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Anonymous Posted 15 years ago
Grammar

Linguistic rules

  • I saw the book that I wanted. / I saw the book I wanted.
  • John saw the man who came. / John saw the man came.*
  • Boston is where I live. / Boston is I live.*
  • I returned the TV that I bought. / I returned the TV I bought.


Can anyone help me with a general rule as to why some of these are correct and some (*) are not. It has to do with embedded statement working as adj., adv., complement of 'be' or object NP. I am very confused!
  

Top answer

Basic relative pronoun grammar! If a relative pronoun is the subject of the relative clause, it isn't usually omitted. This rule applies to your second sentence, in which who is the subject.

— Cool Breeze

  • Basic relative pronoun grammar!
  • If a relative pronoun is the subject of the relative clause, it isn't usually omitted.
  • This rule applies to your second sentence, in which who is the subject.
  • However, even though many grammarians consider it incorrect, the relative is occasionally omitted even in this capacity: There's somebody at the door [who] wants to see you.
  • The antecedent of who is somebody, not the door, and the antecedent is not next to the relative.
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1 Answers
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Basic relative pronoun grammar! If a relative pronoun is the subject of the relative clause, it isn't usually omitted. This rule applies to your second sentence, in which who is the subject. However, even though many grammarians consider it incorrect, the relative is occasionally omitted even in this capacity:

There's somebody at the door [who] wants to see you.

The
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