Adjective Clauses

Relative pronouns
A relative pronoun is a pronoun that introduces a relative clause. It is called a
"relative" pronoun because it "relates" to the word that its relative clause
modifies.
Who or whom =} people to replace pronouns he, she, they, etc.
That’s Mr. White. He teaches us math.
That’s Mr. White, who teaches us math.
Which =} thing and animals to replace pronouns it, they
 
I’m reading an interesting novel. It is about romance.
I’m reading an interesting novel which is about romance.
 
Where =} places/ locations to replace there
 
The hotel wasn’t very cleaned. We stayed there.
The hotel where we stayed wasn’t very cleaned.
 
I recently went to the town where I was born.
Whose =} possessions to replace pronouns his, her, its, their
 
We saw some people. Their car had broken down.
We saw some people whose car had broken down.
 
The other day I met someone whose brother I went to school with. (I went to school with
his/her brother)
 
When =} time to replace then
 
Rush hour is a time of day. Most people are travelling to work then.
Rush hour is a time of day when most people are travelling to work.
 
The day when the concert takes place is Sunday. (The concert takes place then.)

Why =} reasons (it’s not actually a relative pronoun, but it works in a similar way)
 
The singer’s voice is the reason. I really like the band because of this.
The singer’s voice is the reason why I really like the band
The reason why I’m phoning you is to invite you to a party.
Exercise 1 Fill in the blanks with the appropriate relative pronoun: why, who,
which, where, whose, when.
 
1. He was born in 1936, _______________ the Civil War started.
2. I know an exciting place _____________ you and your boyfriend can go on
holidays.
3. He is the guy _____________ car is parked in front of your house.
4. The woman _____________ lives here is always complaining.
5. The flat he’s rented, ______________ is in central London, is really expensive.
6. The reason ___________ I didn’t write to you was that I didn’t know your email
address.
 ADJECTIVE
CLAUSES
Relative or adjective clauses: add extra information to a sentence by
defining a noun. They are usually divided into two types:

• defining relative clauses

• non-defining relative clauses

Both clauses come after nouns.

 
Defining relative clause: When the relative clause defines the noun. The meaning of the first
sentence is sometimes incomplete without the further information given in the relative clause.

We can use that instead of who or which. The relative clause may be in the middle of the
sentence.
 
My father is the person. (Which person?) He drives me to school.
My father is the person who drives me to school.
My father is the person that drives me to school.
 
The man is friendly. He lives next door.
The man who / that lives next door is friendly
 
Gerry works for a company. It makes computers.
Gerry works for a company that / which makes computers.
 
The animals are chimpanzees. They are closest to humans.
The animals which / that are closest to humans are the chimpanzees.
 
Exercise2 Combine the sentences. Use who, which or that, whose, where or when.
 
That’s the school. I used to go to it.
That’s the school that I used to go to.
 
1 There’s the girl. I was telling you about her.
_____________________________________________
2 That was the day. They got married then.
_________________________________________________
3 She’s the girl. Her brother plays in the football team.
_______________________________________________
4 That’s the café. I meet my friends there.
_________________________________________________
5 This is the film. I’ve been waiting to see it for ages.
______________________________________________________
 
Non-defining relative clauses: add extra information to sentences. The first
sentence is complete on its own. We use commas, before and after the relative
clause, to separate the extras information from the main part of the sentence.
 
My grandfather goes swimming every day. (The meaning of the sentence is
complete on its own.)
He is 87. (This gives extra information)
My grandfather, who is 87, goes swimming every day.
 
This car costs over $500,000.
It can reach speeds of over 300km/ph.
This car, which can reach speeds of over 300km/ph, costs over $500,000.
 
Exercise 3 Combine the sentences. Use who, which, whose, where or when.
 
1 The book is about a murder on the Nile. (It was written by Agatha Christie.)
________________________________________________________.
2 The diamond necklace has been found by the police. (It was stolen last week.)
__________________________________________________________.
3 Steven Spielberg lives in Hollywood. (He is a famous film director.)
__________________________________________________________.
4 My friend Isabel wants to do media studies. (Her father is a TV presenter.)
_______________________________________________________.
5 The new club plays great music. (Jamie works there.)
___________________________________________________________.
6 My holiday in Ibiza was wonderful. (I first met Jenny then.)
______________________________________________________________.
 Defining and non-defining relative clauses

Exercise 4 Rewrite the two sentences as one sentence using a relative clause.

1 I’ve bought him a book for his birthday. I think he’ll like it.
I’ve bought him a book for his birthday, which I think he’ll like.
2 She didn’t like the film. I recommended it to her.
She didn’t like the film (which/that) I recommended to her.
3 Where was the place? You went to it on holiday last year.
Where was the place (which/that) you went to on holiday last year?
4 The dry season is a time of year. Most people visit Malaysia then.
The dry season is the time (when) most people visit Malaysia.
5 The painting is an original by Picasso. Picasso’s signature is missing.
The painting is an original by Picasso, whose signature is missing.
6 Was he the inventor? He created the driverless car.
Was he the inventor who created the driverless car?
Exercise 5 Study the situations and then decide whether the following relative clauses are
defining or non-defining. (defining – no commas non-defining – commas)
 
1. I have three brothers.
My brother who lives in Sidney came to see me last month.
My brother, who lives in Sidney, came to see me last month.
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2. I have one sister.

My sister who is 25 years old spent her holiday in France.
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My sister, who is 25 years old, spent her holiday in France.

3. Bob's mum has lost her keys.

Bob's mum who is a musician has lost her car keys.
Bob's mum, who is a musician, has lost her car keys.
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4. My friend Jane moved to Canada.
My friend Jane whose husband is Canadian moved to Canada last week.
My friend Jane, whose husband is Canadian, moved to Canada last week.
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5. I am a shoe fanatic.
The shoes which I bought yesterday are very comfortable.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The shoes, which I bought yesterday, are very comfortable.

6. Mr Robinson is very famous.

Mr Robinson whom I met at the trade fair is a famous inventor.
Mr Robinson, whom I met at the trade fair, is a famous inventor.
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7. Tamara has two cats. Both of them are black.

Tamara's two cats which can play outside are black.
Tamara's two cats, which can play outside, are black.
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8. Kevin has four cats. Two of them are black.
Kevin's two cats which are black can play outside.
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Kevin's two cats, which are black, can play outside.

9. We are on holiday. Yesterday we visited a church.

The church which we visited yesterday is very old.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The church, which we visited yesterday, is very old.

10. We are on holiday. Yesterday we visited a church.

St. Mary's Church which we visited yesterday is very old.
St. Mary's Church, which we visited yesterday, is very old
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Exercise 6 Use the prompts to write one sentence.
 

1. Bob has one daughter. His daughter is called Maria. She goes to Yale University.
, who is calledMaria, goes to Yale University.
Bob's daughter ___________________________________________.

2. You recommended a book to me. I read it.

the book that you recommended to me.

I read _____________________________________________________.

3. Havana is the capital of Cuba. Havana has a lively night life.

, which is the capital of Cuba, has a lively night life.
Havana ___________________________________________________.

4. One of my sisters lives in Paris. The other one lives in London. The one in Paris is getting
married next year.
that lives in Paris is getting married next year.
My sister ___________________________________________________.