Relative clauses and relative pronouns

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Notas de aula

What is a relative clause?

A relative clause is a group of words that adds information about a noun in a sentence.
It usually comes right after the noun it describes.
For example: 'The boy who is wearing a red cap is my friend.' The relative clause is 'who is wearing a red cap'.
The noun it describes is called the head noun (here, 'boy').
A relative clause helps us combine two short sentences into one longer sentence.

Relative pronouns: who, which, that

A relative pronoun is a word that introduces a relative clause.
Use who for people. Example: 'The teacher who helped me is kind.'
Use which for animals and things. Example: 'The book which I read was exciting.'
Use that for people, animals, or things. Example: 'The dog that barked is loud.'
Sometimes you can leave out the relative pronoun. Example: 'The film (that) we saw was good.'

More relative pronouns: whom, whose

Whom is used for people when they are the object of the verb. Example: 'The girl whom I met is nice.'
Whose shows possession (something belongs to someone). Example: 'The boy whose bike is red is my cousin.'
In everyday English, we often use 'who' instead of 'whom'.
Remember: 'whose' is not the same as 'who's' (who is).

Restrictive vs. non-restrictive clauses

A restrictive clause is essential – it tells us exactly which person or thing we mean.
Example: 'The students who study hard pass the test.' Without it, we don't know which students.
A non-restrictive clause adds extra information – it is not essential.
Example: 'My sister, who lives in London, is coming to visit.' We already know which sister.
Non-restrictive clauses are set off with commas.
Restrictive clauses do not use commas.

Where to place a relative clause

A relative clause usually comes right after the noun it describes.
Example: 'The cake that she baked was delicious.'
It can also come after a noun phrase: 'The man in the blue shirt is my uncle.' (but that's not a relative clause)
Make sure the relative clause is close to its noun so the sentence is clear.

Combining sentences with relative clauses

You can join two short sentences using a relative pronoun.
Example: 'I have a cat. The cat is black.' → 'I have a cat that is black.'
Example: 'This is my friend. She plays tennis.' → 'This is my friend who plays tennis.'
The relative pronoun replaces the repeated noun.
This makes your writing smoother and more interesting.

Relative clause vs. main clause

A main clause is a complete sentence on its own. Example: 'The dog barked.'
A relative clause is not a complete sentence – it needs the main clause.
Example: 'The dog that lives next door barked.' The relative clause is 'that lives next door'.
The main clause is 'The dog barked'.
Relative clauses often start with a relative pronoun (who, which, that, etc.).

Omitting the relative pronoun

In restrictive clauses, you can sometimes leave out the relative pronoun.
You can omit it when it is the object of the verb.
Example: 'The film (that) we watched was great.'
You cannot omit it when it is the subject of the verb.
Example: 'The girl who called you is my sister.' (cannot omit 'who')

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Questões de prática

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1.What is the name of the special pronouns that introduce a relative clause?
Easy
- Arelative pronouns
- Bpersonal pronouns
- Cpossessive pronouns
- Ddemonstrative pronouns
2.Which sentence contains a relative clause?
Easy
- AThe cat sat on the mat.
- BThe cat, which was fluffy, sat on the mat.
- CThe cat sat and purred.
- DThe cat was on the mat and slept.
3.Which of the following are relative pronouns? (Select all that apply)
Easy
- Awho
- Bwhose
- Cwhich
- Dhe
- Ethat
4.A relative clause always comes before the noun it modifies.
Easy
True or false?
5.Choose the best sentence to combine these two ideas: 'I have a dog. The dog is very friendly.'
Medium
- AI have a dog which is very friendly.
- BI have a dog who is very friendly.
- CI have a dog, which is very friendly.
- DI have a dog that is very friendly.
6.Which sentence uses commas correctly for a non-restrictive relative clause?
Medium
- AMy brother, who lives in London, is visiting us.
- BMy brother who lives in London is visiting us.
- CMy brother who lives in London, is visiting us.
- DMy brother, who lives in London is visiting us.
7.In the sentence 'The cat was allowed on the bed, which annoyed the dog.', what does the relative pronoun 'which' refer to?
Medium
- Athe cat
- Bthe bed
- Cthe whole situation of the cat being allowed on the bed
- Dthe dog
8.Put these words in the correct order to form a sentence with a relative clause: (the, who, girl, is, my, sister, won)
Medium
- the
- girl
- who
- won
- is
- my
- sister

