GRAMMAR PRACTICE

Relative Pronouns; Defining and Non-Defining Relative Clauses

1. Choose the correct relative pronouns. Some sentences have two correct answers.
Then tick the sentences in which the relative pronouns can be omitted.
…. 1. Mountain View is the city where / that / which Google’s main office is located.
…. 2. There’s the girl when / that / who my brother was dating for a while.
…. 3. Are you going to read the book which / who / that Dan recommended?
…. 4. The woman who / which / whose mobile rang during the film was really
embarrassed.
…. 5. This is usually the time that / where / when the club starts to get crowded.

2. Complete the passage with suitable relative pronouns. There may be more than one
possible answers.
Facebook’s Look at Language
In status updates on Facebook, teens use the word “I” more often than adults do. Older
people, and those …………………... have lots of Facebook friends, often use the word
“You”. Updates containing positive language are most often posted in the morning,
……………… most people start their day.
These were some of the things that Facebook discovered when they analysed the status
updates of American Facebook users. The study, …………………. was released in December
2010, also found that during the evening, there’s a rise in the use of words …………………..
are connected to negative emotions.
Other interesting findings were that fewer people comment on positive updates that on
negative ones, and that people ………………… posts contain words connected to sport and
music also have more Facebook friends.
Do you think there are similar patterns in the country …………….. you live? Have a look at
your own status updates and those of your friends and see.

3. Combine the sentences using a relative pronoun. Make any necessary changes.
There may be more than one possible answer.
1. These paintings were done by students. The students attend the Art Institute.
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
2. We’re going on a tour of a film studio. Many famous films have been made there.
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
3. Eddy told me a secret. Nobody else knows.
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
4. The woman’s passport was missing. She was very upset.
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
5. He remembers the exact moment. The big earthquake happened then.
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

4. Combine the sentences using the relative pronouns in brackets. Use defining o non-
defining relative clauses. Make any necessary changes.
1. Russell is usually a good cook. He served a boring meal last night. (who)
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
2. The next stop on the tour will be Covent Garden. There are nice shops and restaurants
there. (where)
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
3. Gina was at my house yesterday. I got the good news then. (when)
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
4. His Facebook page hasn’t been updated. I looked at it this morning. (which)
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
5. My parents are in Paris for the weekend. It’s their anniversary today. (whose)
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

5. Correct the errors.

1. I have a friend who his brother used to work for Google.
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
2. Our new neighbours, that moved in last week, seem very nice.
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
3. My brother’s Facebook page, which it is embarrassing, has a lot of stupid photos.
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
4. Susan finally visited the town where her mother was born there.
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
5. August is the month when there are many outdoor concerts here then.
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

6. Translate into English.

1. Nunca debes criticar a una persona que siempre te ha ayudado.

2. Yo estaba realmente impresionado por el regalo que ellos me dieron.

3. Mucha gente vino al evento que tuvo lugar anoche.

4. Te bloqueé el día que decidí que no quería que me encontrases.

5. Debes actualizar la información que tienes en tu perfil personal.

7. Grammar Review. Complete the sentences with the correct form of the verbs in
brackets. Where there is no verb, use a suitable relative pronoun.
THE TWITTER BOOK
“Sam …………………………… (brush) her hair when the girl in the mirror put down the
hairbrush, smiled & said, “We don’t love you anymore.”
That rather strange sentence ………………………………. (write) by British author Neil Gaiman,
…………………………………….. then posted it on Twitter and ……………………………….. (ask)
people to continue the story. Nobody …………………………….. (can predict) the enthusiastic
response. Thousands of people participated in this project, ……………………. was run by
the BBC (British Broadcasting Corporation). The novel was eventually recorded as an
audiobook and made available online.
That was in 2009, a year ……………………….. Twitter novels were very popular, especially
in Japan, ………………………. more than 30,000 Twitter novels ………………… already
………………… (publish). Today, amateur and professional writers ……………………..
(continue) to do interesting things with the short tweet format. …………………… you
…………. (want) to try writing a Twitter novel – or a Twitter play or poem? If you write the
first line, I’m sure your friends …………………… (be) happy to add to it!