English Name: _____________________

Thomas Fertek_______________________________________________________________________

Defining and non-defining relative clauses

Who & which

Join these sentences together using who or which.

1. We went round the city with a guide. I couldn't understand her at all.
2. Last year we stayed in a hotel. A friend of ours had recommended it.
3. I’ve got a villa. You can use it whenever you like.
4. I’ll give you the number of a travel agent. I know him.
5. I’ve bought a guide book. It has a list of good restaurants.
6. We went on an excursion. It lasted all day.

In which of these sentences could you use that?

In which sentences could you omit the relative pronoun?

Remember not to repeat the pronoun after who, which or that:

Let's see the film that Peter recommended.
Not: Let's see the film that Peter recommended it.

In pairs, make up short dialogues using who, which, that, where and whose.
Think of something better than your partner.
Example:
A: I know someone ... who has climbed Mount Everest.
B: Oh, really? Well, I know someone who walked to the North Pole all by herself.

1. Last year we went to a hotel ...

2. Last night I went to a party ...
3. I once went out with someone ...
4. I’ve got a new Computer...
5. My parents are going to buy a house ...

Where
Read these sentences and answer the question.
The hotel where we stayed was marvellous.
The hotel that we stayed in was marvellous.
Why can't you use the word where in the second sentence?

Tick () the sentences that are right and correct the ones that are
incorrect.
Remember that where means in which or to which.

1. The place where we went to last year for our holiday was wonderful.
2. The hotel that we stayed was just next to the beach.
3. The rooms that we slept in were air-conditioned.
4. The place where we spent most of our time was the swimming pool.
5. The restaurant that we usually had dinner had a marvellous view.
English Name: _____________________
Thomas Fertek_______________________________________________________________________

Whose
We use whose to show possession. Read the sentences and answer
these questions.
I gave a lift to a friend. Her car had broken down.
I gave a lift to a friend whose car had broken down.
Which person does whose refer to? Which possession does it also refer to?

Match the sentences 1-4 with the appropriate endings below. Join the
sentences together with whose.
1 We stayed in Greece with some friends ...
2 Our guide was a young man ...
3 If you want cheap tickets, I’ll talk to a woman I know ...
4 My brother stayed with a landlady ...

a Their parents owned a house in Athens

b Her cooking was wonderful.
c His English was very good.
d Her uncle is a travel agent

The Difference between defining and non-defining relative clauses

Read these relative clauses and answer the questions.

a Percy Island, which is covered in tropical jungle, has golden beaches...

b The room which he gave me had a marvellous view...

1. Does the relative clause in a tell us which island we are talking about, or does it
give us extra information about it?
2. Does the relative clause in b tell us which room had a marvellous view or does it
provide extra information about the room?
3. What do you notice about the punctuation of the sentences?
4. In which sentence would it be possible to leave out the relative pronoun or use
that?

Defining or non-defining?
Read these sentences. What are the differences in meaning between
them?
1. I like going to Greek islands which have wonderful beaches. (defining)
2. I like going to Greek islands, which have wonderful beaches. (non-defining)
3. Molly's sister who lives in the USA has invited her to stay. (defining)
4. Molly's sister, who lives in the USA, has invited her to stay. (non-defining)
5. The hotel rooms which have a sea view are quite expensive. (defining)
6. The hotel rooms, which have a sea view, are quite expensive. (non-defining)
English Name: _____________________
Thomas Fertek_______________________________________________________________________

Rewrite the following sentences using defining or non-defining relative

clauses and punctuate them correctly.
1. My grandparents are going on a cruise. They are in their sixties.

2. I got a letter from a friend. I met her on holiday.

3. My sister often goes to Paris. She has a flat there.

4. Eleni teaches us English. She is doing a course in Bath.

5. Have you got that guidebook? I lent it to you.

6. Alima is going to Budapest next week. She is one of my best friends.

Grammar Theory
Defining relative clauses
These relative clauses contain important information that helps to define or identify
the person or thing we are talking about.

a) We can use relative pronouns such as who, which, or that to refer to people or
things.
The man who/that helped us spoke excellent English.
I’ve bought jack a present which/that he will like.
b) The relative pronoun can be left out if it is the object of a verb.
I’ve bought Jack a present (-) he will like.
c) The relative pronoun whose refers to possession.
I met a woman whose car is over 50 years old.
d) Where means in which or to which.
Can you remember the name of the hotel where we stayed?
e) Whom can be used as an object pronoun referring to a person, but who is also
acceptable.
The man who(m) I talked to was very interesting.
f) If the relative pronoun comes after a preposition such as to, from, with, etc.
whom must be used.
The man who I was talking to was very interesting.
The man to whom I was talking was very interesting.
g) What can be used to mean the thing that or the things that.
What annoyed me was the way he spoke to the teacher.
I don't know what you are talking about
English Name: _____________________
Thomas Fertek_______________________________________________________________________

Non-defining relative clauses

These contain additional information, and are used when the person or thing we
are talking about is already defined or identified.
My mother, who was 5O last week, has worked all her life.

a) Commas are always used around the non-defining relative clause.

b) The pronoun cannot be left out and it is not possible to use that
c) You can use which to refer to things, when to refer to time, where to refer to
place.
My passport, which was here a minute ago, seems to have
disappeared.
October, when the weather is a bit cooler, is a good time to visit
Cyprus.
I always go to Spain, where my parents have a hoiiday home.

Practice

Correct () or not (x)?

