Relative Clauses: Who, Which, That, Whose & Where

Relative clauses give information about a noun without starting a completely new sentence. They help us combine ideas and make English more natural. Common relative words include who, which, that, whose and where. At higher levels, learners also need to distinguish defining and non-defining relative clauses.

Who, Which and That

Use who mainly for people: The teacher who helped me was kind.
Use which for things and animals: The book which I bought is useful.
That can often replace who or which in defining relative clauses.
Do not normally use that in non-defining relative clauses.

Whose and Where

Whose shows possession: The student whose phone rang apologized.
Where refers to places: This is the café where we met.
Whose can refer to people and, in formal contexts, organizations or things.

Defining Relative Clauses

They identify exactly which person or thing we mean.
They are essential to the meaning of the sentence.
They do not use commas: The people who live next door are friendly.

Non-Defining Relative Clauses

They add extra, non-essential information.
They are separated with commas: My brother, who lives in Riga, is visiting us.
That is not normally used in non-defining clauses.

Omitting the Relative Pronoun

In a defining clause, the relative pronoun can sometimes be omitted when it is the object.
The book (that) I bought was expensive.
Do not omit the pronoun when it is the subject: The man who called me is my teacher.

Common Mistakes

Incorrect: My friend, that lives in London, is a doctor. Correct: My friend, who lives in London, is a doctor.
Incorrect: The man which called me… Correct: The man who called me…
Do not omit commas around a non-defining clause.

Relative Quick Review

Before you move to the practice section, review the key patterns above and pay special attention to the examples and common mistakes. Grammar becomes easier when you compare correct forms with typical errors and then use the structure in complete sentences.

Practice Worksheet

Complete each sentence with the best form. Try to answer without looking back at the rules.

The woman ___ works here is from Spain.
This is the phone ___ I bought yesterday.
The boy ___ bicycle was stolen called the police.
That is the restaurant ___ we had dinner.
My uncle, ___ lives in Canada, is visiting us.
The film ___ won the award was excellent.
The student ___ I spoke to was very helpful.
Riga, ___ is the capital of Latvia, is a beautiful city.
The company ___ offices are downtown is expanding.
The hotel ___ we stayed was quiet.

Show Worksheet Answers

who / that
which / that / —
whose
where
who
which / that
who / that / —
which
whose
where

Mini Grammar Quiz

1. Use ___ for possession.

A) which
B) whose
C) where

2. Which is correct in a non-defining clause?

A) that
B) who
C) that only

3. The café ___ we met…

A) where
B) whose
C) who

4. A relative pronoun may be omitted when it is:

A) the subject
B) the object in a defining clause
C) in every clause

5. Choose the correct sentence.

A) My car, that is old, still works.
B) My car, which is old, still works.
C) My car which, is old still works.

Show Quiz Answers

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a relative clause?

It is a clause that gives information about a noun, usually introduced by words such as who, which, that, whose or where.

What is the difference between defining and non-defining clauses?

Defining clauses identify the noun and do not use commas; non-defining clauses add extra information and are separated by commas.

Can that replace who and which?

Often yes in defining relative clauses, but not normally in non-defining clauses.

When can we omit the relative pronoun?

In many defining clauses, you can omit it when it functions as the object, not the subject.

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