Relative Clause Fragments

Relative clauses are word groups that have a subject and a verb and begin with a relative pronoun:

• whose    that    which     whichever
• who    whoever
• whom    whomever
• what    whatever

Learning the abbreviation WTWW, WW, WW, WW will help to remember these.  These are dependant clauses since they depend upon an independent clause to complete a thought and, therefore, a sentence. Relative pronouns are also conjunctions since they join parts of a sentence.

• That I have always wanted to visit.
• Which are green.
• Wherever I play every day.

They can also be fixed by adding more information.  Remember, when you use the word that, you never use a comma.

• New York is a city that I have always wanted to visit.

However, you may or may not need a comma with who or which. If you need the information to understand the meaning of the sentence, you do not need a comma. If the information is just added in as extra information, you need to indicate this with commas.

• Oranges which are green should not be eaten.
• My guitar, which I play every day, was a gift from my father.

See Commas for more information on necessary (restrictive) and (nonrestrictive) clauses with who, which, and that.