1. The people which live next door have got five children. ...
2. Do you know a shop who sells good cheese? ...
3. I didn't understand the language which she was speaking. ...
4. I didn't understand the language that she was speaking. ...
5. I’ve found the dictionary that I lost it yesterday. ...
6. The girls that I work with gave me flowers for my birthday. ...
7. Where's the paper you wrote the address on? ...
8. You can have anything what you like. ...
9. What she said made me very angry. ...

Join the sentences in the place marked *, using who or which.

1. I know a man*. He writes film music.
2. Yesterday I saw a film*. You would like it.
3. The bus* got to London twenty minutes late. I took it.
4. The car* isn't very good. I bought it last month.

Join the sentences in the place marked *, using that.

1. The tickets* were very expensive. I got them.
2. These are the scissors*. I use them for cutting paper.
3. The woman* is from Brazil. She gives me tennis lessons.
4. The man* is always very friendly. He works in the corner shop.
English Name: _____________________
Thomas Fertek_______________________________________________________________________

Rewrite the sentences without relative pronouns if you can. If you can’t,
write 'can't change'.
1. Where's the book which I was reading? ..........................................................
2. The people who live next door are Italian ......................................................
3. The clock that I bought doesn't work .... . .......................................................
4. I didn't like the film which I saw last night .....................................................
5. Here's the letter that came for you. ...............................................................
6. It was a journey that took twelve hours. ........................................................

Leaving out the pronoun:

Is the relative pronoun the subject (S) or object (O) of the following verb?
1. the woman who wrote this letter …
2. the film that I saw …
3. the languages that she spoke ...
4. a woman who helped me ...
5. a man who(m) I helped ...
6. the weather that we have had …
7. a machine that makes paper ...
8. that car which you bought ...

Look at the Exercise above. Find the expressions with object relative
pronouns and rewrite them without who(m), which or that

_________________________________________________________
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Join the sentences in the place marked * without using who, which or that
1. The cup of coffee* is on the table. You wanted it.

2. I’m working for a man*. I’ve known him for twenty years.

3. They played a lot of music*. I didn't like it.

4. The campsite* was very dirty. We found it.

5. I’m going on holiday with some people*. I know them.

6. That book* is very good. You suggested it to me.

7. The ring* belonged to her grandmother. She lost it.

English Name: _____________________
Thomas Fertek_______________________________________________________________________

Relative clauses with prepositions

Some verbs have prepositions with them, for example look at, listen to. When
relative pronouns are the objects of these verbs, there are two possibilities:
- very formal:
The woman smiled. I was looking at her.
 The woman at whom I was looking smiled.
The flat was dirty. He lived in it.
 The flat in which he lived was dirty.
- more informal; we can leave out who(m)/which/that.
 The woman (whom/that) I was looking at smiled.
 The flat he lived in was dirty.

Change these expressions to make them more conversational. Use that or

no pronoun, alternatively.
1. A boy with whom I went to school .................................................................
2. The girl about whom I was talking ...............................................................
3. The people for whom I work ........................................................................
4. The house in which I live .............................................................................
5. the music to which you are listening ............................................................
6. the bus on which I go to work .....................................................................

Look at the information about Helen, and then make sentences (like the
example) about the people in her life.
Helen lives in a big flat with a friend called Pam. She works for a man called Eric. At
weekends she plays tennis with a woman called Monica. Sometimes she reads to an
80-year-old woman called Karen, or baby-sits for people called Ann and Joe. She is in
love with a man called Bill.

Ex.: Pam is the friend she lives with.

1. Eric is ......................................................................................................................
2. Monica is .................................................................................................................
3. Karen is ...................................................................................................................
4. Ann and Joe are .......................................................................................................
5. Bill is .......................................................................................................................
English Name: _____________________
Thomas Fertek_______________________________________________________________________

Now write sentences (like the example) about Helen’s birthday presents.
For Helen's birthday, Pam gave her a handbag, Eric gave her chocolates, Monica
gave her a dock, Karen gave her theatre tickets, Ann and Joe gave her a picture, and
Bill gave her flowers and ear-rings.

The friend she lives with gave her a handbag.

1. The man she works .....................................................................................
2. The woman ............................................................................................
3. The 80-year-old woman ..............................................................................
4. The people .................................................................................................
5. The man .............................................................................................

The relative ‘what’

We can use what to mean 'the thing(s) which/that' or 'anything that'.

Have you got what you need for your journey?
(= the things that you need ...')
I'm sorry about what happened.
'Can I have something to eat?' 'Take what you like.'

We use what with a singular verb.

What I bought was mostly very cheap. ( N O T What I bought were ...)

We use that, not what, after anything, something, nothing, everything, all and the
only thing.
You can take anything that you want. ( N O T anything what you want.)
The shop had nothing that I wanted.
All that I could do was stand and watch.
Money is the only thing in the world that matters to him.

Change the words in italics to what orally

1. The things that she said weren't true
2. The things that he did made everybody angry.
3. Soap - that's the thing that I forgot to pack!
4. She gave me a watch. It was just the thing that I wanted.

Put in that or what

1. I believe everything ........... she says.
2. .................... she did surprised everybody.
3. I can't give you ..................... you want.
4. He said nothing ......................was important.
5. I can't eat ........................ I like.
6. I can't eat everything ..................... I like.
7. The only thing ............................. I forgot was toothpaste.
8. Ask Peter – he’ll tell you.......................... you need to know.