Relative pronouns Exercise 1.
Fill in the blanks with the most appropriate relative pronoun. (when it can be omitted)
1. The man …........................... is sitting by the door takes a break.
2. He reminds me of someone …........................... I used to know.
3. The children ….......................... played in the snow had fallen during the night.
4. This is the station ........................... Emily met James.
5. He is the doctor …......................... I will see this afternoon.
6. John is the man …........................... wife is a famous artist.
7. She is the girl …........................... I saw at the party last night.
8. July and August are the months ............................ most people go on holiday.
9. The student …........................... lent you his book speaks Italian.
10. The boy …......................... you spoke to is my cousin.
11. Marco Polo was a young traveler …........................... father was a rich man.
12. This is the church ............................... Sue and Peter got married.
13. This is the painting ….............................. Mr Cool showed us last week.
14. The gloves …............................. were lost at school yesterday were not my best ones.
15. Edinburgh is the town ............................. Alexander Graham Bell was born.
16. What’s the name of the river ………………….....……. goes through the town?
17. The flowers ….............................. my boyfriend gave me have died.
18. 25 December is the day .............................. children in Great Britain get their Christmas presents.
19. She always asks me questions ……….........……………. are difficult to answer.
20. She doesn't know the person ….............................. they mentioned.
21. The magazine …............................... you lent me is interesting.
22. A greengrocer's is a shop ............................ you can buy vegetables.
23. The day ............................... I arrived home, after five years studying abroad, was really nice.
24. The man …................................ is resting is very tired.
25. The boy ….............................. sat next to you is my friend.
26. We are using books ….................................. were printed last year.
Relative pronouns Exercise 2.
Complete the conversation using WHO, WHICH, WHOSE or WHERE.
Simon: Hi Nigel! Where did you go on holiday?
Nigel: I went to Greece …...............….. I had a nice time.
Simon: Did you see anything exciting?
Nigel: Yes. I went to the Acropolis, …………………. is very famous. I also went to the place ………………… the
first Olympic Games were held.
Simon: Did you meet anyone interesting there?
Nigel: Yes. I met a girl ……………….. was from England. She knew a Greek family……............... lived in Athens
and she took me to meet them. They were a very rich and kind family ………………. friendliness made
me feel very welcome.
Simon: It sounds like you enjoyed yourself!
Nigel: Yes, it’s a place ……………….
I would like to go back.
Defining Relative Clauses Exercise 1
Make one sentence from the two short ones. The sentence in italics should become the relative clause.
The relative pronoun is the subject of the relative clause.
1. She worked for a man. The man used to be an athlete.
_______________________________________________________________
2. They called a lawyer. The lawyer lived nearby.
_______________________________________________________________
3.
I
sent an email to my brother. My brother lives in Australia.
_______________________________________________________________
4. The customer liked the waitress. The waitress was very friendly.
_______________________________________________________________
5. We broke the computer. The computer belonged to my father.
_______________________________________________________________
6.
I
dropped a glass. The glass was new.
_______________________________________________________________
7. She loves books. The books have happy endings.
_______________________________________________________________
8. They live in a city. The city is in the north of England.
_______________________________________________________________
9. The man is in the garden. The man is wearing a blue jumper.
_______________________________________________________________
10. The girl works in a bank. The girl is from India.
_______________________________________________________________
11. My sister has three children. My sister lives in Australia.
_______________________________________________________________
12. The waiter was rude. The waiter was wearing a blue shirt.
_______________________________________________________________
13. The money is in the kitchen. The money belongs to John.
_______________________________________________________________
14. The table got broken. The table was my grandmother’s.
_______________________________________________________________
15. The television was stolen. The television was bought 20 years ago.
_______________________________________________________________
16.
The fruit is on the table. The fruit isn’t fresh.
_______________________________________________________________
Defining Relative Clauses Exercise 2
Make a new sentence by joining the two short sentences. The sentence in italics should become the
relative clause, and the relative pronoun is the object.
(write it in brackets. It can be omitted)
1. We ate the fruit. I bought the fruit.
_______________________________________________________________
2. She bought the computer. Her brother had recommended the computer.
_______________________________________________________________
3. He lost the money. I had given him the money.
_______________________________________________________________
4. We called the taxi company. Julie often uses the taxi company.
_______________________________________________________________
5. John met a girl. I used to employ the girl.
_______________________________________________________________
6. Lucy called the doctor. My mother knows the doctor.
_______________________________________________________________
7. He brought a woman. I used to often meet the woman.
_______________________________________________________________
8. We employed the lawyer. Julie recommended the lawyer.
_______________________________________________________________
9. The fruit is on the table. I bought the fruit.
_______________________________________________________________
10. The wallet belongs to John. Lucy found the wallet in the garden.
_______________________________________________________________
11. The food was delicious. David cooked the food.
_______________________________________________________________
12. The car was stolen. My father gave me the car.
_______________________________________________________________
13. The man was arrested. I reported the man to the police.
_______________________________________________________________
14. The doctor was right. Lucy asked the doctor about her problem.
_______________________________________________________________
15. The waitress was very pretty. My brother dated the waitress.
_______________________________________________________________
16.