Mais perguntas

9.Match the relative pronoun to its correct use:
Medium
- who
- which
- whose
- for people
- for things
- to show possession
10.Match each relative pronoun to the type of noun it refers to. (who, which, whose)
Easy
- who
- which
- whose
- people
- things or animals
- possession
11.Put the words in the correct order to make a sentence with a relative clause. The sentence should mean: 'The book is on the table. The book has a red cover.'
Medium
- that
- book
- red cover
- is
- on the table
- the
- has
- a
12.Which of these sentences contain a relative clause? (Select all that apply)
Easy
- AThe dog that barked all night kept me awake.
- BShe is reading a book about space.
- CThe man who lives next door is a teacher.
- DWe went to the park and played football.
- EThe cake, which was chocolate, was delicious.
13.In the sentence 'The girl who won the race is my friend.', the relative clause is 'who won the race'.
Easy
True or false?
14.Choose the correct relative pronoun to complete the sentence: 'The bicycle ___ I got for my birthday is blue.'
Medium
- Awho
- Bwhich
- Cwhose
- Dwhom
15.Which sentence correctly combines the two ideas using a relative clause? 'I have a friend. She lives in Canada.'
Medium
- AI have a friend which lives in Canada.
- BI have a friend who lives in Canada.
- CI have a friend whose lives in Canada.
- DI have a friend that she lives in Canada.
16.Which sentence uses 'whose' correctly?
Medium
- AThe girl whose mother is a doctor is my friend.
- BThe girl whose is a doctor is my friend.
- CThe girl who mother is a doctor is my friend.
- DThe girl which mother is a doctor is my friend.
17.Choose the correct relative pronoun to complete the sentence: 'The woman ___ lives next door is a doctor.'
Easy
- Awho
- Bwhich
- Cwhose
- Dwhere
18.Choose the correct relative pronoun to complete the sentence: 'This is the house ___ I was born.'
Medium
- Awhich
- Bwhere
- Cwho
- Dwhose
19.Choose the correct relative pronoun to complete the sentence: 'The dog ___ tail is wagging belongs to my neighbour.'
Easy
- Awho
- Bwhich
- Cwhose
- Dthat
20.In the sentence 'The book that I borrowed from the library is very interesting.', the relative pronoun 'that' can be replaced with 'which'.
Easy
True or false?
21.Which sentence uses the relative pronoun correctly?
Medium
- AThe girl which won the prize is my sister.
- BThe girl who won the prize is my sister.
- CThe girl whom won the prize is my sister.
- DThe girl whose won the prize is my sister.
22.Which sentence is punctuated correctly?
Medium
- AMy brother, who lives in London, is coming to visit.
- BMy brother who lives in London is coming to visit.
- CMy brother, who lives in London is coming to visit.
- DMy brother who lives in London, is coming to visit.
23.Which sentence has a non-restrictive relative clause?
Medium
- AThe dog that barked all night kept me awake.
- BMy grandmother, who is 80 years old, still swims every day.
- CThe students who study hard will pass the test.
- DI ate the cake that was on the table.
24.Select all the sentences that contain a relative clause.
Medium
- AThe cat that is sleeping on the sofa is mine.
- BI saw a bird in the garden.
- CThe boy whose bike was stolen is crying.
- DShe is reading a book about space.
- EWe visited the museum which has a dinosaur skeleton.
25.Match each relative pronoun to the type of noun it is used for.
Medium
- who
- which
- whose
- people
- things
- possession
26.Put the words in the correct order to make a sentence with a relative clause.
Medium
- the
- girl
- who
- won
- the
- race
- is
- my
- friend
27.Read this sentence: 'The cat was allowed on the bed, which annoyed the dog.' What does 'which' refer to?
Medium
- Athe bed
- Bthe cat
- Cthe whole situation of the cat being allowed on the bed
- Dthe dog
28.Read the sentence: 'The person who lives in this house has not been seen for days.' If you remove the relative clause 'who lives in this house', what happens to the meaning?
Easy
- AThe sentence still clearly identifies which person is meant.
- BIt is no longer clear which person is being talked about.
- CThe sentence becomes ungrammatical.
- DThe sentence changes to past tense.
29.In the sentence 'The mayor, who lives in this house, has not been seen for days.', the relative clause 'who lives in this house' is essential to identify the mayor.
Medium
True or false?
30.Read the extract: 'The cat was allowed on the bed, which annoyed the dog.' What is the effect of the word 'which' in this sentence?
Medium
- AIt makes the sentence shorter.
- BIt shows that the whole situation annoyed the dog.
- CIt shows that the bed annoyed the dog.
- DIt makes the sentence a question.
31.Which of the following sentences contain a non-restrictive relative clause? (Select all that apply)
Medium
- AMy brother, who lives in Spain, is coming home.
- BThe book that I borrowed is on the table.
- CThe teacher, whom we all love, is retiring.
- DThe dog that barked all night kept me awake.
32.In the sentence 'The person whom I saw yesterday went home', the relative clause 'whom I saw yesterday' modifies the noun 'person'.
Easy
True or false?
33.Read the two sentences: 'I saw a person yesterday. That person went home.' Which sentence combines them using a relative clause?
Medium
- AThe person whom I saw yesterday went home.
- BI saw a person yesterday and that person went home.
- CThe person went home, and I saw them yesterday.
- DYesterday I saw a person, and they went home.
34.Which sentence uses a relative clause correctly?
Medium
- AI like what I see.
- BThe person who lives in this house has not been seen for days.
- CThe mayor, who lives in this house, has not been seen for days.
- DAll of the above.
35.In the sentence 'The person that I saw yesterday went home', what is the role of the shared noun 'the person' in the relative clause?
Medium
- AIt is the subject of the relative clause.
- BIt is the object of the verb 'saw'.
- CIt is the object of the verb 'went'.
- DIt is the subject of the main clause.
36.Which word is a relative pronoun?
Easy
- Awhich
- Bhe
- Cit
- Dthey
37.A relative clause always comes after the noun it modifies.
Easy
True or false?
38.In the sentence 'The girl who sings is my sister.', what is the head noun?
Easy
- Agirl
- Bsings
- Csister
- Dwho
39.Which sentence contains a non-restrictive relative clause?
Medium
- AMy brother, who lives in Spain, is coming home.
- BThe person who lives in this house has not been seen.
- CThe book that I borrowed is on the table.
- DThe dog that barked all night kept me awake.
40.Match each relative pronoun to what it is used for.
Easy
- who
- which
- whose
- that
- people
- things
- possession
- people or things
41.Complete the sentence with the correct relative pronoun:
Easy
The girl ____ won the race is my sister.
42.What is the term for the noun that a relative clause modifies? (one word)
Easy
43.Fill in the blank with the correct relative pronoun: 'The teacher ___ teaches us maths is very kind.'
Easy
The teacher ____ teaches us maths is very kind.
44.What is the name of the noun that a relative clause modifies? (one word)
Medium
45.Fill in the blank with the correct relative pronoun.
Easy
The car ____ is parked outside is my father's.
46.What is the relative pronoun in this sentence? Type one word: 'The teacher who taught us today was very funny.'
Medium
47.Fill in the blank with the correct relative pronoun (who, which, or that) to complete the sentence.
Easy
The cake ____ my mum baked was delicious.
48.Fill in each blank with the correct relative pronoun (who, which, or whose).
Easy
The man ____ car is red is my uncle. The woman ____ lives next door is a nurse. The book ____ I read was exciting.
49.Type the relative pronoun that is often left out (omitted) in the sentence: 'The film we saw was great.'
Medium
50.Fill in the blank with the correct relative pronoun to combine the two sentences into one: 'I have a friend. Her brother is a pilot.'
Medium
I have a friend ____ brother is a pilot.
51.Type the correct relative pronoun to complete the sentence: 'This is the school ___ I studied for five years.'
Medium
52.Explain the difference between a restrictive and a non-restrictive relative clause. Give an example of each.
Medium
53.Explain why the relative clause in this sentence is non-restrictive: 'My brother, who lives in Spain, is coming home.'
Hard
54.Explain the difference between 'who' and 'whom' and give one example sentence using each correctly.
Hard
55.Explain the difference between a restrictive and a non-restrictive relative clause, and give one example of each.
Hard
56.Explain the difference between a restrictive and a non-restrictive relative clause. Give one example of each.
Medium

