Defining Relative Clauses in English Grammar

Study Notes

A defining relative clause, also known as a restrictive relative clause, is a type of dependent clause that provides essential information about the main clause's noun or nominal phrase. It is crucial for understanding the sentence's meaning and cannot usually be omitted without altering the sentence's meaning. In a defining relative clause, the relative pronoun is not separated from the main clause by a comma, and the information it provides is considered integral to understanding the sentence.

Defining relative clauses can be introduced by several types of relative pronouns, including:

who: used for people and objects that the subject is performing an action on
that: used for people and objects that the subject is referring to
which: used for objects or things that the subject is referring to
whom: used for people and objects that the subject is referring to and that the subject is performing an action on
whose: used for people and objects that a possessive adjective is modifying

The choice of relative pronoun depends on the function of the clause within the sentence and the type of noun or nominal phrase being modified. For example, if the noun or nominal phrase is a person and the subject of the clause, "who" is typically used. If the noun or nominal phrase is a thing and the subject of the clause, "which" is used. If the noun or nominal phrase is a person and the object of the clause, "whom" may be used, or the relative pronoun may be omitted.

In defining relative clauses, the relative pronoun is not separated from the main clause by a comma because the information it provides is crucial for understanding the sentence's meaning. The clause is often used to provide additional details about the noun or nominal phrase, such as its identity, origin, or quality.

Here are a few examples of defining relative clauses:

The man who is the CEO of the company is very experienced.
The book which I borrowed from the library is very interesting.
The car that I bought last week has already broken down.
The woman whose husband is a doctor is from Germany.

In each of these examples, the relative clause provides essential information about the noun or nominal phrase in the main clause. The meaning of the sentence would be altered if the relative clause were removed.

Description

Test your understanding of defining relative clauses, also known as restrictive relative clauses, which provide essential information about the main clause's noun or nominal phrase. Learn how to identify and use the correct relative pronouns, including who, that, which, whom, and whose.