This document discusses relative clauses. It defines a relative clause as a phrase that adds information to a sentence by describing a noun. There are different types of relative pronouns (who, whom, whose, that, which) and relative adverbs (when, where, why) that can be used to begin relative clauses. The document differentiates between defining and non-defining relative clauses, noting that defining clauses provide essential information while non-defining clauses provide extra information. Examples are provided to illustrate the proper use of defining vs. non-defining relative clauses.

1. RELATIVE CLAUSES

2. What is a Relative Clause?
 A relative clause is a phrase that adds
information to a sentence.
 All relative clauses describe a noun
 They begin with one of relative pronoun
or relative adverb.

3. Relative pronouns
 who (to describe people – subject)
The woman who works in the bank is my
neighbor.
 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.

4. 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?

6. Here is an example of some
English sentences without relative
clauses:
 Yesterday I met a man. He works in the
circus.
 I bought a cell phone. It has internet
access.
 There’s the restaurant. I ate at that
restaurant last night.

7. Same sentences with relative
clauses
 Yesterday I met a man who works in
the circus.
 I bought a cell phone that has internet
access.
 There’s the restaurant where I ate last
night.

9. Defining VS Non-Defining relative
clauses
 Non-defining relative clauses add
EXTRA information to the sentence.
 Defining relative clauses add
ESSENTIAL information to the sentence.

10. How can I tell the difference?
 You can see if a relative clause is defining
or non-defining by removing it from the
sentence.
 If you remove a non-defining relative
clause, the sentence still has the same
meaning.
 If you remove a defining relative clause,
the sentence has a different meaning or is
incomplete.

11. Example of a sentence with a
NON-DEFINING relative clause:
 My brother, who lives in
California, is an engineer.
 If you remove “who lives in California,” the
sentence still has the same meaning:
◦ 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.

12. Example of a sentence with a
DEFINING relative clause:
 That’s the student who failed English class
three times.
 If you remove “who failed English class
three times,” the sentence is incomplete:
◦ 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.

13. More examples…
 I read all the books that I borrowed from
the library.
◦ Without clause: I read all the books.
(sentence is incomplete – WHAT books?)
 The new Stephen King book, which I
borrowed from the library, is very good.
◦ Without clause: The new Stephen King book
is very good.
(sentence is complete. The “library” part was
only an extra detail)

14. Which or that?
 Use which for non-defining relative
clauses, and use a comma before it.
 Use that for defining relative clauses,
and don’t use a comma before it.

15. What’s the difference?
1. The bananas that I bought on Monday
are rotten.
2. The bananas, which I bought on Monday,
are rotten.
 In the first case, it’s possible that we have
two types of bananas in the house.
 In the second case, all the bananas in the
house were bought on Monday, and they
are all rotten.

16. EXERCISE 1

17. Question 1
 We spent two days in Berlin, _________
we took a walking tour of the city.
A. Where
B. Which
C. That

18. Question 2
 Edgar Allan Poe, ________ wrote the
famous poem "The Raven," was born in
Boston in 1809.
A. Who
B. Whose
C. Whom

19. Question 3
 He has climbed Mount McKinley, _______
is the highest mountain in the United
States.
A. That
B. Where
C. Which

20. Question 4
 I met a woman ________ husband works
for the government.
A. That
B. Whom
C. Whose

21. Question 5
 I bought the toy _______ my son wanted
for Christmas.
A. That
B. When
C. Who

22. Question 6
 I talked to my manager last Monday,
_______ she got back from her business
trip.
1. Where
2. When
3. Whose

23. Question 7
 The employee ______ won the award has
been promoted.
A. Which
B. When
C. Who

24. Question 8
 This is the book _______ helped me
understand English grammar.
 That
 Where
 Why

25. Question 9
 I've begun a career as a freelance writer,
_______ allows me to work from home.
A. Where
B. Which
C. Who

26. Question 10
 I'm looking for a store _______ I can buy
organic vegetables.
A. That
B. Where
C. Why

27. ANSWER KEY
1. Where
2. Who
3. Which
4. Whose
5. That
6. When
7. Who
8. That
9. Which
10. Where