12 needs a connector to connect to an independent clause. After connecting a
relative clause to an independent clause, we can construct a sentence, which is called a complex sentence.
In complex sentence using relative clause, the independent clause is called main clause and the dependent clause is called relative clause. In order to
connect main clause and relative clause, we use a relative pronoun. A relative pronoun begins the relative clause. It can be the subject of clause, the object of
verb in the clause, the object of preposition or a possessive Close, 1977: 52. It comes after the antecedent in the main clause. An antecedent is a noun phrase in
the main clause that the relative clause modifies Close, 1977: 51. That is why relative pronoun comes after the antecedent.
a. Defining and Non–Defining Relative Clauses
There are two kinds of relative clauses. These are defining relative clauses and non-defining relative clauses.
1 Defining relative clauses
A defining relative clause is a relative clause to modify a noun by giving some crucial information about the noun modified. Neuman 1981:34 states that
a defining relative clause explains the person or thing referred. It represent that the relative clause give the crucial information to make the meaning within the
sentence clear. The information adds some clues to create the clear meaning. For
example 1, the man who is standing at the door wants to speak to you
personally. It refers to that there are some men there and there is only one man
13 who is standing at the door. This man wants to speak personally. Therefore,
defining relative clauses give the information that makes the meaning clear,
unless it will be confusing. Another example 2, the bungalow we rented last summer was not as well equipped as the one we had the year before.
It has two defining relative clauses. The first relative clause is we rented last summer. The
second relative clause is we had the year before. Both relative clauses are contact clauses because they omit the objective relative pronouns. If not, they
should be whichthat we rented last summer and whichthat we had the year before.
2 Non-defining relative clauses
Non-defining relative clause is a relative clause which modifies a noun with the additional information about the noun modified. Neuman 1981:35
defines that non-defining relative clauses give additional information to modify the referred noun. A non-defining relative clause is written between commas. It
does not influence the meaning within the sentence. The meaning has been clear without the relative clause. Therefore, a relative clause is the additional
information. It is not really needed. Its existence or inexistence does not change
the meaning within the sentence. For example 3 Mr. James, the English teacher, came late yesterday
. It means that there is only one Mr. James in the school. He is an English teacher in that school. He came late yesterday.
Therefore, relative clause the English teacher is a non-defining relative clause that gives the additional information that does not really influence toward the
meaning within the main sentence.
14 In this research, the researcher is going to test the students’ mastery of
defining and non-defining relative clauses. Relative pronouns the researcher uses in the test are whom, which, that and
∅. Those relative pronouns are used only as a subject, object and object of preposition. Therefore, in the test, the
researcher uses four relative pronouns for three functions in relative clauses, whereas, the researcher does not provide relative adverbs when and where
because whom, which, that and ∅ can substitute both relative adverbs. Also
relative adverbs when and where function as adverbial of time and place that can be substituted by functions as subject, object and object of preposition. Besides
adverbial of time and place, the researcher does also not use relative pronouns functioning as possessive in order to avoid confusing choices that cause many
errors the students make.
b. Relative Pronouns
