보세요. «간결함», «유창함», «명료함»을 얻을 수 있어요.
  • 격식 관계절 (in which, to whom)
    격식 있는 영어의 완성은 preposition + which/whom 구조예요. 문장의 precision과 elegance를 한 단계 높여준답니다.

Learning Objectives

By the end of this chapter, you will be able to:

  1. 1
    By the end you will be able to: Use relative clauses to combine two separate sentences into one fluid statement.

챕터 가이드

Overview

As a B2 English learner, you're past the basics and ready to truly refine your expression. This chapter is your key to unlocking a more sophisticated and natural way of speaking and writing, making your B2 English grammar shine. We're diving into English connecting information with relative clauses – a powerful tool that transforms choppy sentences into smooth, flowing prose.
Imagine being able to explain complex ideas or describe intricate scenarios with effortless clarity. That's what relative clauses offer!
You'll learn to weave details seamlessly, whether it's showing possession with whose, linking information to places, times, or reasons using where, when, and why, or distinguishing between essential and extra information with defining and non-defining clauses. We’ll even show you how to elegantly shorten your sentences by reducing relative clauses, making your speech and writing more concise and impactful. Plus, for those moments when you need to sound truly professional, we'll cover formal relative clause structures.
Get ready to express your thoughts with newfound precision and confidence!

How This Grammar Works

At its heart, a relative clause adds information about a noun (a person, place, thing, or idea) without starting a new sentence. It makes your English sound much more natural and less like a series of short, unconnected statements. Think of them as linguistic bridges.
We start with the basics: whose shows possession, just like his or her but within a clause. For example:
The student whose essay won the prize is incredibly talented.
Here, whose links the student to their essay. Next, relative adverbs (where, when, why) connect details to places, times, or reasons.
Instead of saying
I remember the restaurant. We had our first date there,
you can say
I remember the restaurant where we had our first date.
This is far more elegant and efficient.
The distinction between defining and non-defining relative clauses is crucial and often hinges on commas. A defining clause provides essential information to identify the noun – without it, the meaning changes or is unclear. For instance,
The car that is parked illegally will be towed.
(No commas, essential info).
A non-defining clause, on the other hand, adds extra, non-essential information and is always set off by commas.
My brother, who lives in Canada, is visiting next week.
(With commas, 'who lives in Canada' is just additional detail; I only have one brother).
For even greater conciseness, you can often reduce relative clauses. If the relative pronoun is the subject of the clause and the verb is active, you can remove the pronoun and be verb (if present) and change the main verb to its present participle (-ing form).
The man who is standing near the door is my boss
becomes
The man standing near the door is my boss.
If passive, use the past participle:
The documents which were signed yesterday are ready
becomes
The documents signed yesterday are ready.
Finally, for a touch of formality, particularly in written English, you can shift prepositions to the beginning of the clause with 'which' or 'whom'.
Instead of
This is the problem that I referred to,
you can say
This is the problem to which I referred.
This instantly elevates your language.

Common Mistakes

  1. 1✗ Using who instead of whose for possession.
✗ "That's the student who grades are always top-notch."
✓ "That's the student whose grades are always top-notch."
Explanation: Whose is possessive, meaning belonging to whom or of which. Who is a subject pronoun.
  1. 1✗ Incorrect comma usage for defining and non-defining clauses.
✗
The book, that I borrowed from you, was excellent.
✓
The book that I borrowed from you was excellent.
(Defining – essential information to identify *which* book)
✓
My old car, which was quite reliable, finally broke down.
(Non-defining – 'which was quite reliable' is extra info about *my old car*, already identified)
Explanation: That is typically used for defining clauses (no commas). Which can be used for both, but for non-defining clauses (with commas), which is the only correct choice.
  1. 1✗ Incorrectly reducing clauses, especially in the passive voice.
✗
The report sending to the client needs final approval.
✓
The report sent to the client needs final approval.
Explanation: The report isn't sending itself (active); it is sent (passive). When reducing a passive relative clause, use the past participle.

Real Conversations

A

A

Did you hear about Sarah, whose presentation at the conference was a huge success?
B

B

"Yes! I saw the venue where it took place. It was massive! She mentioned it's a topic to which many people can relate."
A

A

"I'm looking for the cafe that serves the best coffee downtown. Do you know it?"
B

B

"You mean 'The Daily Grind,' which is on Elm Street? It's really good. The barista making your coffee often has cool tattoos."
A

A

Remember that old movie theater where we used to go as kids?
B

B

Oh, the one whose marquee was always flashing? They tore it down last year, which was a real shame.

Quick FAQ

Q

Is that always interchangeable with which in defining relative clauses?

In informal English, yes, that and which are often interchangeable for things in defining clauses. However, that is generally preferred, especially for objects. For people, use who or that. Remember, for non-defining clauses (with commas), you *must* use which for things, and who for people.

Q

Can I always reduce a relative clause?

Not always. You can only reduce a relative clause if the relative pronoun (who, which, that) is the subject of the clause and the verb is active (use -ing) or passive (use past participle). You cannot reduce clauses where the relative pronoun is the object (e.g.,

The book that I read was good
).

