2

A sentence that gives more information about a

noun (person, place, object, idea…) in the
sentence. E.g.
• He’s the man who scored the winning goal. He’s the man that
scored the winning goal.
• The hotel which is in front of the beach is quite expensive.
The house where I live is in Granada.
• The girl whose book a borrowed is in love with you. It was
the year when she married her husband.
 Relative pronouns

who (to describe people – subject)

The woman who works in the bank is my neighbour.

whom (to describe people – object)

My cousins, one of whom is a doctor, live in England.

whose (to describe possession)

The man whose car was stolen went to the police station.

that (to describe things – defining relative clauses)

I’m selling the computer that I bought in the U.S.

which (to describe things – non-defining relative clauses)

I’m selling this computer, which has a 250-GB hard drive, for $500.
 Relative adverbs

when (to describe times)

My favorite season is fall, when all the
leaves change color.

where (to describe places)

I visited the neighborhood where I
grew up

why (to give a reason)

Do you know the reason why the
stores are closed today?
 My brother, who lives in
California, is an engineer.

If you remove “who lives in

California,” the sentence still
NON-DEFINING has the same meaning:
relative clause: • My brother is an engineer.
• The relative clause “who lives in
California” is extra information.

In written English, use a

comma before and after non-
defining relative clauses.
 That’s the student who
failed English class three
times is my neighbourg.

If you remove “who failed

DEFINING English class three times,”
the sentence is incomplete:
relative clause:
• That’s the student.
• Therefore, the relative clause
“who failed English class three
times” is essential information,
because it defines which student,
specifically, we are talking about.
 Look at these examples showing defining and non-defining relative clauses:

example sentences notes

S=subject, O=object, P=possessive
defining -The person who phoned me last night is
relative my teacher.
clauses - The person that phoned me last night is
subject my teacher. That is preferable
- - The car which hit me was yellow.
- - The car that hit me was yellow.
object -The person whom I phoned last night is Whom is correct but
my teacher. formal. The relative
pronoun is optional.

- The person that I phoned last night is my

teacher.
- The person I phoned last night is my
teacher.

- The car which I drive is old. That is preferable to

- The car that I drive is old. which. The relative
- The car I drive is old. pronoun is optional.
 example sentences notes
S=subject, O=object,
P=possessive
defining Possessive - The dog is over there. The dog's 'Whose' is always the
relative / its owner lives next door. subject of the
clauses - → The dog whose owner lives relative clause and
next door is over there. can't be left out. It
replaces a
- The little girl is sad. The little possessive. It can be
girl's / her doll was lost. used for people and
- → The little girl whose doll things.
was lost is sad.
Possessive The police are looking for the Whose can be used
car whose driver was masked. with things. Of which
- The police are looking for the is also possible.
car of which the driver was
masked.
 example sentences notes
S=subject, O=object, P=possessive

non- Subject - Mrs Pratt, who is very kind, is We don't use 'that' in
defining my teacher. non-defining relative
relative - - The car, which was a taxi, clauses.
clauses exploded. The relative cannot
- - The cars, which were taxis, be ommited.
exploded.
Object -Mrs Pratt, whom I like very much, Whom is correct but
is my teacher. formal. Who is
- Mrs Pratt, who I like very much, common in spoken
is my teacher. English and informal
written English.

- - The car, which I was driving at

the time, suddenly caught fire.
Possessive - My brother, whose phone you
just heard, is a doctor.

- - The car, whose driver jumped

out just before the accident,
was completely destroyed.
 Choose the correct form
Q1. Can you please return the Q2. Do you know
calculator ……… you borrowed anyone ....... could help me fix
yesterday? my computer?
• that • whom
• who • which
• whom • who
• whose • whose

Q3. The person to ....... you Q4. I didn't realize I had

sent the letter has moved to a forgotten my passport until I
new address? reached the airport, ....... was
• who very annoying.
• whom • that
• whose • what
• which • which
• where
 Choose the correct form
Q5. The hotel, ....... is in the Q6. The horse ....... was hit by the
centre of the town, is to be car was only slightly hurt.
knocked down and replaced • what
by a bank. • which
• that • who
• what • whom
• which
• where

Q7. The shop ....... we usually buy Q8. An orphanage is a

our bread has closed down. place ....... children who have no
• that parents can live and be looked
after.
• where
• who • that
• whose • who
• which
• where
 Choose the correct form
Q9. My friend, ....... doesn't have Q10. The boy ………. dog was hit
a cell phone, suddenly knocked by a car has not been to school for
on the door last night. 3 days,
• that • that
• which • which
• who • who
• whose • whose

Q11. The Q12. A hammer is a

students ……………… test grades tool ……………….. is used to
were low had to come back after knock nails into wood.
school for an extra lesson. • that
• that • who
• who • whom
• which • whose
• whose
 ANSWERS
Q4. I didn't realize I
Q1. Can you please Q3. The person had forgotten my
Q2. Do you know
return the to whom you sent the passport until I
anyone who could help
calculator that you letter has moved to a reached the
me fix my computer?
borrowed yesterday? new address? airport, which was
very annoying.

Q5. The hotel, which is Q8. An orphanage is a

Q6. The
in the centre of the Q7. The shop where we place where children
horse which was hit by
town, is to be knocked usually buy our bread who have no parents
the car was only
down and replaced by has closed down. can live and be looked
slightly hurt.
a bank. after.

Q9. My Q11. The

Q10. The
friend, who doesn't students whose test Q12. A hammer is a
boy whose dog was hit
have a cell phone, grades were low had to tool that is used to
by a car has not been to
suddenly knocked on come back after school knock nails into wood.
school for 3 days,
the door last night. for an extra lesson.