1. RELATIVE CLAUSES
 We use a relative clause to give extra information about the
nouns in the main clause, without starting another sentence.
 The relative clause goes immediately after the noun it relates
to.
 The relative pronouns are:
WHO /THAT Subject or object pronoun for PEOPLE
WHICH /THAT Subject or object pronoun for ANIMALS OR
THINGS
WHERE Refers to a PLACE
WHEN Refers to a TIME expression
WHOSE POSSESSION for people, animals and
things.

2. DEFINING RELATIVE CLAUSES
A defining relative clause gives ESSENTIAL information
about the person or the thing in the main clause. The main
clause would be incomplete without the defining clause.
Example:This is the programme. I wanted to watch it.
Main clause Relative clause
We join these two ideas referring to the same THING by using
WHICH or THAT instead of IT or THEY.
This is the programme WHICH / THAT I wanted to
watch.

3. Example: Mary is the woman. She won the national lottery last
week.
Main clause Relative clause
We join these two ideas about the same PERSON by using WHO
instead of the personal SHE in the second clause.
Mary is the woman WHO/ THAT won the lottery last week
Example: Those are the students. Their teacher is Dutch.
Main clause Relative clause
Those are the students WHOSE teacher is Dutch.

4.  We often OMIT the relative pronouns (WHO/THAT/WHICH)
when it is the OBJECT of the relative clause
Examples:
1. The car (THAT/ WHICH) I bought last year has broken
down.
The relative pronoun can be omitted
2. The car THAT/ WHICH broke down in the city centre
caused a huge traffic jam.
The relative pronoun is obligatory.

5. EXERCISE 1
COMPLETE THE SENTENCES WITH A SUITABLE RELATIVE
PRONOUN.
1. She’s the girl _______ mother lives next door.
2. This is the ring _______ Lucy gave me for our anniversary.
3. Last Tuesday was __________ I heard the news.
4. That’s the hospital_________ Jake was born.
5. Messi is the player _________ has scored many goals this
year.
6. The giraffe is the animal_________ has the longest neck of
any species.
7. Bananas ________ come from the Canary Islands are very
tasty.
8. Last summer, we found a fantastic beach ________ the
waves are great for surfing.
9. Tom is an actor _________ does voice-overs for TV
commercials.
10. That is the boy ________ surname is the same as mine.

6. EXERCISE 2
JOIN THE SENTENCES USING A RELATIVE CLAUSE. OMIT
THE RELATIVE PRONOUN IF POSSIBLE.
1. I met a girl . She knew my brother.
2. We walked down the street. John Lennon was shot there.
3. I have a cat. It can walk on two legs.
4. That’s the boy. His mother works in the post office.
5. The shop is closed now. I used to work there.
6. Kate is the girl. I met her yesterday.
7. People are very lucky. They can play a musical instrument.
8. I met somebody. His mother is a famous actress.

7. NON DEFINING RELATIVE
CLAUSES
 A non- defining relative clause adds EXTRA information to a
sentence. The information in these clauses is not essential.
 We always put a COMMA before and after the clause.
Example: John's mother, who lives in Scotland, has 6
grandchildren.
 In non-defining clauses, you cannot use ‘THAT’ instead of
who or which.
 We cannot omit any relative pronoun.

8. DIFFERENCES
 DEFINING RELATIVE CLAUSE
Elephants THAT LOVE MICE are very unusual.
(This tells us which elephants we are talking about).
 NON-DEFINING RELATIVE CLAUSE
Elephants, WHICH ARE LARGE AND GREY, can sometimes be found
in zoos.
(This gives us some extra information about elephants - we are
talking about all elephants, not just one type or group).

9. EXERCISE 1
1. The school was built in 1907. The school has about 800
students.
2. Jimbo is living in Thailand now. Jimbo got divorced last
year.
3. Samantha is coming to the party. Samantha's mother is
mayoress of this town.
4. Clare is a good teacher. I don't like Clare very much.
5. Madrid is the capital of Spain. The President lives in Madrid.
6. The Eiffel Tower is a famous French landmark. The Eiffel
Tower was built by Gustave Eiffel.
7. This company makes sports shoes. Its name is the same as
a Greek god’s.
8. This person has made many adverts for Vodafone. He’s a
famous footballer.

10. EXERCISE 2
Decide whether the sentences are defining or non-defining
clauses. Insert commas where necessary.
1. Do you know the girl whose mother is a nurse?.
2. Has anyone see the book that I was reading?
3. Our friends who we met at university are
coming to visit next week.
4. That is the building where they shot the film
'Vanilla Sky'.
5. Mr Jackson whose son also goes to this school
will be attending the party next weekend.
6. The author's latest book which has become a
bestseller is about two children in Jamaica.