This message was originally submitted by [log in to unmask] to the ATEG list Dear Eric, You're right--the first sentence has in it a noun clause serving as the direct object of the main clause. The second sentence has an adjective clause functioning as a modifier of "girl," the direct object of the main clause. JVB >"I don't know who(m) I saw last night". > >"I like the girl who(m) i saw last night. > >ok, the above two, to my feeble understanding, both contain relative >clauses which are, >1-defining >2-and both have the relative pronoun as object > >therefore they should, in both cases, be capable of being omitted. Doesn't >seem to work with sentence one. >ok, so it looks like, in sentence one, that the relative clause is the >object of the verb itself (know), but still, isn't it a relative clause the >object of the verb "saw" being "who(m)?? > >thanks, eric James Vanden Bosch (616) 957-6592 Department of English [log in to unmask] Calvin College fax: (616) 957-8508 Grand Rapids, MI 49546 http://www.calvin.edu/~vand/