Outline:

1. Introduction

1.1 Definition

1.2 Use of Relative Clauses

2. Relative Clauses

2.1 Differences between Defining Relative Clauses and Non-defining Relative Clauses

2.2 Reduced relative clause

3. Relative Pronouns

4. Advanced

5. Practice

6. Conclusion
1. Introduction
1.1 Definition
Relative clauses are subordinate clauses that modify a noun, adding information without starting a
new sentence. (1)
1.2 Use of Relative Clauses
Relative clauses are widely used in English.
Avoiding repetition: combining two sentences into one more concise sentence by replacing a
repeated noun with a pronoun (2)
Example:
Marie Curie is the woman. She discovered radium.
=> Marie Curie is the woman who discovered radium.
Adding essential information: specifying exactly which person or thing is meant (3)
Example:
I like the woman who lives next door.
Replacing a possessive (It can be used for people and things) (4)
Example:
The woman is coming tonight. Her car is a BMW.
=> The woman whose car is a BMW is coming tonight.
Clarifying identity: making clear which specific item/person is intended (5)
Example:
The student who studies hard will pass.
Giving additional (non-essential) information about a person, thing or situation (6)
Example:
Lord Thompson, who is 76, has just retired.

Sources:
(1)
Relative Clauses
(2)
Relative Clauses
Relative pronouns and relative clauses | LearnEnglish
(3)
Relative Clauses
Mastering defining and non-defining relative clauses - Learning English with Oxford
(4)
Relative clauses | LearnEnglish Teens
(5)
Relative pronouns and relative clauses | LearnEnglish
(6)
Relative clauses

2. Relative Clauses
2.1 Differences between Defining Relative Clauses and Non-defining Relative Clauses
Defining clause
tells us which person or thing
provides necessary information (cannot be removed)
no commas
Examples:
The nurse who looked after my father is in her fifties.
This is the nurse who looked after my father.
What's the name of the tall man who just came in?
People who take physical exercise live longer.
Who owns the car which is parked outside?

Non-defining clause
gives extra information
the noun is already identified
uses commas
can be removed
Examples:
Clare, who I work with, is running a marathon in Germany this year.
This is Ms Rogers, who's joining the firm next week.
In 1908 Ford developed his Model T car, which sold for $500.
Sources:
Relative clauses: defining and non-defining - Cambridge Grammar
Sách ENGLISH EXERCISES GRADE 10 BOOK 2, page 14

STATUS OF THE NOUN DEFINING NON-DEFINING

RELATIVE CLAUSES RELATIVE CLAUSES

Identifiability in context Not identifiable Already identifiable

General noun (student, person, thing)

Proper noun (names, places)

Possessive determiner (my, his,

their…)

Demonstratives (this / that / these /

those + noun)

Inherently unique noun (the sun, the

earth)
Sources:
Relative clauses: defining and non-defining - Cambridge Grammar
Noun phrases: dependent words - Cambridge Grammar
2.2 Reduced relative clause (BONUS)
A reduced relative clause often uses a participle instead of a relative pronoun and a full verb.
=> A reduced clause is a shortened form of a relative or adverbial clause, where the relative
pronoun + verb is replaced by a participle (V-ing/V-ed) or a to-infinitive to make the sentence
more concise.
Structure:
V-ing (active meaning) => Used when the relative clause has an active verb.
Examples:
=> Anyone touching that wire will get a shock.
(= anyone who touches that wire)
=> Students who want to apply must submit the form.
→ Students wanting to apply must submit the form.
V-ed / past participle (passive meaning) => Used when the relative clause is passive.
Examples:
=> The people invited to the party didn’t turn up.
(= the people who were invited to the party)
=> The books that were published last year are very popular. → The books published last year are
very popular.
Source: Oxford Practical English Usage 3rd Edition OCR (Michael Swan)

3. Relative Pronouns
Who
We use who in relative clauses to refer to people, and sometimes to pet animals.
Who can act as the subject or the object of the relative clause.
Structure:
…noun + who + verb + …
…noun + who + subject + verb + …
Example:
I think there’d be a lot of children who’d love to have a climbing wall in school.