Resumos de revisão

## Relative Clauses and Relative Pronouns A **relative clause** is a group of words that gives more information about a noun (a person, place, or thing). It usually starts with a **relative pronoun** like *who*, *whom*, *whose*, *which*, or *that*. ### Choosing the Right Relative Pronoun - **who** – for people (e.g., *The girl **who** sings is my friend.*) - **whom** – for people when they are the object of the verb (e.g., *The man **whom** I saw is my teacher.*) – often we just use *who* in everyday talk. - **whose** – to show possession (e.g., *The boy **whose** dog ran away is sad.*) - **which** – for things or animals (e.g., *The book **which** I read was exciting.*) - **that** – for people or things (e.g., *The dog **that** barked woke me up.*) ### Restrictive vs. Non-Restrictive Clauses A **restrictive clause** is essential – it tells us exactly which person or thing we mean. No commas. - *The person **who lives in this house** has not been seen for days.* (We need the clause to know which person.) A **non-restrictive clause** adds extra information – it is not essential. We use commas around it. - *The mayor, **who lives in this house**, has not been seen for days.* (We already know who the mayor is.) ### Omitting the Relative Pronoun Sometimes we can leave out the relative pronoun when it is the object of the clause. - *The film **that** we saw was great.* → *The film we saw was great.* ### Combining Sentences You can join two short sentences with a relative clause. - *I met a man. He wasn't sure of himself.* → *I met a man **who** wasn't sure of himself.* ### Quick Tips - Use **who** for people, **which** for things, **that** for either. - Use **whose** for possession. - Use commas for extra information (non-restrictive). - You can often drop the pronoun if it is the object. Remember: a relative clause always comes after the noun it describes.

