1 SPEAKING In pairs, discuss the question. What do you think is the origin of these phrases?
cc an email go online hang up the phone
cc an email: Carbon paper was something that people used to make a copy of a note or letter. You would put it underneath the paper while you wrote ortyped and the letters would press through onto another piece of paper. The copy made by the carbon paper was called the ‘carbon copy’ (cc).
go online: If you wanted to connect to the Internet, you had to have a cable that connected your computer to the telephone line.
hang up the phone: we say ‘hang up the phone’ because phones used to be in two parts.
2 Listen to Heba talking to her grandfather. Check your ideas from Exercise 1. What new expressions does Heba teach him?
Heba teaches her grandfather I’ve got to bounce and I’ll ping you.
⇒ Relative and participle clauses
3 TH INK BACK Study the underlined relative clauses a and b and answer the questions.
a The house which we just walked past belongs to my grandfather.
b My grandfather’s house, which I love, isn’t very modern.
1 Which sentence gives essential information that cannot be omitted? (defining relative clause) a
2 Which sentence gives extra information that can be omitted? (non-defining relative clause) b
4 Read some extracts from the conversation between Heba and her grandfather. Which of the underlined relative clauses are defining?
1 and phones are something that you can keep in your pocket.
2 I had to go into the hall, where the phone was kept, and everyone could hear every word I said.
3 My best friend, who I was usually talking to, used to get fed up with me whispering all the time!
4 are defining you had to have a wire that connected your computer with the telephone line.
5 Oliver is adopted by Mr Brownlow, which shows what a kind man he is.
5 Read the sentences in Exercise 4 and answer the questions.
1 In which type of relative clause can we use that instead of which or who?
In defining relative clauses.
2 In which sentence can you omit the relative pronoun without affecting the meaning? Why is this?
The pronoun can be omitted in sentence 1. When the relative pronoun is the object of the clause in a defining relative clause, we can omit it.
3 What does the relative pronoun in Sentence 2 refer to?
It refers to a place.
4 In which sentence is the relative clause a comment on the whole of the main clause?
Sentence 5.
6 Rewrite the pairs of sentences as one sentence using a relative clause.
1 Televisions used to have a dial. The dial was used to change the channel.
Televisions used to have a dial which was used to change the channel.
2 Technology is always changing. I find this exciting.
Technology is always changing, which I find exciting./Technology, which I find exciting, is always changing.
3 Husam has lost his phone. He is very absent-minded.
Husam, who is very absent-minded, has lost his phone
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TIP • When we use a relative pronoun as a subject in the relative clause, we don’t use a personal pronoun or noun. • When a relative pronoun is the object of the relative clause, we need a subject (pronoun or noun) in the relative clause. • When a relative pronoun is the object of the relative clause, we don’t need another object (pronoun or noun) in the relative clause. • In writing, we do not use commas in defining relative clauses. |
7 Study two participle clauses from the conversation in Exercise 2, and compare them with similar sentences using full relative clauses. Complete the rules below.
a There was a wire attaching the phone to the wall. (present participle clause) There was a wire which attached the phone to the wall. (relative clause)
b The copy made by the carbon paper was called the carbon copy. (past participle clause) The copy that was made by the carbon paper was called the carbon copy. (relative clause)
1 We use a present participle to replace a relative clause with an active / a passive verb.
2 We use a past participle to replace a relative clause with an active / a passive verb.
8 SPEAKING In pairs, tell your partner about a piece of technology, using relative and participle clauses. Student A, go to page 94. Student B, go to page 96.
Students’ own answers