LONGMAN ENGLISH GRAMMAR PRACTICE

1.7 The complex sentence: 'whose'; defining/non-defining clauses

Write: Add commas to the following sentences where necessary.

1 My husband,who is on a business trip to Rome all this week,sent me this postcard.

2 The person who told you that story didn't know what he was talking about.

3 Will the driver whose vehicle has the registration number PXB2140 please move it?

4 The author Barbara Branwell whose latest novel has already sold over a million copies will be

giving a lecture at the public library tomorrow.

5 The person you got that information from is my cousin.

6 The play Cowards which opens at the Globe soon had a successful season on Broadway.

7 Cowards is the name of the play which ran for over two years.

8 The thing that pleases me most is that I'll never have to ask for your help again.

9 The manager whom I complained to about the service has refunded part of our bill.

10 Sally West whose work for the deaf made her famous has been killed in a car accident.

11 We found it impossible to cross the river that had flooded after the storm.

12 I have just learned that the engine part which I need is no longer made.

1.7C Sentences with two meanings [> LEG 1.26]

Study:

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The use or omission of commas round relative clauses can sometimes affect the meaning:

My wife, who is in Paris, will be returning tomorrow. Without commas, this could suggest that I

have another wife who is (or other wives who are) somewhere else!

Write: Say what these sentences mean a) without commas; b) with commas.

1 The test paper which everyone failed was far too difficult.

2 My brother who is in Canada is an architect.

1.7D Context

Write: Put in relative pronouns where necessary and commas where necessary.

THIS CHARMING PROPERTY ...

People^1 Wiw. tell the truth about the properties they are selling should be

given prizes for honesty. A house^2 is described as 'spacious' will be

found to be too large. Words like 'enchanting', 'delightful', 'convenient', 'attractive'

(^3) are commonly used all mean 'small'. The words 'small' and
'picturesque'^4 are not so frequently used both mean 'too small'. A
'picturesque house' is one with a bedroom^5 is too small to put a bed in
and a kitchen^6 is too small to boil an egg in. My prize for honesty goes
to someone^7 recently described a house^8 he was selling in
the following way: 'This house^9 is situated in a very rough area of
London is really in need of repair. The house^10 has a terrible lounge and
a tiny dining room also has three miserable bedrooms and a bathroom^11
is fitted with a leaky shower. The central heating^12 is expensive to run is
unreliable. There is a handkerchief-sized garden^13 is overgrown with
weeds. The neighbours^14 are generally unfriendly are not likely to
welcome you. This property^15 is definitely not recommended is
ridiculously overpriced at £85,000.'
This charming property.