Relative Clauses: Definition and Types

Relative Clauses: Definition and Types

• Relative clauses are dependent clauses modifying nouns or pronouns. They start with relative pronouns (who, whom, whose, which, that) or relative adverbs (where, when, why).
• They add details about the noun or pronoun they modify.
• They improve sentence clarity and detail.

Relative Pronouns

• Who: Used for people, acting as the subject or object. Example: The man who is smiling is my uncle. (subject) / The man who I saw smiled at me. (object)
• Whom: Used for people, acting as the object. Example: The person whom I spoke to was very helpful. (object of preposition)
• Whose: Shows possession, for both people and things. Example: The dog whose tail wagged furiously was very excited.
• Which: Used for things, acting as the subject or object. Example: The book which I borrowed is on the table.
• That: Used for both people and things, a more concise alternative to who, whom, and which. Example: The car that's parked there is mine. / That man who is tall is my dad. Preferable in direct or short sentences.

Relative Adverbs

• Where: Indicates place. Example: The house where I grew up is now a museum.
• When: Indicates time. Example: The time when I met her was a very important moment.
• Why: Indicates reason. Example: This is the reason why we are all here.

Types of Relative Clauses

• Restrictive (defining) clauses: Essential to the sentence's meaning. Removing them changes the meaning. Example: The car that I drive is blue. (Without "that I drive," you don't know which car is meant). No commas.
• Non-restrictive (non-defining) clauses: Provide extra information; removing them doesn't change core meaning. Example: My car, which is blue, was parked there. (Removing the clause still tells us about the car.) Commas surround the clause.

Relative Clause FAQs and Explanations

• Choosing who, whom, which, or that: Rewriting can help — "Is the relative pronoun the subject or the object?" Subject = who or which; Object = whom or which
• Non-restrictive commas: Omitting commas can cause confusion with non-restrictive clauses. Commas clarify extra information.

Example Sentences with Relative Clauses

• Restrictive: The man who works at the library loves books. (no commas)
• Non-restrictive: My sister, who is a doctor, works very hard. (commas)
• Relative adverb: We went to the place where we had breakfast yesterday.
• Whose: The dog whose tail wags furiously is very friendly.
• Whom with preposition: The man to whom I spoke is my grandfather.

Practice Questions

1. The cat ________ caught the mouse is now sleeping. (which/that)
2. My friend, ________ lives next door, is a talented artist. (who)
3. The house ________ I grew up in was very small. (where)
4. The book _______ I borrowed from the library is quite interesting. (that/which)
5. My car, _______ is red, is parked near the house. (which)