Relative clauses explanation and exercises

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Relative Pronouns
relative pronoun

use

example

who

subject or object pronoun for people

I told you about the woman who lives
next door.

which

subject or object pronoun for animals and things Do you see the cat which is lying on the
roof?

which

referring to a whole sentence

He couldn’t read which surprised me.

whose

possession for people animals and things

Do you know the boy whose mother is a
nurse?

whom

object pronoun for people, especially in nondefining relative clauses (in defining relative
clauses we colloquially prefer who)

I was invited by the professor whom I
met at the conference.

that

subject or object pronoun for people, animals
and things in defining relative clauses (who or
which are also possible)

I don’t like the table that stands in the
kitchen.

Subject Pronoun or Object Pronoun?

the apple which is lying on the table
the apple (which) George lay on the table
Relative Adverbs

This is the shop in which I bought my bike. →
relative adverb

when

meaning

in/on which

This is the shop where I bought my bike.
use

refers to a time expression

example

the day when we met him

where

in/at which

refers to a place

the place where we met him

why

for which

refers to a reason

the reason why we met him

Relative Pronouns


Defining Relative Clauses
-

Neccesary information

-

not put in commas.

-

Relative can be omited if it isn’t a subject The boy (who) we met yesterday is very nice.

Non-Defining Relative Clauses
- additional information
- in commas.

- that.
- Object pronouns must be used. Jim, who we met yesterday, is very nice.
Choose the correct relative pronoun (who, which, whose).
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.

This is the bank __________ was robbed yesterday.
A boy __________ sister is in my class was in the bank at that time.
The man __________ robbed the bank had two pistols.
He wore a mask __________ made him look like Mickey Mouse.
He came with a friend __________ waited outside in the car.
The woman __________ gave him the money was young.
The bag __________ contained the money was yellow.
The people __________ were in the bank were very frightened.
A man __________ mobile was ringing did not know what to do.
A woman __________ daughter was crying tried to calm her.
The car __________ the bank robbers escaped in was orange.
The robber __________ mask was obviously too big didn't drive.
The man __________ drove the car was nervous.
He didn't wait at the traffic lights __________ were red.
A police officer __________ car was parked at the next corner stopped and arrested them.
Decide whether the relative pronoun is a subject pronoun or an object pronoun.

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.

Do you know the girl who I danced with? - ___________________
Do you know the girl who danced with me? - ___________________
The apples that are lying on the table are bad. - ___________________
The apples that we bought in the shop are bad. - ___________________
We will stay at a hotel which is not far from the beach. - ___________________
We will stay at a hotel which my friend has recommended to us. ___________________
That is a museum which I like very much. - ___________________
That is a museum which lies in the heart of the town. ___________________
This is the man who Barbara visited in Scotland. ___________________

10.

Relative Pronouns
This is the man who lives in Scotland. ___________________
Decide whether the relative pronouns must be used or not.

1.

A calendar is something which tells you the date.

2.

relative pronoun is necessary
relative pronoun is not necessary
Strikers are soccer players who try to score goals for their team.

3.

Jane is a person who everybody likes.

4.

A stamp is something which you put on a letter if you want to send it.

5.

The Thames is a river which runs through London.


Decide whether the relative pronouns must be used or not.

1.

The book which is on the table belongs to Brandon.

2.

The museum which we visited last month is closed now.

3.

The man who you saw in the house is my cousin.

4.

Bob, who I know very well, is going out with Mary.

5.

I cannot forget the song which they played last night.


Choose the correct relative adverb.
1. This is the station _________ Emily met James.
2. July and August are the months _________ most people go on holiday.
3. Do you know the reason _________ so many people in the world learn English?
4. This is the church _________ Sue and Peter got married.
5. Edinburgh is the town _________ Alexander Graham Bell was born.
6. 25 December is the day _________ children in Great Britain get their Christmas presents.
7. A famine was the reason _________ so many Irish people emigrated to the USA in the 19th century.
8. A greengrocer's is a shop _________ you can buy vegetables.
9. The day _________ I arrived was very nice.
10.A horror film was the reason _________ I couldn't sleep last night.
Complete the sentences using relative clauses. Use who and which.

1.
2.
3.
4.

