Relative Clauses
Join ideas with who, which, that, where and whose.
What Is It?
A relative clause gives more information about a noun. It starts with a relative pronoun: who, which, that, where, whose, when.
Why Do English Speakers Use It?
It lets you combine short sentences into one smooth sentence: “I have a friend. She lives in Paris.” → “I have a friend who lives in Paris.”
When to Use It
- People: who / that: The woman who called is my aunt.
- Things: which / that: The phone which I bought is great.
- Places: where: This is the café where we met.
- Possession: whose: He’s the student whose bag was lost.
When NOT to Use It
Don’t repeat the pronoun inside the clause: “The man who I met him” is wrong. Say “The man who I met”.
Sentence Structure
| Type | Commas? | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Defining (essential) | No | The book that I lent you is mine. |
| Non-defining (extra info) | Yes | My brother, who lives in Khulna, is a doctor. |
| Pronoun as object | Can omit | The film (that) we watched was long. |
Grammar Rules
- That can replace who or which in defining clauses, but not in non-defining ones.
- Non-defining clauses go between commas and never use “that”.
- You can drop the pronoun when it is the object: the man (who) I met.
- Whose works for people and things: a company whose profits rose.
Real-Life Examples
- Joe is the friend who helped me move.
- That’s the restaurant where we had our first date.
- The laptop (that) I bought is very fast.
- Dhaka, which is the capital, is very crowded.
Common Learner Mistakes
- The girl which sings is my sister.The girl who sings is my sister.
- My mother, that is a teacher, is kind.My mother, who is a teacher, is kind.
- The house where I live in is old.The house where I live is old. / The house I live in is old.
Quick Memory Tip
Can you remove the clause and still know which noun you mean? Yes → it’s extra information → use commas and who/which.
Real Conversation
Monica: Who’s the man who’s talking to your boss?
Joe: That’s the client whose project we’re working on.
Monica: The one from the company that makes solar panels?
Interactive Practice
Pick an answer to check your understanding.
Question 1 of 2
I know a woman ___ speaks five languages.
Question 2 of 2
Dhaka, ___ is the capital of Bangladesh, is very crowded.
Final Mini Quiz
One last check before you mark the lesson complete.
Which relative pronoun shows possession?
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