Let’s Fix Our

Grammar!

Intermediate
Edition
What we will learn today:

defining relative clauses

non-defining relative clauses

Let’s start with a quiz!
Chris Hemsworth is the actor who plays Thor
in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
The croissant is a famous pastry
which comes from France.
Solo (Surakarta) is the Indonesian city where
Jokowi was born.
Olivia Rodrigo is an American singer whose songs
include Driver’s License and Good 4 U.
 Chris Hemsworth is the actor who plays Thor.
The croissant is a pastry which comes from France.
Solo is the Indonesian city where Jokowi was born.
Olivia Rodrigo is the singer whose songs include Driver’s License and Good 4 U.

Defining relative clauses

Why do we use them?

When one adjective isn’t enough!

who (or that) which (or that) where whose
person things / animals places possessive
 Chris Hemsworth is the actor who plays Thor.
The croissant is a pastry which comes from France.
Solo is the Indonesian city where Jokowi was born.
Olivia Rodrigo is the singer whose songs include Driver’s License and Good 4 U.

We can use them to give

important information about a person, place or thing

who (or that) which (or that) where whose

person things / animals places possessive
 Chris Hemsworth is the actor who plays Thor.
The croissant is a pastry which comes from France.
Solo is the Indonesian city where Jokowi was born.
Olivia Rodrigo is the singer whose songs include Driver’s License and Good 4 U.

who, which and that can be omitted when the verbs in the main
clause and relative clause have a different subject

She’s the girl who I met on the plane.

It’s a thing that we used to fix the oven.

where and whose can never be omitted

 who (or that) person
which (or that) things / animals
Let’s try! where places
whose possessive

It’s a podcast which/that

helps you to sleep.
 who (or that) person
which (or that) things / animals
Let’s try! where places
whose possessive

Look! That’s the man

whose house is bright pink.
 who (or that) person
which (or that) things / animals
Let’s try! where places
whose possessive

She’s the teacher who/that

helped me with my
homework.
 who (or that) person
which (or that) things / animals
Let’s try! where places
whose possessive

Lombok is an island where

there are many beautiful
beaches.
 who (or that) person
which (or that) things / animals
Make a sentence! where places
whose possessive
This movie, which features small yellow creatures
with one or two eyes, was released in July 2022.
 Minions: The Rise of Gru

This movie, which features small yellow creatures

with one or two eyes, was released in July 2022.
 This entrepreneur, who was born in South Africa
and owns Tesla, is the richest person in the world.
 Elon Musk

This entrepreneur, who was born in South Africa

and owns Tesla, is the richest person in the world.
 This video game company, whose products
include the Switch and Game Boy, is based in
Kyoto, Japan.
 Nintendo

This video game company, whose products

include the Switch and Game Boy, is based in
Kyoto, Japan.
 Non-defining relative clauses give extra
(often non-essential) information in a sentence.

If this clause is omitted, the sentence still makes sense.

This movie, which features small yellow creatures with one or

two eyes, was released in July 2022.
 Non-defining relative clauses give extra
(often non-essential) information in a sentence.

If this clause is omitted, the sentence still makes sense.

This movie, which features small yellow creatures with one or

two eyes, was released in July 2022.
 Non-defining relative clauses give extra
(often non-essential) information in a sentence.

If this clause is omitted, the sentence still makes sense.

This entrepreneur, who was born in South Africa and owns Tesla,
is the richest person in the world.
 Non-defining relative clauses give extra
(often non-essential) information in a sentence.

If this clause is omitted, the sentence still makes sense.

This entrepreneur, who was born in South Africa and owns Tesla,
is the richest person in the world.
 Non-defining relative clauses give extra
(often non-essential) information in a sentence.

If this clause is omitted, the sentence still makes sense.

This video game company, whose products include the Switch

and Game Boy, is based in Kyoto, Japan.
 Non-defining relative clauses give extra
(often non-essential) information in a sentence.

If this clause is omitted, the sentence still makes sense.

This video game company, whose products include the Switch

and Game Boy, is based in Kyoto, Japan.
 Non-defining relative clauses must go between commas
(or a comma and a full stop).

This movie, which features small yellow creatures with one or

two eyes, was released in July 2022.
In these clauses, you can’t leave out the relative pronoun
(who, which, etc.)

In these clauses, you can’t use that instead of who/which.

 Let’s try!
Combine the sentences using a non-defining relative clause.

Our neighbours are both cooks. They work in the same restaurant.

Our neighbours, who are both cooks, work at the same restaurant.
Let’s try!
Combine the sentences using a non-defining relative clause.

The local shop has closed down. My dad used to work there.

The local shop, where my dad used to work, has closed down.
Let’s try!
Combine the sentences using a non-defining relative clause.

My guitar is for sale. I bought it in 2015.

My guitar, which I bought in 2015, is for sale.

Tell us about you!
Write some sentences about yourself using non-defining relative clauses.

Jurassic Park, which was released in 1993, is my favourite movie.

Ms Vicky, who now works in Surabaya, used to work in Malang.

In the UK, where I used to live, it is currently summer.

 Quiz Time!

bit.ly/efinter2
Don’t forget! Take the A PDF of today’s materials
survey to receive…

https://bit.ly/feedback-6aug
A digital e-certificate
Question time