Relative

Clauses

A What is a Relative Clause?

We can use a relative clause (also known as an adjective clause) to join two sentences or
to give more information about someone or something.

e.g. I met a doctor. He works at Sheikh Khalifa Hospital.
I met a doctor who works at Sheikh Khalifa hospital.

e.g. I live in Abu Dhabi. It is in the United Arab Emirates.
I live in Abu Dhabi, which is in the United Arab Emirates

We use the relative pronouns who, which, that, or whose to join the two sentences.

who people
which things
that people/things
whose possessive

e.g This is the girl. She won the competition.
This is the girl who won the competition.

e.g. I saw a house. It had a huge garden.
I saw a house which had a huge garden.

e.g. I read an article. It talked about children with behavior problems.
I read an article that talked about children with behavior problems.

e.g. This is the woman. Her car was stolen last night.
This is the woman whose car was stolen last night.

A relative clause can come after the subject or the object of the sentence.

e.g. The people who live next door are very noisy.
subject

e.g. The car which I bought has seven airbags.
subject

e.g. I need to find someone who can translate these documents.
object

e.g. We bought a house which has a large swimming pool.
object

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B Defining Relative Clauses (necessary information)

A defining relative clause gives information that is necessary for us to understand the
sentence.

e.g. This is the man who crashed into my car.
(= we need the relative clause to understand the sentence)

In defining relative clauses, we can use that instead of who or which.

e.g. This is the girl who/that won the competition.

e.g. I saw a house which/that had a big garden.

In defining relative clauses, we can omit who, which, or that if they are the object of the
clause.

e.g. This is the dress which I bought yesterday. This is the dress I bought yesterday.

e.g. This is the dress which was very expensive. This is the dress was very expensive.

C Non-Defining Relative Clauses (extra information)

A non-defining relative clause gives extra information that isnt necessary for us to
understand the sentence.

e.g. My son, who is a doctor, lives in the USA.
(= we dont need the relative clause to understand the sentence)

In non-defining relative clauses, we cannot use that instead of who or which.

e.g. My friend Sally, who lives in Australia, is getting married this summer.
My friend Sally, that lives in Australia, is getting married this summer.

e.g. We went to Oman, which has some of the most beautiful natural places.
We went to Oman, that has some of the most beautiful natural places.

A non-defining relative clause is separated by a comma (or commas).

Leyla Ozmenekse
 Complete the sentences with the correct relative pronoun (who, which, that, or whose).
D

1. This is the bag _______ I bought from Italy last summer.

2. Is this the woman _______ you had an argument with yesterday?

3. Thats the book _______ our teacher recommended to us.

4. We went to a restaurant called Yadoti, _______ makes the best Emirati food in Abu Dhabi.

5. Is that the woman _______ husband works in our company?

6. Thats the doctor _______ told me I should go on a diet.

7. The Burj Khalifa, _______ is the tallest building in the world, was designed by Adrian Smith.

8. This is the woman _______ car was stolen from the car park last week.

Join the two sentences using a relative pronoun (who, which, that, or whose).
E
Defining Relative Clauses:

1. This is the student. He won an award last week.

__________________________________________________________________.

2. That is the shop. It sells traditional Turkish ceramics.

__________________________________________________________________.

3. This is the car. My father is going to buy it for me when I graduate.

_________________________________________________________________.

4. Thats the boy. His parents are doctors at Sheikh Khalifa Hospital.

__________________________________________________________________.

5. That is the football player. He spent $10,000 in our restaurant last week.

__________________________________________________________________.

Leyla Ozmenekse
 Non-Defining Relative Clauses:

6. Sheikh Zayed Al Nahayan was loved by his people. (He was a great leader)

__________________________________________________________________.

7. The paintings were found by the police. (They were stolen last week)

__________________________________________________________________.

8. The dress was very expensive. (Julia wore it at her sisters wedding)

__________________________________________________________________.

9. My daughter will visit me next weekend. (Her husband is a doctor)

__________________________________________________________________.

10. Expo 2020 will be held in Dubai. (it is an important international event)

__________________________________________________________________.

Complete the following sentences with a relative clause.

F

1. I dont like people ______________________________________________________.

2. Ahmed bought a car ____________________________________________________.

3. I like people ___________________________________________________________.

4. I like teachers __________________________________________________________.

5. Mariam wants to visit a country ___________________________________________.

Leyla Ozmenekse