Relative pronouns
What is a relative pronoun? – who / when / that / which / where / whose
What is a defining relative clause? A clause is a group of words/part of a sentence that
contains both a subject and a verb but cannot always be considered as a full grammatical
sentence. A defining clause identifies whatever we are talking/writing about.
When can we leave it out, and what is a non- defining relative clause?
Relative clauses – defining relative clauses
Relative clauses add extra information to a sentence by defining a noun. They are
usually divided into two types –defining relative clauses and non-defining relative
clauses.
Defining relative clauses
look at this sentence:
There’s the woman who works in the bank.
‘who works in the bank’ is a defining relative clause. It tells us which woman we are talking
about.
Look at some more examples:
Look out! There’s the dog that bit my brother.
This is the skirt that turned pink in the wash
It is the skirt that I bought in the sales.
It is also sometimes possible to leave out the relative pronoun.
It is the skirt that I bought in the sales.
Relative pronouns
It is the skirt which I bought in the sales.
It is the skirt I bought in the sales.
In this sentence ‘skirt’ is the object of the verb (buy). ‘I’ is the subject. When the relative
pronoun is the object, it can be omitted.
The film we saw last week was awful.
BUT The dog bit my brother. This is not possible because the dog is the subject of the
verb, ‘bite’.
Relative clauses - non-defining relative clauses
Non-defining relative clauses
Look at this sentence.
That women, who works in the bank, is my neighbor.
‘who works in the bank’ is a non-defining relative clause. It adds extra information to the
sentence. If we take the clause out of the sentence, the sentence still has the same meaning.
Look at some more examples.
The film, which stars Tom Cruise, is released on Friday.
My son, whose work takes him everywhere, is in Hong Kong now.
The car, which can reach speeds of over 300km/ph, costs over $500,000.
Non-defining relative clauses add extra information to sentences.
Defining or non-defining?
Remember that defining relative clauses are used to add important information. The
sentence would have a different meaning without the defining relative clause.
I’m going to wear the skirt that I bought in London. The defining relative clause tells
us which skirt.
The skirt, which is a lovely dark blue colour, only cost £10. The non-defining relative
clause doesn’t tell us which skirt – it gives us more information about the skirt.
Non-defining relative clauses can use most relative pronouns (which, whose etc,) but
they CAN’T use ‘that’ and the relative pronoun can never be omitted.
The film, that stars Tom Cruise, is released on Friday.
Relative pronouns
Non-defining relative clauses are more often used in written English than in spoken English.
You can tell that a clause is non-defining because it is separated by commas at each end of
the clause.
Sometimes the difference can make a big change in meaning. Look at the two statements
below –
‘All the people who sleep upstairs were saved from the flood’ – which people were saved?
Only the ones who sleep upstairs.
‘All the people, who sleep upstairs, were saved from the flood’ - which people were
saved? Everyone was saved. The commas make all the difference
Exercises – complete the following sentences with a relative pronoun.
1. This weekend I went to Diamond Plaza __________ I watched a film
2. The film was a James Bond film and starred Daniel Craig _____ does a very good Bond
3. I went with a friend __________ father knows Daniel Craig!
4. Diamond Plaza has a cinema ___________ is often extremely cold
5. I forgot to switch off my cell phone _________ started to ring halfway through the film!
6. Which was ironic as I get annoyed by people ___________ talk on their phones during a movie
Link the two sentences together
1. I saw the man. He sold me a broken computer.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………
2. This is the computer. It hasn’t worked since I bought it.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………
3. That is the beautiful house. My mum lived there when she was a child
…………………………………………………………………………………………………
4. That is the boy. His dog bit me
…………………………………………………………………………………………………
5. I love this time of year. At this time of year the first snow falls.
Relative pronouns
…………………………………………………………………………………………………
Link the sentences using a non-defining relative clause:
Example. ‘My youngest brother loves surfing in his spare time. He is an experienced doctor’
‘My youngest brother, who is an experienced doctor, loves surfing in his spare time’
1. St Paul’s is London’s biggest cathedral. Saint Paul’s was built by Christopher Wren.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………
2. Queen Victoria is a symbol of the British monarchy. Her reign lasted until 1901.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………
3. The Prime Minister lives at 10 Downing Street. The Prime Minister is the head of the
government.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………
4. This friend of mine lives next door to my cousin. This friend saved my life.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………
5. The house is supposed to be haunted. Elvis Presley was born in the house.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………
6. Her son lives in New York. He is a dentist.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………
7. She likes shopping between one and three because it’s not so busy. The time when
most people are at home
…………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………
Now write three of your own sentences beginning ‘This weekend I…’
Relative pronouns
Include a relative clause in each using ‘where’ ‘when’ ‘who’ ‘which’ ‘whose’ etc.
Example: “This weekend I played music at a bar that’s always crowded.”
1.
2.
3.
key.
1. This weekend I went to Diamond Plaza where I watched a film
2. The film was a James Bond film and starred Daniel Craig who does a very good Bond
3. I went with a friend whose father knows Daniel Craig!
4. Diamond Plaza has a cinema which is often extremely cold
5. I forgot to switch off my cell phone that started to ring halfway through the film!
6. Which was ironic as I get annoyed by people who talk on their phones during a movie
Relative pronouns
1. I saw the man who sold me a broken computer.
2. This is the computer that hasn’t worked since I bought it.
3. That is the beautiful house where my mum lived when she was a child
4. That is the boy whose dog bit me
5. I love this time of year when the first snow falls.
1. St Paul’s, which was built by Christopher Wren, is London’s biggest cathedral
2. Queen Victoria, whose reign lasted until 1901, is a symbol of the British monarchy.
3. The Prime Minister, who lives at 10 Downing Street, is the head of the government.
4. This friend of mine, who saved my life, lives next door to my cousin.
5. The house, where Elvis Presley was born, is supposed to be haunted.
6. Her son, who lives in New York, is a dentist.
7. She likes shopping between one and three, when most people are at home, because it’s
not so busy.