Relative clauses of time, place and reason

Defining and non-defining relative clauses of time, place and reason are possible in which when, where and why are used in place of relative pronouns. They can also replace words like the time, the place and the reason. Though we can say the time when, the place where and the reason why, we cannot say 'the way how* [> 1.47.1]. Note that when follows only 'time' nouns, such as day, occasion, season; where follows only 'place' nouns, such as house place, town, village; why normally follows the noun reason.

1.38.1 Time defining:1979 was the year (in which)my son was born

1979 was (the year) whenmy son was born

non-defining:The summer of 1969, the year (in which)men first

set foot on the moon, will never be forgotten The summer of 1969, (the year) whenmen first set

foot on the moon, will never be forgotten.

1.38.2 Place defining:This is the place in whichI grew up

This is the place whichI grew up inThis is the placeI grew up inThis is (the place) where Igrew up

non-defining: The Tower of London, in which so many

people lost their lives, is now a tourist attraction The Tower of London, (the place) whereso many people lost their lives, is now a tourist attraction

1.38.3 Reason defining:That s the reason (for which)he dislikes me

That's (the reason) whyhe dislikes me

non-defining: My success in business, (the reason) for which

he dislikes me, has been due to hard work My success in business, the reason whyhe dislikes me, has been due to hard work (The reason cannot be omitted before why.)

1.38.4 ('That') in place of 'when', 'where', 'why'

That is possible (but optional) in place of when, where and why but only in defining clauses:

/ still remember the summer (that)we had the big drought ((That)

can be replaced by when or during which.)

I don't know any place (that)you can get a better exchange rate

((That) can be replaced by where or at which.)

That wasn't the reason (that)he lied to you ((That) can be

replaced by why or for which.)

For relatives after it [> 4.14].

1.39 Relative clauses abbreviated by 'apposition'

We can place two noun phrases side-by-side, separating the phrases by commas, so that the second adds information to the first. We can

The complex sentence relative pronouns and clauses

then say that the noun phrases are 'in apposition' [> 3.30]. This is more common in journalism than in speech. A relative clause can sometimes be replaced by a noun phrase in this way:

My neighbour Mr Watkins never misses the opportunity to tell me

the latest news (defining, without commas)

Mr Watkins, a neighbour of mine, never misses the opportunity to

tell me the latest news (non-defining, with commas)

(= Mr Watkins, who is a neighbour of mine, ...)