Avoiding repeated objects or adverbs

Adjective clauses begin with relative pronouns (who, whom, whose, which, that) or relative adverbs (when, where). Relative pronouns usually serve as subjects or objects in the clauses they introduce; another word in the clause cannot serve the same function.

Example sentence: The cat ran under the car that was parked on the street. Explanation: The adjective clause is “that was parked on the street.”

Example sentence with editing. Original sentence: The cat ran under the car that it was parked on the street. Revised sentence: The cat ran under the car that was parked on the street. Explanation: The pronoun “it” has been deleted.

The relative pronoun that is the subject of the adjective clause, so the pronoun it cannot be added as the subject.

Example sentence with editing. Original sentence: Myrna enjoyed the investment seminars that she attended them last week. Revised sentence: Myrna enjoyed the investment seminars that she attended last week. Explanation: The word “them” has been deleted.

The relative pronoun that is the object of the verb attended. The pronoun them cannot also serve as object.

Even when the relative pronoun has been omitted, do not add another word with its same function.

Example sentence with editing. Original sentence: Myrna enjoyed the investment seminars she attended them last week. Revised sentence: Myrna enjoyed the investment seminars she attended last week. Explanation: The pronoun “them” has been deleted.

The relative pronoun that is understood even though it is not present in the sentence.

If the clause begins with a relative adverb, do not use another adverb with the same meaning later in the clause.

Example sentence with editing. Original sentence: The office where I work there is one hour from the city. Revised sentence: The office where I work is one hour from the city. Explanation: The adverb “there” has been deleted.

The adverb there cannot repeat the relative adverb where.

Exercises:

Omissions and repetitions 1

Omissions and repetitions 2

Sentence structure 1

Sentence structure 2

Related topic:

Subordinate clauses