Relative Clauses (CLB 5+) Lunch & Learn English Online Inc.

1. https://pixabay.com/photos/books-bookstore-book-reading-1204029/shared under CC0
1
Relative Clauses
Lunch&Learn
(CLB 5+)
https://pixabay.com/photos/books-bookstore-book-reading-1204029/shared under CC0

2. 2
Welcome to the English Online community!
Our Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Acknowledgment
This community welcomes, appreciates, and respects everyone – it doesn’t matter what country you’re
from or who you are!
We are here today to become better at English, so let’s focus on learning!
Please remember that English Online has ZERO tolerance for discrimination of any kind, including:
(political, religious, nationality, or gender-based).
If anyone feels uncomfortable attending the class, they are free to leave and email us at
info@myenglishonline.ca

3. 3
What is a Clause…?
“A clause is a group of words that includes a subject and a verb, and forms a
sentence or part of a sentence.”
~ oxford learner’s dictionary

4. Relative Clauses:
4
1. Relative clauses are also known as adjective clauses.
2. They follow the noun that they describe.
3. They start with a relative pronoun.
that, which, where, when, who, and *whom (not common)

5. Relative Clauses:
5
https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=kB2z9L5w7ho&ab_c
hannel=BritishCouncil%7CLearnEnglish

6. Relative Clauses:
6
Give us more information about the person or thing.
Look at the following 2 simple sentences:
1. Elsa is tired.
2. Elsa has been cleaning all day.
We can combine these 2 sentences by making the second sentence into a relative
clause.

7. Relative Clauses:
7
The noun “Elsa” appears in both sentences.
We can replace one of these with a relative pronoun.
(in this case, we use “who” because the noun is a person.
1. Elsa is tired. simple sentence
2. who has been cleaning all day. relative clause
We now have one simple sentence and one relative clause.

8. Relative Clauses:
8
We place the relative clause after the noun, like this:
1. Elsa, who has been cleaning all day, is tired.
We now have one complex sentence that sounds more natural, and
more interesting.

9. Relative Clauses:
9
can also describe the object in a sentence:
1. I saw the book.
2. The boy had the book.

10. Relative Clauses:
10
The noun “book” appears in both sentences. (in this case, as an
object).
We can replace “the book” in the second sentence with a relative
pronoun.
(in this case, we use “that” because the noun is a thing.
1. I saw the book. simple sentence
2. the boy had that. relative clause
We now have one simple sentence and one relative clause, but
combining these two sentences requires one more step.

11. Relative Clauses:
11
1. I saw the book. simple sentence
2. the boy had that. relative clause
I saw the book the boy had that. INCORRECT!
Because the noun in this clause is in the object position, we move the
relative pronoun to the beginning of the clause, like this:
I saw the book that the boy had. CORRECT!

12. Relative Clauses – Two types
12
1. Defining Clause:
• tells us which noun we are talking about,
• is essential information to understand the sentence
• does not require commas
Example: I like the woman who lives next door.
We need the clause “who lives next door” to understand
which woman we are talking about.

13. Relative Clauses – Two types
13
2. Non-Defining Clause:
• is extra information (not necessary to understand the sentence)
• usually will use a comma or commas
Example: I live in Alberta, which has some beautiful parks.
We don’t need the clause “which has some beautiful parks” to
understand the main idea of the sentence, which is
“I live in Alberta.”

14. Relative Pronouns:
14
WHO/THAT:
We use “who” or “that” to talk about people.
“Who” is more formal. “That” is more common and less formal.
EXAMPLES:
She is the woman who cuts my hair.
She is the woman that cuts my hair.

15. Relative Pronouns:
15
WHICH/THAT:
We use “which” or “that” to talk about things.
Usually but not always, we use “which” for a non-defining clause, and “that” for a
defining clause. When we use “which”, we usually use commas as well.
Look at these examples:
The laptop, which I bought last week, is overheating!
“which I bought last week” is extra information.
The laptop that I bought last week is overheating!
“that I bought last week” tells us essential information – which laptop?

16. Relative Pronouns:
16
Note: There is a difference in meaning between defining and non-defining clauses
that depends on the presence or absence of the comma.
The laptop, which I bought last week, is overheating!
“which I bought last week” is extra information. (non-defining)
The laptop that I bought last week is overheating!
“that I bought last week” tells us essential information – which laptop?
(defining)

17. Relative Pronouns:
17
WHEN:
We use “when” to talk about a certain time.
EXAMPLES:
Winter is the season when I am happiest.

18. Relative Pronouns:
18
WHERE:
We use “where” to talk about a certain place.
EXAMPLES:
That parking lot is where I first learned to drive.

19. https://pixabay.com/photos/books-bookstore-book-reading-shop-1204038/ shared under CC0
Let’spractice!
https://pixabay.com/photos/books-bookstore-book-reading-shop-1204038/ shared under CC0

20. Choose the correct relative pronoun:
20
EXAMPLE:
The coffee shop ____________(who, where) I work is always busy.
The coffee shop where I work is always busy.

21. Choose the correct relative pronoun:
21
1. Her sister ___________ (which/who) lives in Ottawa is a doctor.
2. The dog __________ (that, who) chases cars lives next door.

22. Choose the correct relative pronoun:
22
ANSWERS:
1. Her sister who lives in Ottawa is a doctor.
2. The dog that chases cars lives next door.

23. Choose the correct relative pronoun:
23
3. Those are the people ________________ (which/who) want to buy our
house.
4. This is the town __________________(which/where) I grew up.

24. Choose the correct relative pronoun:
24
ANSWERS
3. Those are the people who want to buy our house.
4. This is the town where I grew up.

