What you need is
a good sleep
.
What I didn't like was
the end of the movie
.
What changed his mind was
a book he'd read
.
If we want to refer to a person, we say The person/people who/that:
The people who/that I met were
members of the delegation
.
If we want to emphasise an action, the verb after be usually takes the form that corresponds to the form used in the what-clause:
What you
should do
is
write
a letter to the manager.
What I
need to do
is
get
some rest.
What they
were doing
was
arguing
about which train to take.
What I
can do
is
call
for a taxi.
In the following examples, the verb after be takes the form that the verb in the what-clause is normally followed by:
What I
want
is
to sleep
.
What he
can't stand
is
getting up
early.
In the past simple and present perfect, we can use the following patterns:
What I
did
in the end was
(to) go
home.
What I
have done
is
(to) write
a letter to the editor.
Quotes:
It is the familiar that usually eludes us in life. What is before our nose is what we see last. - William Barret
Related topics:
WHAT (the thing(s) that/which)
Revision questions: relative clauses
What is the difference between defining and non-defining relative clauses?
What is a sentential relative clause?
Do we use a comma before the relative pronoun that?
Which one is the most formaclass="underline" whom, who or that?
When can we not use that instead of which in a relative clause?
When do we use a past participle (the third form of the verb) in a non-finite relative clause?
When do we use a present participle (the -ing form of the verb) in a non-finite relative clause
What does what stand for in I don't understand what you mean?
Do we use a comma in a cleft sentence?
Exercises: relative clauses
Relative clauses - Exercise 1
Decide whether the relative clauses in the following sentences are defining or non-defining and whether the relative pronoun can be omitted or not. The commas are missing in some of the sentences. In which ones and where?
An advocate is a person who can help you get information about your rights.
That is the kind of house that everyone would love to live in.
Beijing which is one of the world's most populated cities is the capital of China.
Do you know anyone who can lend me a bike?
The food that they served at the reception was delicious.
This poem which was written by Robert Frost is one of my favourites.
The blue whale which is the largest existing mammal is an endangered species.
The man whose seat I had accidentally taken offered to sit somewhere else.
Was it you who called the ambulance?
Alex who had never flown before was terribly nervous.
Relative clauses - Exercise 2
Decide if the following sentences are correct or incorrect.
The beer what I drank last night was the best I had ever had.
She should apologise for which she said.
Robert, who had promised to help paint the kitchen, didn't come.
Who is the woman I saw you with?
On Monday which was wet and windy we stayed in the hotel.
I didn't tell him anything, which made him furious.
I was very upset about that I heard.
Do you know a shop where it sells good wine?
Look! That's the guy, whose son has won the Best Student award.
Do you remember the day when we met?
Relative clauses - Exercise 3
Fill in the relative pronouns or relative adverbs.
Everyone ... heard about the murder was shocked.
That is the boy with ... Cindy used to go out.
It was the kind of day ... everything goes wrong.
Nothing happened for a long time, ... made me feel worried.
He will be punished for ... he has done.
Ryan, ... car had been towed away, had to take a bus.
This is the place ... the accident happened.
His last movie, in ... he plays the main character, was great.
It was his tie ... made him stand out.
Kathy called her mother, ... was very upset.
Relative clauses - Exercise 4
Combine the sentences so that the new sentence begins as shown. Use relative clauses, cleft or pseudo-cleft sentences.
This morning I tried a new pancake recipe. It was really delicious.
The ...
She wrote an angry e-mail to her boss. He was very upset about it.
She ...
First they told us to go to room 105. We had to wait for two hours there.
First ...
Gabriel is a very helpful person. He agreed to do the washing up.
Gabriel, ...
It's a few days off that I need. I don't need anything else.
What ...
They were very silent. It was unusual.
They ...
The story is about Hans. He works for an international music company.
The ...
The story is about a man. He works for an international music company.
The ...
The person who broke the window was George. It wasn't someone else.
It ...
There is a new street food restaurant down the street. Have you been there?
Have ...
Relative clauses - Exercise 5
Tell your partner about ...
a friend who you have known for a long time.