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Defining_Relative_Clauses

Defining relative clauses provide essential information about nouns and are crucial for sentence clarity. They utilize relative pronouns such as 'who', 'whom', 'which', 'that', 'whose', 'where', and 'when' to connect clauses. Important grammar rules include the omission of commas, the ability to replace 'who' or 'which' with 'that', and the rare use of 'whom' in spoken English.

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Defining_Relative_Clauses

Defining relative clauses provide essential information about nouns and are crucial for sentence clarity. They utilize relative pronouns such as 'who', 'whom', 'which', 'that', 'whose', 'where', and 'when' to connect clauses. Important grammar rules include the omission of commas, the ability to replace 'who' or 'which' with 'that', and the rare use of 'whom' in spoken English.

Uploaded by

Ngov Heng
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Defining Relative Clauses

A defining relative clause (also called a restrictive relative clause) is used to give essential
information about a noun in a sentence. Without this clause, the sentence would not be clear
or complete.

Relative Pronouns Used in Defining Relative Clauses


Relative Pronoun Used For Example

Who People (subject) The teacher who helped me


is very kind.

Whom People (object, formal) The teacher whom you met


is my uncle.

Which Animals & things The phone which I lost was


expensive.

That People, animals & things The movie that we watched


was great.

Whose Possession The man whose car broke


down was late.

Where Places The park where we met is


beautiful.

When Time The day when we met was


unforgettable.

Important Grammar Rules


1. No commas are used in defining relative clauses.

2. 'That' can replace 'who' or 'which' in defining clauses, especially in informal speech.

3. The relative pronoun can be omitted if it is the object of the clause.

4. 'Whom' is rarely used in spoken English, and 'who' is often preferred.

Examples of Defining Relative Clauses


✅ The boy who sits next to me is my best friend.

✅ The girl that won the contest is my sister.

✅ The man whose wallet was stolen went to the police.


✅ The car which broke down belongs to my father.

✅ The smartphone that I bought last week is amazing.

✅ The place where I was born is beautiful.

✅ The year when I graduated was 2020.

Exercises on Defining Relative Clauses

A. Fill in the blanks with the correct relative pronoun:


1. The teacher ___ helped me is very kind.

2. The book ___ I borrowed is very interesting.

3. The man ___ car was stolen is at the police station.

4. The school ___ I study is very big.

5. The year ___ I was born was 2005.

B. Rewrite the sentences using a defining relative clause:


1. I have a friend. He speaks five languages.

2. The movie was amazing. We watched it last night.

3. The girl is my cousin. She won the competition.

4. The hotel was very nice. We stayed there during our vacation.

5. The man is a doctor. His son is my classmate.

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