The secretary is in the office. The boss likes the secretary.
_______________________________________________________________
Non-Defining Relative Clause.
Combine the sentences using relative clauses. Note that all relative clauses are non-defining.
1. Samuel Johnson was the son of a bookseller. Samuel Johnson was born in 1709.
Samuel Johnson ...................................................................................................
2. In 1728, he went to Oxford. He studied at Pembroke College in Oxford.
In 1728, he went .................................................................................................
3. Johnson had to leave Oxford without a degree. He was too poor to pay the fees.
Johnson .............................................................................................................
4. In 1737, Johnson moved to London. There he wrote poetry, essays and biographies.
In 1737, Johnson ...................................................................................................
5. In 1746, Johnson started to write his dictionary. It took him nine years to complete.
In 1746, Johnson started ........................................................................................
6. His home at that time was in 17 Gough Square in London. It is a museum now.
17 Gough Square in London ....................................................................................
7. In this house, his wife died in 1752. Her name was Elizabeth Porter.
In this house his wife .............................................................................................
8. In 1755, the work was published. It was called A Dictionary of the English Language.
In 1755, the work .................................................................................................
9. Samuel Johnson died in 1784. He is buried in Westminster Abbey.
Samuel Johnson ....................................................................................................
Defining and non-defining relative clauses Exercise 1.
Study the situations and then decide whether the following relative clauses are defining or non-defining.
defining – NO COMMAS non-defining – COMMAS
1. I have three brothers.
My brother who lives in Sidney came to see me last month.
My brother, who lives in Sidney, came to see me last month.
2.
I have one sister.
My sister who is 25 years old spent her holiday in France.
My sister, who is 25 years old, spent her holiday in France.
3.
Bob's mum has lost her keys.
Bob's mum who is a musician has lost her car keys.
Bob's mum, who is a musician, has lost her car keys.
4.
My friend Jane moved to Canada.
My friend Jane whose husband is Canadian moved to
Canada last week.
My friend Jane, whose husband is Canadian, moved to
Canada last week.
5.
I am a shoe fanatic.
The shoes which I bought yesterday are very comfortable.
The shoes, which I bought yesterday, are very comfortable.
6.
Mr Robinson is very famous.
Mr Robinson whom I met at the trade fair is a famous
inventor.
Mr Robinson, whom I met at the trade fair, is a famous
inventor.
7.
Tamara has two cats. Both of them are black.
Tamara's two cats which can play outside are black.
Tamara's two cats, which can play outside, are black.
8.
Kevin has four cats. Two of them are black.
Kevin's two cats which are black can play outside.
Kevin's two cats, which are black, can play outside.
9.
We are on holiday. Yesterday we visited a church.
The church which we visited yesterday is very old.
The church, which we visited yesterday, is very old.
10.
We are on holiday. Yesterday we visited a church.
St. Mary's Church which we visited yesterday is very old.
St. Mary's Church, which we visited yesterday, is very old.
Defining and non-defining relative clauses Exercise 2.
Combine the sentences using a relative clause. Use relative pronouns only where necessary.
(You have to use commas in some of the sentences)
A holiday in Scotland
1. We spent our holiday in Scotland last year. Scotland is in the north of Great Britain.
Last year we ............................................................................................................
2. People live in Scotland. They are called Scots.
The people ..............................................................................................................
3. We first went to Edinburgh. Edinburgh is the capital of Scotland.
We first ...................................................................................................................
4. Arthur Conan Doyle was born in Edinburgh. He wrote the Sherlock Holmes stories.
Arthur Conan Doyle ..................................................................................................
5. Then we visited a lake. It is in the Highlands.
The lake .................................................................................................................
6. Loch Ness is 37 km long. People know it for its friendly monster.
Loch Ness ...............................................................................................................
7. There we met an old man. He told us that he had seen Nessie.
An old man .............................................................................................................
8. We then travelled to a mountain. The mountain is near the town of Fort William.
We then .................................................................................................................
9. The mountain is the highest mountain in Great Britain. It is called Ben Nevis.
The mountain .........................................................................................................
10. I sent you a postcard. It was written on the summit of Ben Nevis.
The postcard ..........................................................................................................
Defining and non-defining relative clauses Exercise 3.
