What are Relative Clauses?
Relative clauses add extra information about a noun in a sentence. They are introduced by relative pronouns like 'who' (for people) and 'which' (for things). These clauses help make writing more descriptive and interesting.
Relative clauses are dependent clauses that add information about a noun. Use 'who' for people and 'which' for things: 'The man who called was Tom' / 'The book which I read was great.'
- •Refers to a person
- •The woman who works here
- •The children who play soccer
- •Refers to things/animals
- •The car which broke down
- •The trees which are old
Step-by-step worked examples
Complete: 'The girl _____ wins the race is fast.'
Identify the noun: girl (person) Choose the relative pronoun: who (for people) Final: The girl who wins the race is fast.
Complete: 'The phone _____ I lost was expensive.'
Identify the noun: phone (thing) Choose the relative pronoun: which (for things) Final: The phone which I lost was expensive.
Combine: 'I have a friend. She speaks French.' into one sentence.
Identify: friend (person) → use who Combine: I have a friend who speaks French.
Flashcards
Quick quiz
Q1.Which pronoun correctly completes: 'The student _____ studied hard passed.'
Q2.Complete: 'The book _____ I bought is interesting.'
Q3.What does a relative clause do?
Q4.Can 'that' replace 'who' in relative clauses?
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Common mistakes
Using 'which' for people: 'The man which came.' — Correct: The man who came. (Use 'who' for people.)
Using 'who' for things: 'The car who broke down.' — Correct: The car which broke down. (Use 'which' for things.)
Forgetting the relative pronoun: 'The student studied hard.' — Correct: The student who studied hard passed. (Include the relative pronoun.)
Placing the clause in the wrong position: 'The book story was interesting.' — Correct: The book which I read was interesting. (Keep the clause near the noun it modifies.)
FAQ
What are relative clauses?
Relative clauses are dependent clauses that add extra information about a noun, starting with relative pronouns like who, which, or that.
When do you use 'who' in a relative clause?
Use 'who' when the clause refers to a person: 'The woman who helped me is a doctor.'
When do you use 'which' in a relative clause?
Use 'which' when the clause refers to things or animals: 'The dog which barked is large.'
Can you use 'that' instead of 'who' or 'which'?
Yes, 'that' can replace 'who' or 'which' in defining relative clauses, but 'who' and 'which' are more formal.