relative clause: A group of words that gives more information about a noun. It usually starts with a relative pronoun like who, which, or that.
relative pronoun: A word that introduces a relative clause and refers back to the noun it describes. Examples: who, whom, whose, which, that.
restrictive clause: A relative clause that is essential to the meaning of the sentence. It does not use commas.
non-restrictive clause: A relative clause that adds extra, non-essential information. It is set off with commas.
head noun: The noun in the main clause that the relative clause modifies or describes.
antecedent: The noun that a relative pronoun refers back to. For example, in 'the man who came', 'man' is the antecedent of 'who'.

Flashcards

What is a relative clause?

A relative clause is a group of words that gives more information about a noun. It usually starts with a relative pronoun like 'who' or 'which'.

What is a relative pronoun?

A relative pronoun is a word like 'who', 'which', or 'that' that connects a relative clause to the noun it describes.

Which relative pronoun do we use for people?

We use 'who' for people. For example: 'The girl who sings is my friend.'

Which relative pronoun do we use for things?

We use 'which' for things. For example: 'The book which is on the table is mine.'

Which relative pronoun can we use for both people and things?

We can use 'that' for both people and things. For example: 'The dog that barked is loud.'

When do we use 'whose'?

We use 'whose' to show possession, like 'his', 'her', or 'its'. For example: 'The boy whose bike is red is my cousin.'

What is the difference between 'who' and 'whom'?

'Who' is used as the subject of the clause, and 'whom' is used as the object. For example: 'The man who called is my uncle.' vs 'The man whom I saw is my uncle.'

What is a restrictive relative clause?

A restrictive relative clause is essential to the sentence. It tells us exactly which person or thing we mean. Without it, the sentence would not make sense. Example: 'The cat that is black is mine.'

What is a non-restrictive relative clause?

A non-restrictive relative clause adds extra information that is not essential. It is set off by commas. If you remove it, the sentence still makes sense. Example: 'My cat, which is black, is sleeping.'

When do we use commas with relative clauses?

We use commas around a non-restrictive relative clause (extra information). We do not use commas with restrictive clauses (essential information).

Can we leave out the relative pronoun?

Yes, in restrictive clauses we can sometimes leave out the relative pronoun when it is the object of the clause. For example: 'The book (that) I read was good.'

When can we NOT leave out the relative pronoun?

We cannot leave out the relative pronoun when it is the subject of the clause. For example: 'The girl who sings is my friend.' (You cannot say 'The girl sings is my friend.')

What is the head noun?

The head noun is the noun that the relative clause describes. For example, in 'The dog that barked', 'dog' is the head noun.

What is an antecedent?

The antecedent is the noun that a pronoun refers back to. In 'The woman who called', 'woman' is the antecedent of 'who'.

How do we combine two sentences using a relative clause?

We combine them by replacing a repeated noun with a relative pronoun. For example: 'I have a friend. She lives in London.' becomes 'I have a friend who lives in London.'

What is the difference between a main clause and a relative clause?

A main clause can stand alone as a sentence. A relative clause cannot stand alone; it depends on the main clause and gives extra information about a noun.

Which relative pronoun do we use for a whole sentence?

We use 'which' to refer to a whole sentence. For example: 'She passed the test, which made her happy.'

What is a free relative clause?

A free relative clause does not have a noun before it. It acts like a noun itself. For example: 'I like what I see.'

Give an example of a sentence with a restrictive relative clause.

Example: 'The students who study hard will pass.' The clause 'who study hard' is essential to know which students.

Give an example of a sentence with a non-restrictive relative clause.

Example: 'My brother, who lives in Paris, is visiting us.' The clause 'who lives in Paris' is extra information, set off by commas.

What is the 'zero' relative pronoun?

The 'zero' relative pronoun means we leave out the relative pronoun. For example: 'The man (that) I saw.'

When do we use 'that' instead of 'who' or 'which'?

We can use 'that' for both people and things, but only in restrictive clauses. For example: 'The car that is red is mine.'

What does a relative clause modify?

A relative clause modifies a noun or noun phrase. It gives more information about that noun.

What is the role of the relative pronoun in the clause?

The relative pronoun connects the relative clause to the noun and often acts as the subject or object in the relative clause. For example, in 'The dog that barked', 'that' is the subject of 'barked'.

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