Combine the sentences using a relative clause. Use relative pronouns only where necessary.
(You have to use commas in some of the sentences)
1. She showed me a photograph of her son. Her son is a policeman.
..................................................................................................................................................................................................
2. The new stadium will be opened next month. The stadium holds 90,000 people.
..................................................................................................................................................................................................
3. John is one of my closest friends. I have known John for eight years.
..................................................................................................................................................................................................
4. The boy is one of my closest friends. He is waiting for me.
..................................................................................................................................................................................................
5. Thank you for your letter. I was very happy to get your letter.
..................................................................................................................................................................................................
6. The letter is in the drawer. Peter has sent the letter to you.
..................................................................................................................................................................................................
7. Next summer we are visiting the town. My father was born in this town.
..................................................................................................................................................................................................
8. The man is in prison. Janet fell in love with this man.
..................................................................................................................................................................................................
9. Mr Roberts is in prison. Janet fell in love with him.
..................................................................................................................................................................................................
Answer KEY:
Relative pronouns Exercise 1.
1. The man
who /that
is sitting by the door takes a break.
2. He reminds me of someone
who/that
I used to know.
3. The children
who /that
played in the snow had fallen during the night.
4. This is the station
where
Emily met James.
5. He is the doctor
who /that
I will see this afternoon.
6. John is the man
whose
wife is a famous artist.
7. She is the girl
who /that
I saw at the party last night.
8. July and August are the months
when
most people go on holiday.
9. The student
who /that
lent you his book speaks Italian.
10. The boy
who /that
you spoke to is my cousin.
11. Marco Polo was a young traveller
whose
father was a rich man.
12. This is the church
where
Sue and Peter got married.
13. This is the painting
which /that
Mr Cool showed us last week.
14. The gloves
which /that
were lost at school yesterday were not my best ones.
15. Edinburgh is the town
where
Alexander Graham Bell was born.
16. What’s the name of the river
which /that
goes through the town?
17. The flowers
which /that
my boyfriend gave me have died.
18. 25 December is the day
when
children in Great Britain get their Christmas presents.
19. She always asks me questions
which /that
are difficult to answer.
20. She doesn't know the person
who /that
they mentioned.
21. The magazine
which /that
you lent me is interesting.
22. A greengrocer's is a shop
where
you can buy vegetables.
23. The day
when
I arrived home, after five years studying abroad, was really nice.
24. The man
who /that
is resting is very tired.
25. The boy
who /that
sat next to you is my friend.
26. We are using books
which /that
were printed last year.
Answer KEY:
Relative pronouns Exercise 2.
Simon: Hi Nigel! Where did you go on holiday?
Nigel: I went to Greece
where
I had a nice time.
Simon: Did you see anything exciting?
Nigel: Yes. I went to the Acropolis,
which
is very famous. I also went to the place
where
the
first Olympic Games were held.
Simon: Did you meet anyone interesting there?
Nigel: Yes. I met a girl
who
was from England. She knew a Greek family
who
lived in Athens
and she took me to meet them. They were a very rich and kind family
whose
friendliness made
me feel very welcome.
Simon: It sounds like you enjoyed yourself!
Nigel: Yes, it’s a place
where
I would like to go back.
Answer KEY:
Defining Relative Clauses Exercise 1.
1. She worked for a man who / that used to be an athlete.
2. They called a lawyer who / that lived nearby.
3. I sent an email to my brother who / that lives in Australia.
4. The customer liked the waitress who / that was very friendly.
5. We broke the computer which / that belonged to my father.
6. I dropped a glass which / that was new.
7. She loves books which / that have happy endings.
8. They live in a city which / that is in the north of England.
9. The man who / that is wearing a blue jumper is in the garden.
10. The girl who / that is from India works in a bank.
11. My sister who / that lives in Australia has three children.
12. The waiter who / that was wearing a blue shirt was rude.
13. The money which / that belongs to John is in the kitchen.
14. The table which / that was my grandmother’s got broken.
15. The television which / that was bought 20 years ago was stolen.
16. The fruit which / that isn’t fresh is on the table.
Answer KEY:
Defining Relative Clauses Exercise 2
1. We ate the fruit which / that I bought.
2. She bought the computer which / that her brother had recommended.
3. He lost the money which / that I had given him.
4. We called the taxi company which / that) Julie often uses.
5. John met a girl who / that I used to employ.
6. Lucy called the doctor who / that my mother knows.
7. He brought a woman who / that I used to often meet.
8. We employed the lawyer who / that Julie recommended.
9. The fruit which / that I bought is on the table.
10. The wallet which / that Lucy found in the garden belongs to John.
11. The food which / that David cooked was delicious.
12. The car which / that my father gave me was stolen.
13. The man who / that I reported to the police was arrested.
14. The doctor
who / that Lucy asked about her problem was right.
