This document discusses defining relative clauses. It defines relative clauses as clauses that define or identify the person, thing, or place being referred to. It provides examples of defining relative clauses using who, which, or where to refer to people, things, or places. It discusses omitting the relative pronoun in some cases. It also contains an activity asking students to complete sentences with the appropriate relative pronoun and another activity joining sentences to form defining relative clauses.

1. Defining relative clauses

2. Warm up activity
Talk about …
1. The first friend you made at school.
2. The first car your father/mother had.
3. The first place where you and your parents went on holidays.

3. Defining relative clauses define or identify which
person, thing or place you are talking about :
The woman who came in late is the boss.
I don’t like the jeans which he is wearing.
person
thing
The school where we study is in Madrid.
place

4. Relative pronouns : Who or that
Talking about people :
He is a man who is kind.
That is the actor that I met yesterday.

5. Relative pronouns :
Talking about things :
He was talking about the match which took place
the day before.
This is the exam that I passed with flying colours.
Which or that

6. Relative pronouns
Watch out!!
We can omit who / which / that…
She is the girl who / that I met yesterday.
She is the girl I met yesterday.
I’ve finished the book which / that you lent me.
I’ve finished the book you lent me.
I sit at the desk which / that is next to the window.
The long-haired woman who / that is looking at
you is a bit nosy.
…but NOT when the relative pronoun is the subject of the relative
clause.

7. Relative adverb :
Talking about places :
We are going to go on a trip to the town where
Shakespeare was born.
Where
Let’s meet at the cinema where we are going
to see the film.

8. We never use paper which isn’t recycled.
Complete the sentences with who, which or where.
Relative clauses - Activity
where
where
who
who
which
1 I go to a supermarket ___________ all the vegetables are organic.
2 Malala Youfsafzal is a person ___________ I admire.
3 People ___________ drive everywhere should think more about the environment.
4 Plastic is a material ___________ causes a lot of pollution.
5 Helen works in a factory ___________ workers put fruit into boxes.
6 I passed the exam ___________ was a piece of cake.
7 Peter is a boy ___________ is kind and friendly.
which
who

9. 1. Pass me the dictionary. It is on the shelf.
Join the sentences to make defining relative clauses with who/that,
which/that (put them between brackets whenever you can omit them) or
where. Make the necessary changes.
Pass me the dictionary which/that is on the shelf.
2. Will you help me do the exercises? I don’t understand the exercises.
Will you help me do the exercises (which/that) I don’t understand?
3. They sent me a postcard of the hotel. They stayed there on holiday.
They sent me a postcard of the hotel where they stayed on holiday.
4. Is this the man? This man accused you of stealing his wallet.
Is this the man who/that accused you of stealing his wallet?
5. That’s the girl. I saw her at the cinema last week.
That’s the girl (who/that) I saw at the cinema last week.
Relative clauses – Activity 2