Table of Contents Chapter 23 23.6 Relative clauses that specify ideas
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Chapter 23: Relative clauses

  23.6 Relative clauses that specify ideas


Apart from specifying elements of the main phrase, a relative clause can also specify an idea of a main clause or be it a group of words.

   Let's have a look at an example
Sie haben das Projekt beendet, was sich als eine schlechte Idee erwies.
= They have terminated the project which turned out to be a bad idea.

The relative pronoun which (was) does not refer to a noun, but to the meaning of the main phrase they have terminated the project. The German relative pronoun in these cases is was.

Sie haben das Projekt aufgegeben, was sich als schlechte Idee erwies.
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