15. The waitress who / that my brother dated was very pretty.
16. The secretary who / that the boss likes is in the office.
Answer KEY:
Non-Defining Relative Clause.
1. Samuel Johnson, who was born in 1709, was the son of a bookseller.
2.
In 1728, he went to Oxford, where he studied at Pembroke College.
3. Johnson
, who was too poor to pay the fees
, had to leave Oxford without a degree.
4. In 1737, Johnson moved to London, where he wrote poetry, essays and biographies.
5. In 1746, Johnson started to write his dictionary, which took him nine years to complete.
6. 17 Gough Square in London, which is a museum now, was his home at that time.
7. In this house his wife, whose name was Elizabeth Porter, died in 1752.
8. In 1755, the work
, which was called A Dictionary of the English Language, was published.
9. Samuel Johnson, who died in 1784, is buried in Westminster Abbey.
Answer KEY:
Defining and non-defining relative clauses Exercise 1.
1. I have three brothers.
My brother who lives in Sidney came to see me last month.
My brother, who lives in Sidney, came to see me last month.
2. I have one sister.
My sister who is 25 years old spent her holiday in France.
My sister, who is 25 years old, spent her holiday in France.
3. Bob's mum has lost her keys.
Bob's mum who is a musician has lost her car keys.
Bob's mum, who is a musician, has lost her car keys.
4. My friend Jane moved to Canada.
My friend Jane whose husband is Canadian moved to Canada last week.
My friend Jane, whose husband is Canadian, moved to Canada last week.
5. I am a shoe fanatic.
The shoes which I bought yesterday are very comfortable.
The shoes, which I bought yesterday, are very comfortable.
6. Mr Robinson is very famous.
Mr Robinson whom I met at the trade fair is a famous inventor.
Mr Robinson, whom I met at the trade fair, is a famous inventor.
7. Tamara has two cats. Both of them are black.
Tamara's two cats which can play outside are black.
Tamara's two cats, which can play outside, are black.
8. Kevin has four cats. Two of them are black.
Kevin's two cats which are black can play outside.
Kevin's two cats, which are black, can play outside.
9. We are on holiday. Yesterday we visited a church.
The church which we visited yesterday is very old.
The church, which we visited yesterday, is very old.
10. We are on holiday. Yesterday we visited a church.
St. Mary's Church which we visited yesterday is very old.
St. Mary's Church, which we visited yesterday, is very old.
Answer KEY:
Defining and non-defining relative clauses Exercise 2.
A holiday in Scotland
1. Last year we spent our holidays in Scotland, which is in the north of Great Britain.
2. The people who live in Scotland are called Scots.
3. We first went to Edinburgh, which is the capital of Scotland.
4. Arthur Conan Doyle, who wrote the Sherlock Holmes stories, was born in Edinburgh.
5. The lake we then visited is in the Highlands.
6. Loch Ness, which people know for its friendly monster, is 37 km long.
7. An old man we met there told us that he had seen Nessie.
8. We then travelled to a mountain which is near the town of Fort William.
9. The mountain, which is the highest mountain in Great Britain, is called Ben Nevis.
10. The postcard I sent you was written on the summit of Ben Nevis.
Answer KEY:
Defining and non-defining relative clauses Exercise 3.
1. She showed me a photograph of her son, who is a policeman. NON- DEFINING.
2. The new stadium, which holds 90,000 people, will be opened next month. NON- DEFINING.
3. John, who(m) I have known for eight years, is one of my closest friends. NON- DEFINING.
4. The boy who is waiting for me is one of my closest friends. DEFINING.
The pronoun cannot be left out because it is the subject of the relative clause.
5. Thank you for your letter, which I was very happy to get. NON- DEFINING.
THAT cannot be used and even though there is a pronoun in the relative clause WHICH cannot be left out because in
non-defining relative clauses the pronoun can NEVER be left out.
6. The letter (which/that) Peter has sent to you is in the drawer. DEFINING.
Both THAT and WHICH can be used in this relative clause and the pronoun can be left out because there is a subject: “Peter”
7. Next summer we are visiting the town where my father was born. /in which my father was born./
(which) my father was born in. DEFINING
8
. The man who/that Janet fell in love with/ Janet fell in love with / with whom Janet fell in love is in prison.
DEFINING.
The relative pronouns can be left out because there is a subject in the sentence “Janet”
9. Mr Roberts,
who Janet fell in love with,
is in prison.
NON- DEFINING.
THAT cannot be used and even though there is a noun as subject in the relative clause and the relative pronoun can’t be
omitted.
