NOMINAL RELATIVE CLAUSES or FREE RELATIVE CLAUSES

a) adnominal relative clauses: They have adjectival function: (the book) that I have just read.
b) nominal relative clauses or free relative clauses: They lose their adjectival function and acquire a nominal
function within the main clause, e.g.: I eat what I like.

I eat that which I like

That which I like (DP). That (head of DP - antecedent of the clause).
Which I like (post-modifier - adnominal relative clause).
I eat what I like.
That and which have merged. We now have a nominal relative clause.

Since these clauses are introduced by a wh-element they resemble wh-interrogative noun clauses, which also
have nominal functions. Consider the following sentences:

(1) John knew what Martha ate. wh-interrogative noun clause.

(2) John cooked what Martha ate. nominal relative clause

Nominal relative clauses are more like determiner phrases (they can be concrete as well as abstract).
They also have their same functions:
1) Subject: Whoever did that should admit it frankly.
2) Direct Object:I took what they offered me.
3) Indirect Object:He gave whoever came to see him a winning smile.
4) Predicative Complement: (subject related)Macy's is where I buy my clothes.
5) Predicative Complement: (object related)You can call me what you like.
6) Complement to a Preposition: He is aware of what I write.
7) Apposition: I'll pay you the whole debt: what I originally borrowed and what I owe you in interest.
Adjective: Nominal relative clauses cannot function as adjective complement because they require a
preposition after the adjective, just like nouns. He’s aware of what I think of him-

After prepositions: He is aware of what I write.

With wh-interrogative clauses the preposition is optional: I'm not sure (about) what to do.

The wh-element may be:

Pronoun: She tasted what I bought. (what)
Adjective or determiner: She saw what food I bought. (what)
Adverb : Here is where I bought the food. (where)

The wh-element may express a specific meaning a non-specific meaning

o Definite Free Relative Clauses. Specific meaning (absence of the ever suffix)
I took what was on the kitchen table. [..."that which was on the kitchen table]
o Indefinite Free Relative Clauses Non-specific meaning (presence of the ever suffix).
Whoever breaks this law deserves a fine. ["Anyone who breaks this law..."]

SYNTACTIC DIFFERENCES
interrogative clause
Ever cannot be used
Can be introduced by expletive it.
Can be reduced to a non-finite clause.
Jacob always knows what he should wear.
Jacob always knows what to wear.
Doesn’t have paucal meaning (a few)
She asked me what books I wanted to read.
Nominal relative
Ever can be used
Cannot.
Can be reduced if they are Predicative complements or
complement to a preposition.
That's where to go for your next vacation. (PC)
The book is on how to use a computer. (C/P)
Jacob always wears what he should wear. Can’t be reduced – DO.
Has a paucal meaning.
He collected what info he could find. (the little info)

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As subject they must take a singular verb
How the book(s) will sell depends on the
reviewer
Allows stranding the preposition
I asked on what they based their predictions.
I asked them what they based their
predictions on.
Introduced by phrases built up around the
full range of wh-words,
She asked me who would look after the baby.
Answers to a question (verbs of cognition)
John knows what Martha ate.
He knows the answer to the question “what
did Martha eat?”
Abstract objects: Facts, ideas, events and
propositions.
I know what he’s feeling.
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The following sentence, which has an adnominal relative clause is grammatical: They ate the things for which
they paid.
It may take either a singular or a plural verb.
What money I have is yours.
What possessions I have are yours.
Don’t allow it.
They ate what they paid for.
*They ate for what they paid.1
Normally introduced by what, where and when.
Who: only found as predicative complement.
You're not who I thought you were.
Doesn’t answer to a question.
John cooked what Martha ate.
He cooked the answer to the question "What did
Martha eat?"
Concrete or abstract
Concrete: I sent them what they needed.
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