RELATIVE CLAUSES • PRACTICE
1 Subject or object? Tick (T T) the sentences where the relative pronoun is
necessary. If it is possible to leave out the relative pronoun, cross it out.
Examples
I don't like people who arrive late. T
The company that he works for is based in Germany.
1 Where are the scissors that I bought yesterday?
2 I want you to meet the woman who taught me how to drive.
3 The meal that you cooked was delicious.
4 I like animals that don't make a mess.
5 The film that I've always wanted to see is on TV tonight.
6 The flat that they bought was very expensive.
7 The room in our house that is most used is the kitchen.
8 I didn't like the meal that we had yesterday.
9 The people who work here are very interesting.
10 The man who you were talking about has just come in the room.
2 Fill the gaps with who, which, where, whose, or that. Where possible, leave
out the relative pronoun.
1 I received a letter this morning ……………… really upset me.
2 Toby, a boy ……………… I went to school with, is ill in hospital.
3 He's going to have an operation ……………… could save his life.
4 Toby, ……………… parents both died a few years ago, is the same age
as me.
5 I recently went back to the town ……………… I was born.
6 The people ……………… used to live next door moved a long time ago.
7 I met a girl ……………… I used to go out with.
8 She told me a story ……………… I found hard to believe.
9 She said she'd married a man ……………… had been married ten times
before.
10 Apparently, he lost all his money gambling, ……………… really annoyed
her.
1 2
RELATIVE CLAUSES • PRACTICE
3 Complete the story below by adding the relative pronouns who, that, which,
whose, or where, in the spaces provided.
THE NOT VERY DANGEROUS DRAGON
There was once a dragon called Mog [1]……………… lived in a deep cave.
One day he flew out of the cave and attacked several villages
[2]……………… lay in the valley close to his cave. The villagers, [3]………………
were very frightened, asked the King to send them a brave knight,
[4]……………… would kill the dragon. The King, [5]……………… had several
knights he did not want, agreed at once.
The first knight came to the cave [6]……………… the dragon lay sleeping,
and shouted, 'Where is the dangerous dragon [7]……………… frightens poor
villagers? I have come to kill him.' The dragon opened one eye, saw the
knight, [8]……………… was waving his sword angrily, and burnt him to
death.
The second knight, [9]……………… was no more intelligent than the first,
came to the cave [10]……………… the dragon lay sleeping and shouted,
'Where is the dragon [11]……………… name is Mog? I have come to kill
him.' The dragon opened one eye. 'Where is the knight [12]………………
mouth is too big?' he answered, and burnt him to death.
A third knight finally arrived at the cave. Outside he saw two swords,
[13]……………… were rather black with smoke. Slowly and silently he
entered the cave [14]……………… Mog lay sleeping. The knight wasn't
carrying a sword but a bag, [15]……………… seemed very heavy. Suddenly
the knight tripped and fell, [16]……………… woke Mog. The dragon saw the
knight lying on the cave floor in front of him. 'It's not really fair to burn
one lying down,' thought Mog. Then the knight spoke. 'I've brought some
honey [17]……………… I thought you might like.'
'Honey,' said the dragon, 'how kind. I love honey.'
'If I give you the honey, will you stop attacking the villages [18]………………
lie below your cave?' asked the knight, [19]……………… voice was trembling
with fear.
'OK!' said the dragon. 'It's a deal.'
Relative clauses

Defining relative clauses

4 Join these sentences using a defining relative clause. If it is possible to omit the relative pronoun,
write it in brackets.
1 The man told me you were out. He answered the phone.
The man ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
2 The boys have now been released. They were arrested.
The boys ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
3 The police are still trying to identify the body. It was found last week.
The police …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
4 It seems that Earth is the only planet. It can support life.
It seems that ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
5 The pictures used to hang on that wall. Where are they?
Where ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
6 Most of the people couldn't come. I invited them to the party.
Most …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
7 The museum was shut. We wanted to visit it.
The museum ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
8 I like Ann's dress. She's wearing it now.
I like …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

5 Instructions as above.
1 The bed was too soft. I slept in it.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
2 I didn't get the job. I applied for it.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
3 The man has been married twice before. She is married to him.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
4 The party wasn't very enjoyable. We went to it.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
5 Who was that girl? You were with her last night.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
6 The flight was fully booked. We wanted to travel on it.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
7 I enjoy my job because I like the people. I work with them.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
8 They were talking about things. I wasn't interested in them.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
9 The house is not in very good condition. I am living in it.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
Relative clauses