A Scot is a person (live in Scotland) ___________________________________
Nessie is a monster (live in Loch Ness) ___________________________________
A fridge is a thing (keep food cool) ___________________________________
A DJ is someone (play music in a disco) ___________________________________

Relative Pronouns
A bee is an insect (make honey) ___________________________________
A lemon is a fruit (be yellow and sour) ___________________________________
A watch is a thing (tell the time) ___________________________________
A ferry is a ship (carry people across the water) ___________________________________
A shop assistant is someone (work in a shop) ___________________________________
10.
A key is a thing (can open and lock doors) ___________________________________

5.
6.
7.
8.
9.

Write relative clauses. You can write all of them without using the relative pronoun.
1. I gave you a book. It had many pictures.
→ The book________________________
2. I am reading a book at the moment. It is very interesting.
→ The book_______________________
3. You live in a town. The town is very old.
→ The town___________________________
4. The sweets are delicious. I bought them yesterday.
→ The sweets___________________________
5. The football match was very exciting. My friend played in it.
→ The football match _________________________
6. The letter hasn't arrived yet. I posted it three days ago.
→ The letter ________________________________
7. He lives in a house. The house is not very big.
→ The house ________________________________
8. They are playing a song on the radio. Do you like it?
→ Do you like_________________________________
9. Jane wore a beautiful shirt yesterday. Did you see it?
→ Did you see_____________________
10.Sue is going out with a boy. I don't like him.
→ I don't like______________________
Study the situations and then decide whether the following relative clauses are defining or nondefining.
defining – no commas
non-defining – commas

1.

I have three brothers.
My brother who lives in Sidney came to see me last month.

2.

My brother, who lives in Sidney, came to see me last month.
I have one sister.
My sister who is 25 years old spent her holiday in France.

3.

My sister, who is 25 years old, spent her holiday in France.
Bob's mum has lost her keys.
Bob's mum who is a musician has lost her car keys.

4.

Bob's mum, who is a musician, has lost her car keys.
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.

5.

Relative Pronouns
I am a shoe fanatic.


The shoes which I bought yesterday are very comfortable.
The shoes, which I bought yesterday, are very comfortable.
Combine the sentences using relative clauses. Note that all relative clauses are non-defining.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.

Samuel Johnson was the son of a bookseller. Samuel Johnson was born in 1709.
Samuel Johnson _______________________________________________________
In 1728, he went to Oxford. He studied at Pembroke College in Oxford.
In 1728, he went _______________________________________________________
Johnson had to leave Oxford without a degree. He was too poor to pay the fees.
Johnson _______________________________________________________
In 1737, Johnson moved to London. There he wrote poetry, essays and biographies.
In 1737, Johnson _______________________________________________________
In 1746, Johnson started to write his dictionary. It took him nine years to complete.
In 1746, Johnson started _______________________________________________________
His home at that time was in 17 Gough Square in London. It is a museum now.
17 Gough Square in London _______________________________________________________
In this house, his wife died in 1752. Her name was Elizabeth Porter.
In this house his wife _______________________________________________________
In 1755, the work was published. It was called A Dictionary of the English Language.
In 1755, the work _______________________________________________________
Samuel Johnson died in 1784. He is buried in Westminster Abbey.
Samuel Johnson _______________________________________________________
Combine the sentences using a relative clause. Use relatvie pronouns only where necessary. Note
that you have to use commas in some of the sentences.

A holiday in Scotland
1.
We spent our holiday in Scotland last year. Scotland is in the north of Great Britain.
Last year we _______________________________________________________
2.
People live in Scotland. They are called Scots.
The people _______________________________________________________
3.
We first went to Edinburgh. Edinburgh is the capital of Scotland.
We first _______________________________________________________
4.
Arthur Conan Doyle was born in Edinburgh. He wrote the Sherlock Holmes stories.
Arthur Conan Doyle _______________________________________________________
5.
Then we visited a lake. It is in the Highlands.
The lake _______________________________________________________
6.
Loch Ness is 37 km long. People know it for its friendly monster.
Loch Ness _______________________________________________________
7.
There we met an old man. He told us that he had seen Nessie.
An old man _______________________________________________________
8.
We then travelled to a mountain. The mountain is near the town of Fort William.
We then _______________________________________________________
9.
The mountain is the highest mountain in Great Britain. It is called Ben Nevis.
The mountain _______________________________________________________
10.
I sent you a postcard. It was written on the summit of Ben Nevis.
The postcard _______________________________________________________

Relative clauses explanation and exercises

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Relative clauses explanation and exercises