Relative Clauses - Definition, Types, How to Use Them, Examples, Exercises
International English Language Testing System ( IELTS )
Relative Clause either describes the noun or adds information about it in the sentence. Common relative clauses are who, whom, whose, which, that, etc. Eg., "The boy who prepared well for the IELTS exam got good marks."
It is most important topic in B1 Grammar for IELTS preparation.
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What is Relative Clause?
Relative clauses give extra information about nouns and pronouns that they refer to. "who", "which", "that", or "whose" are all examples of relative clauses.
Relative Clauses Definition-
According to the Cambridge Dictionary, “Relative clauses give us more information about someone or something. We can use relative clauses to combine clauses without repeating information.”
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Types of Relative Clauses
Two types of Relative Clauses exist, namely:
1. Defining Relative Clauses describe noun in a sentence. They come immediately after noun and add importance, meaning and clarity to the sentence. Example
- Students - who did not study hard were scolded by their mothers.
- The car that I bought yesterday was my gift to my father.
2. Non Defining Relative Clauses are those that add specific information about noun in sentence. They are not very important and have no role in adding meaning in the sentence. Example
- The movie which I watched last night was amazing.
- The Eiffel Tower - which is located in Paris is one of the most famous landmarks in the world.
In above examples, which after movie and which after Eiffel Tower are Non Defining Relative Clauses. They provide additional information about nouns but their meanings are not important here.
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Common Mistakes While Using Relative Clauses
It is natural to make mistakes while learning new things. The most important thing is to is identify these mistakes and try to avoid them in the next use. In this section we have mentioned a few common mistakes while using Relative Clauses which you should avoid.
Wrong Relative Pronouns-
- The cycle which I was riding yesterday has been stolen. (Correct)
- The cycle who I was riding yesterday has been stolen. (Incorrect)
Because “which” is used for non-living things and “who” is used for living things.
"who" & "whom"
- Teacher who inspired me is retiring this year. (Correct)
- Teacher whom inspired me is retiring this year. (Incorrect)
Reason- "Who" is used as the subject of a relative clause when any living thing is doing an action & "Whom" is used as the object of the relative clause.
Related Grammar Articles:
| Basic Sentence Structure | Prepositions |
| Simple Past Tense | Infinitive Verb |
Relative Clauses Exercises for Practice
Below is a Fill-in-the-Blanks exercise using who, whom, whose, and that. After each sentence, select the correct relative pronoun to fill the gap.
1. I met a man ___________ car was parked outside the building.
Answer: Whose
Explanation: "Whose" is used to show possession. In this case, the man owns the car.
2. The teacher __________ helped me is very kind.
Answer: Who
Explanation: "Who" is used to refer to people as the subject of the relative clause (i.e., the teacher is the one who helped).
3. The book __________ I borrowed last week was fascinating.
Answer: That
Explanation: "That" can be used for things or objects in defining relative clauses. Here, the book is the object being described.
4. The friend __________ I trust the most is Sarah.
Answer: whom
Explanation: "Whom" is used as the object of the verb "trust" (i.e., you trust the friend).
5. The man __________ you spoke to is my uncle.
Answer: whom
Explanation: "Whom" is used as the object of a relative clause (i.e., you spoke to the man). It is formal, but "whom" can be replaced by "who" in informal speech.
Non-Defining Relative Clauses Practice Exercise
Complete the following sentences by filling in the blanks with the correct relative pronoun.
1. The Eiffel Tower, __________ is located in Paris, is one of the most famous landmarks in the world.
Answer: Which
Explanation: "Which" is used for things (Eiffel Tower is a thing) in non-defining clauses. It adds extra information about the Eiffel Tower.
2. The batsman, __________ played well yesterday, is my favorite cricketer.
Answer: Who
Explanation: "Who" is used for people in relative clauses. In this case, "who" refers to the batsman (a person) and gives additional information about his performance (played well). Since the clause is non-defining, it provides extra, non-essential information that can be omitted without changing the main meaning of the sentence.
3. This painting, __________ is displayed in the museum, was created by a famous artist.
Answer: which
Explanation: "Which" refers to the painting (a non-living thing), adding non-essential information about where it is displayed.
4. The athlete, __________ won the gold medal in the Olympics, became a national hero.
Answer: Who
Explanation: "Who" is used for people (the athlete). It adds extra information about what the athlete did (won the gold medal).
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