Whom
Whom is the object form of who.
We use whom in formal styles or in writing to refer to people when the person is the object of the
verb. It is much more common in writing than in speaking.
Structure:
…noun + whom + subject + verb + …
Example:
She was a celebrated actress (object of the verbs “had known and loved”) whom he had known and
loved almost since her first appearance on the stage.

Whose
We usually use whose as a relative pronoun to indicate possession by people and animals. In more
formal styles we can also use it for things.
Structure:
…noun + whose + noun + verb + …
Example:
He’s marrying a girl whose family don’t seem to like him.

SPECIAL
What
We don’t use what as a relative pronoun. We can use what as a pronoun to mean ‘the thing(s) that.
Structure:
Nominal relative clause
A relative clause (usually introduced by what) which acts as the subject, object or complement of a
sentence.
What + clause + main clause
Main clause + what + clause
Examples:
I can’t decide what to buy Liz for her birthday.
What you gave me yesterday did not belong to me.
Sources:
[Link]
Relative clauses - Grammar - Cambridge Dictionary
[Link]
[Link]
What - Grammar - Cambridge Dictionary
Relative pronouns and relative clauses | LearnEnglish
[Link]

4. Advanced + Note!
In non-defining relative clauses, we can use quantifying determiners (such as some, any, none,
all, both, many, several, half, the majority, etc.) with of whom, of which, and of whose.
Structure:
quantifier + of + whom / which / whose
In very formal style, the quantifier can sometimes come after of whom, of which, and of whose.
Example:
They’ve got eight children, all of whom are studying music.
(or … of whom all are studying …)

Who and that are not used after prepositions.

...the people with whom he worked. (not …the-people with who he worked.)
Source: Oxford Practical English Usage 3rd Edition OCR (Michael Swan)

5. Practice
Exercise 1: Multiple choice
1. The paramedics rescued the driver, ______ legs were injured.
A. who both
B. whom both
C. both of whom
D. both of whose
2. This is the man ______.
Choose the INCORRECT answer.
A. who I used to work with
B. with whom I used to work
C. I used to work with
D. with who I used to work
3. They've caught the driver ______ caused the car accident.
A. who
B. where
C. whom
D. which
4. Several men in plainclothes, ______ were armed, forced him to go with them.
A. who some
B. whom some
C. some of whom
D. some who
5. The world is full of good singers ______.
Choose TWO correct options.
A. of who nobody has heard
B. who nobody has heard of
C. of which nobody has heard
D. of whom nobody has heard

Exercise 2: Fill the blanks

1. She couldn’t hear what the speaker was explaining.
2. People who/that like outdoor activities will love our holidays.
3. The Mayans, who lived in Central America, built many stunning temples.
4. That's the girl whose brother is in your class.
5. A waiter is a person whose job is to serve customers in a restaurant.
6. The victims, most of whom were adults, are being identified by the US authorities.
7. The man who/whom we were waiting for never arrived.
8. He told me what annoyed him the most.

Exercise 3: Transformation
1. Mario is the guy who cut my hair. He is 37. (who)
2. Carol is my neighbour. Her house is the largest in the street. (whose)
3. That girl is my sister. You talked to her. (whom)
4. I sent an email to my brother. He lives in Australia (who)
5. I spoke to one of the women. She was the one wearing the red skirt. (who)
Sources:
Relative clauses: Defining and non-defining - Page 2 of 4 - Test-English
Relative clauses: Defining and non-defining - Test-English
Relative clauses | LearnEnglish Teens
[Link]
Z8AwMLcNj7c3FP6qJlmCK9SBpnyfxtTZnhFwd-J-&cc=vn&selLanguage=vi
Relative Clauses Exercise 1
Grammar Exercise: Relative Pronouns Sentence Transformations

6. Conclusion
Defining relative clauses identify which person or thing we mean, while non-defining relative
clauses give extra information.

Relative pronoun Refers to Relative clause

who people (and sometimes pet animals) defining and non-defining

whom people (object; formal or written style) defining and non-defining

whose people, animals, and things (possession) defining and non-defining

what does not refer to a noun; means “the nominal relative clause
thing(s) that”
Sources:
Relative clauses: defining and non-defining - Cambridge Grammar
A Practical English Grammar by [Link] and [Link], Section 83: what (relative
pronoun) and which (connective relative), page 62