25. Choose the correct relative pronoun:
25
5. Those are the people __________(who/which) want to buy our house.
6. This is the town _________(where/that) I grew up.

26. Choose the correct relative pronoun:
26
ANSWERS
5. Those are the people who want to buy our house.
6. This is the town where I grew up.

27. For each sentence, choose the correct relative pronoun:
27
You will work as a team in breakout rooms. Once you have answered all the questions, write them
in the chat.

28. For each sentence, choose the correct relative pronoun:
28
You will work as a team in breakout rooms. Once you have answered all the questions, write them
in the chat.
Answers: 1: who 2: where 3: which
4: where 5: when 6: who

29. For each sentence, choose the correct relative pronoun:
29
You will work as a team in breakout rooms. Once you have answered all the questions, write them
in the chat.

30. For each sentence, choose the correct relative pronoun:
30
You will work as a team in breakout rooms. Once you have answered all the questions, write them
in the chat.
Answers: 7: where 8: where 9: when
10: where 11: which 12: who

31. Correct the relative pronoun mistake:
31
You will work as a team in breakout rooms. Once you have answered all the questions, write them
in the chat.

32. Correct the relative pronoun mistake:
32
You will work as a team in breakout rooms. Once you have answered all the questions, write them
in the chat.

33. Rewrite the sentences using relative clauses.
33
Write your answers in the chat.

34. Rewrite the sentences using relative clauses.
34
Write your answers in the chat.
Answers:
1. The last time I saw my friend was at a festival when she was home
from Australia.
2. My favorite dessert is pavlova which my mother makes for my
birthday every year.

35. Rewrite the sentences using relative clauses.
35
Write your answers in the chat.

36. Rewrite the sentences using relative clauses.
36
Write your answers in the chat.
Answers:
3. Have you watched the film that/which I recommended to you last
month yet?
4. I’ve never met the woman who my cousin is talking to.

37. Rewrite the sentences using relative clauses.
37
Write your answers in the chat.

38. Rewrite the sentences using relative clauses.
38
Write your answers in the chat.
Answers: 5. I want to buy that handbag that/which has grey buttons.
6. I’ll never forget that moment when I met the president of
Ireland.

39. Rewrite the sentences using relative clauses.
39
Write your answers in the chat.

40. Rewrite the sentences using relative clauses.
40
Write your answers in the chat.
Answers: 7. This is the playground where we used to play every day as
children.
8. That’s the window which/that was broken last week.

41. Relative Clauses – Leaving out the relative pronoun
41
Sometimes, we can leave out the relative pronoun.
We can leave out who, which or that if it is followed by a subject.
EXAMPLE: The woman that we met was friendly.
The woman we met was friendly.
BOTH sentences are CORRECT.

42. Relative Clauses – Leaving out the relative pronoun
42
We can’t (usually) leave out the relative pronoun if it is followed by a verb.
EXAMPLE: The woman that helped us was friendly.
We can’t omit “that.”

43. Relative Clauses – If you are unsure, here are some quick tips:
43
1. Use that if the main clause poses the question WHAT? answered by the relative
clause;
2. Do not use that for non-essential, additional information (that is, in non-
defining relative clauses); use who or which instead;
3. Use who to refer to people;
4. Use which to refer to things
5. If you choose between who or that, use who in writing;
6. If you choose between which and that, use which in writing;
7. Do not put a comma before that.
Source:https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/general_writing/grammar/relative_pronouns/defining_
defining.html

44. Questions?
44
https://pixabay.com/photos/cup-of-coffee-laptop-office-macbook-1280537/ shared under CC0

45. More Practice:
45
https://elt.oup.com/student/solutions/int/grammar/grammar_03_0
12e?cc=ca&selLanguage=en
https://www.teach-this.com/images/resources/defining-relative-
clauses-practice.pdf

46. Homework:
46
Choose the correct relative pronoun for each sentence.
Is the relative clause defining, or non-defining?
1. Clare,____________ (which/who) I work with, is always late.
2. She is the woman _______________ (which/that) lent me her phone.
3. This book is the one _____________ (where/which) won that award.
4. This restaurant ______________ (who/which) Jon recommended, serves great
food.

47. HOMEWORK: The details:
1. Submit your homework to Lori on Skype: live:loramoren
2. After class, you have until the 11:59 pm the next day to complete the assignment.
3. I will correct the homework and offer feedback. 

48. Sources:
48
• https://learnenglish.britishcouncil.org/grammar/b1-b2-grammar/relative-
clauses-defining-relative-
clauses#:~:text=Relative%20clauses%20give%20us%20information,flights%20
that%20have%20been%20cancelled.
• https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/general_writing/grammar/relative_pronouns/inde
x.html
• https://dictionary.cambridge.org/grammar/british-grammar/relative-clauses-
defining-and-non-defining
• https://busyteacher.org/16396-how-to-teach-relative-clauses.html
• https://www.perfect-english-grammar.com/relative-clauses.html
• https://www.teach-this.com/images/resources/defining-relative-clauses-
practice.pdf

49. Language Contest
Want to learn more expressions, Canadian cultural
references and idioms?
Check English Online’s Facebook and Instagram
pages and take the challenge
of our Language Contest every
other Thursday!
You can win EO personalized
prizes and improve your English
skills one idiom at a time!

50. Thankyou!
Lori Morency
Skype: live:loramoren
livelearn.ca

51. Thankyou!
Blaine
broberts@myenglishonline.ca
livelearn.ca
1-204-946-5140
Website:
livelearn.ca
Email:
info@myenglishonline.ca