Q

What's the main difference between where and in which?

Both can indicate location. Where is a more common and informal relative adverb. In which is a more formal and often more precise structure, especially common in academic or formal writing. For example,

The city where I live is bustling
vs.
The study described the conditions in which the experiment was conducted.

Cultural Context

Native English speakers frequently use these structures to create flow and avoid repetitive sentences. While formal structures like to whom or in which are common in academic writing or official communications, everyday conversation often opts for simpler phrasing (
the person I spoke to
instead of
the person to whom I spoke
). Reduced relative clauses are particularly prevalent in both spoken and written English, making communication more efficient and dynamic.
Mastering these nuances will help you sound truly fluent and adaptable in various contexts.

주요 예문 (8)

1

I have a friend whose brother is a famous musician.

형이 유명한 음악가인 친구가 한 명 있어요.

Whose: 소유를 나타내기
2

She found a dog whose collar had a phone number.

그녀는 목줄에 전화번호가 적힌 강아지를 찾았어요.

Whose: 소유를 나타내기
3

The coffee shop where we study has the best Wi-Fi.

우리가 공부하는 그 커피숍은 와이파이가 제일 잘 터져요.

관계부사 (where, when, why)
4

I remember the exact moment when the idea finally clicked.

마침내 아이디어가 딱 떠올랐던 바로 그 순간을 기억해요.

관계부사 (where, when, why)
5

The student who submitted their assignment on time got extra points.

과제를 제때 제출한 학생은 추가 점수를 받았습니다.

제한적 vs 비제한적 관계절 (쉼표와 의미)
6

My best friend, who lives in Vancouver, is visiting next month.

밴쿠버에 사는 제 절친이 다음 달에 놀러 와요.

제한적 vs 비제한적 관계절 (쉼표와 의미)
7

The dog `running` in the park is super fast.

공원에서 뛰고 있는 그 개는 정말 빨라요.

문장 줄이기: 축약된 관계절
8

The email `sent` yesterday got lost in spam.

어제 보낸 이메일이 스팸으로 사라졌어요.

문장 줄이기: 축약된 관계절

팁과 요령 (4)

💡

'who is'로 바꿔보세요!

문장에서 'whose' 대신 'who is'나 'who has'를 넣었을 때 말이 된다면, 아포스트로피가 있는 who's를 써야 해요. 그렇지 않다면 소유격인 whose가 정답이에요! "Who's coming to the party?"
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Whose: 소유를 나타내기
💡

장소, 시간, 이유만 기억하세요!

설명하려는 명사가 장소, 시간, 이유라면 고민하지 말고 바로 'where', 'when', 'why'를 꺼내 쓰세요. 전치사를 복잡하게 쓰는 것보다 훨씬 원어민스러워요:
This is the spot where I park.
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: 관계부사 (where, when, why)
💡

'삭제 테스트'를 해보세요

관계대명사 부분을 지웠는데도 문장이 가리키는 대상이 명확하다면 콤마가 필요한 'Non-defining'이에요: "If you can remove the relative clause and the main sentence still makes sense, it's non-defining."
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: 제한적 vs 비제한적 관계절 (쉼표와 의미)
💡

동사 'be' 찾기!

축약하려는 관계절에 'is', 'are', 'was', 'were' 같은 'be' 동사가 있는지, 그리고 그 뒤에 '-ing'나 과거분사 형태가 오는지 확인하세요. 없으면 축약이 어려울 수 있어요.
The man who is talking to her is my boss.
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: 문장 줄이기: 축약된 관계절

핵심 어휘 (5)

antecedent the word a pronoun refers back to restrictive essential for meaning (defining) non-restrictive providing extra information (non-defining) participle verb form used in reduced clauses prepositional relating to prepositions

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Review Summary

  • Noun + whose + noun
  • Noun + where/when/why
  • Noun, [extra info], verb
  • Noun + [V-ing/V3]
  • Preposition + whom/which

자주 하는 실수

Do not use a personal pronoun after 'whose'. 'Whose' already functions as the possessive pronoun.

Wrong: The woman who her bag was stolen.
정답: The woman whose bag was stolen.

When using a formal structure, the preposition moves before the pronoun, and the redundant pronoun at the end is removed.

Wrong: The house that I live in it.
정답: The house in which I live.

Do not repeat the subject after a relative clause. The relative pronoun is already the subject.

Wrong: My brother, who lives in London, he is a doctor.
정답: My brother, who lives in London, is a doctor.

Next Steps

You have done an amazing job navigating these complex structures. Keep practicing, and you will see your fluency soar!

Write a short biography of a famous person using all relative clause types.

Continue to: Mastering Verb Patterns and Actions

빠른 연습 (10)

격식 있는 문장을 완성하기 위해 올바른 형태를 고르세요.

The university building ___ many important lectures are held was recently renovated.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: in which
장소를 나타내는 격식 있는 관계절에서는 'in which'가 가장 적절합니다. 'in that'은 문법적으로 틀리며, 'where'는 맞지만 'in which'보다 덜 격식적입니다.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: 격식 관계절 (in which, to whom)

문장에서 틀린 부분을 찾아 고쳐보세요.