Non-defining relative clauses

6 Write these sentences again together with a non-defining relative clause.

1 She showed me a photograph of her son. He is a policeman.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
2 We decided not to swim in the sea. It looked rather dirty.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
3 The new stadium will be opened next month. It holds 90,000 people.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
4 That man over there is an artist. I don't remember his name. (use whose)
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
5 The storm caused a lot of damage. Nobody had been expecting it.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
6 The postman was late this morning. He is always on time.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
7 We often go to visit our friends in Bristol. It is only 30 miles away.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
8 I went to see the doctor. He told me to rest for a few days.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
9 Thank you for your letter. I was very happy to get it.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
10 Next weekend I'm going to Glasgow. My sister lives there.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

7 Instructions as above.
1 This is a photograph of our friends. We went on holiday with them.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
2 The wedding took place last Friday. Only members of the family were invited to it.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
3 I've just bought some books about astronomy. I'm very interested in it.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Defining and non-defining.

8 Combine the following sentences using a relative pronoun.

1 We visited the town. It lies at the source of the Danube.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
2 I know the girl. She is going to marry my cousin.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
3 He is a very funny person. I don't know anyone funnier.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
Relative clauses

4 The old house on the hill has finally been sold. It was said to be haunted.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
5 This is the music. I've listened to it many times.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
6 I met a friend last week. Her husband is an astronaut.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
7 Peter is going to marry a girl. Her sister is in my class.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
8 I will never forget the day. My eldest son was born that day.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
9 This is the school. I studied there as a child.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
10 I'd like you to meet Anna. You will be working with her in the future.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
11 Here is a photograph of the hotel. We stayed there for a long weekend.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
12 New York is a wonderful city. I'd love to visit it one day.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

9 Join these pairs of sentences, beginning with the words given.

1 Ms Fortune was a writer. Her body was found in the cellar.
Ms Fortune, ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
2 I met an old friend. He told me all about a book he'd just read.
I met …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
3 You recommended that book to me. It was very good.
The book ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
4 A simplified edition is easier to read than the original. It's shorter.
A simplified edition ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
5 I described a player to you yesterday. That's him.
He ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
6 This is Sarah's boyfriend. I'm still friends with him.
This is ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
7 I used to go to that restaurant every day.
That's …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
8 I met that woman yesterday. I didn't like her.
I didn't like …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
9 We had fish for dinner. It was really delicious.
The fish ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
10 I have been to many parties. The party last night was the best.
Last night's …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
Relative clauses

EvAU
USE OF ENGLISH – RELATIVE CLAUSES
Rewrite the following sentences starting with the words given:
1 I visited my aunt's cottage. It is near the river.
I visited ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
2 Yesterday I met a beautiful girl. Her father was born in Jamaica.
Yesterday I met …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
3 I have never driven a Porsche.
It is the ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
4 Mary has bought a flat. It belonged to her grandmother.
Mary …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
5 In San Francisco I stayed in three hotels. They were terribly expensive.
In San Francisco I stayed ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………
6 Last summer I read a novel. It was very interesting.
I read a novel ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
7 I am travelling with a friend. He can't speak English.
The friend …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
8 I am reading a novel at the moment. It is very entertaining.
The novel …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
9 He paid a lot of money for the house last year. It is now much cheaper.
The house …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
10 I have never cleaned such a dirty room.
It is ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
11 They live in an old house. It needs repairing.
The old house ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
12 He is looking for a book. It is under the desk.
The book ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
13 I met a British girl yesterday. She was really nice.
The British girl ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
14 I have never met a more attractive person than Jane.
Jane ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
15 I'm interested in a young painter. Her name will be familiar to you.
I'm interested in a young painter …………………………………………………………………………………………………
16 The woman is Alice Harris. Her ring was stolen from inside her house.
Alice Harris …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
17 He received the parcel. He was waiting for it.
He ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
18 Andrés Iniesta was chosen the best player in the final. He was born in La Mancha.
Andrés Iniesta ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
19 Michael is a regular visitor to Italy. He always spends his holidays there.
Michael is …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………