Find and fix the mistake:

I saw a car who's engine was smoking.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: I saw a car whose engine was smoking.
who's는 'who is'의 의미예요. 엔진이 자동차에 속해 있다는 소유의 의미를 전달하려면 whose를 써야 합니다.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Whose: 소유를 나타내기

문장에서 실수를 찾아 수정하세요.

Find and fix the mistake:

The car damaging in the accident needed repairs.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: The car damaged in the accident needed repairs.
차는 손상시키는 행동을 '하는' 것이 아니라 '손상되었던' 것입니다. 따라서 현재분사 'damaging' 대신 과거분사 'damaged'가 필요합니다.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: 문장 줄이기: 축약된 관계절

틀린 부분을 찾아 바르게 고쳐보세요.

Find and fix the mistake:

My brother, that lives in Paris, is a chef.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: My brother, who lives in Paris, is a chef.
콤마 뒤에는 'that'을 쓸 수 없어요. 사람을 나타내면서 추가 정보를 줄 때는 'who'를 써야 해요.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: 제한적 vs 비제한적 관계절 (쉼표와 의미)

알맞은 관계부사를 선택하세요.

This is the restaurant ___ we celebrated our anniversary.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: where
'restaurant'는 장소를 나타내는 명사이므로 'where'가 정답입니다.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: 관계부사 (where, when, why)

문장을 완성하기 위해 알맞은 단어를 고르세요.

That's the student ___ project won first prize.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: whose
프로젝트가 학생의 소유임을 나타내야 하므로 소유격인 whose가 정답이에요. who's는 'who is'의 줄임말이라 어색해요.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Whose: 소유를 나타내기

문법적으로 올바른 문장을 고르세요.

Choose the correct sentence:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: The car that was stolen was a red sedan.
어떤 차가 도난당했는지 알려주는 필수 정보이므로 콤마 없이 'that'을 쓰는 게 가장 자연스러워요.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: 제한적 vs 비제한적 관계절 (쉼표와 의미)

관계절을 축약하기 위해 올바른 형태를 선택하세요.

The student ___ for the exam seemed nervous.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: studying
원래 절은 'who was studying'입니다. 학생이 능동적으로 행동을 수행하고 있으므로 현재분사 'studying'을 사용합니다.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: 문장 줄이기: 축약된 관계절

틀린 부분을 찾아 바르게 고쳐보세요.

Find and fix the mistake:

Tuesday is the day where we have our team meeting.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Tuesday is the day when we have our team meeting.
'day'는 시간을 나타내므로 'where' 대신 'when'을 써야 자연스러워요.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: 관계부사 (where, when, why)

문장에서 틀린 부분을 찾아 수정하세요.

Find and fix the mistake:

The colleague to who I spoke yesterday provided valuable feedback.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: The colleague to whom I spoke yesterday provided valuable feedback.
'to'와 같은 전치사 뒤에는 주격인 'who' 대신 목적격인 'whom'을 써야 합니다.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: 격식 관계절 (in which, to whom)

Score: /10

자주 묻는 질문 (6)

whose는 소유격 관계대명사로, 앞의 명사와 뒤의 명사 사이의 소유 관계나 밀접한 연결 고리를 보여줘요. 문장을 툭툭 끊지 않고 매끄럽게 이어주는 역할을 하죠. 예를 들어
The artist whose painting sold...
처럼 작가와 그의 그림을 연결해 줍니다.
네, 당연하죠! 흔히 사람에게만 쓴다고 생각하기 쉽지만, 무생물이나 추상적인 개념에도 아주 잘 쓰여요.
the student whose laptop
처럼 사람에게도 쓰지만,
the company whose technology...
처럼 회사나 기술 같은 사물에도 문법적으로 완벽합니다.
관계부사(where, when, why)는 장소, 시간, 이유를 나타내는 명사 뒤에서 그 명사를 더 자세히 설명해 주는 절을 이끌어요. 전치사와 관계대명사를 하나로 합친 역할을 해서 문장을 훨씬 깔끔하게 만들어줍니다. 예를 들어
This is the house where I live.
처럼 말이죠.
관계부사를 쓰면 전치사를 따로 챙길 필요가 없어서 문장이 훨씬 간결하고 자연스러워져요.
the house in which I live
라고 하면 너무 딱딱하게 들리지만,
the house where I live
라고 하면 원어민들이 일상에서 쓰는 자연스러운 영어가 됩니다.
정보가 대상을 식별하는 데 '필수'인지 아니면 그냥 '덤'인지의 차이예요. 이 차이가 콤마 사용 여부를 결정하죠.
The book that I read...
이미 누군지 명확한 대상(예: 내 엄마, 서울, 에펠탑)에 설명을 보탤 때 콤마를 쓰세요. 괄호 같은 역할이라고 생각하면 쉬워요.
My mom, who is a chef...
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Mastering Verb Patterns and Actions
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