FluencyLab
GrammarHub
Distinguish information needed to identify a noun from extra information, using appropriate pronouns, commas and omission.
Overview
Distinguish information needed to identify a noun from extra information, using appropriate pronouns, commas and omission.
Form and rules
Defining relative clauses identify which person/thing; they do not use commas.
Non-defining relative clauses add extra information about an already identified noun and are separated by commas.
That is common in defining clauses but is not used in non-defining clauses.
An object relative pronoun can often be omitted in defining clauses, but not in non-defining clauses.
Who refers to people, which to things; whose shows possession; where refers to places.
A closer look
An object relative pronoun can often be omitted in defining clauses, but not in non-defining clauses.
Who refers to people, which to things; whose shows possession; where refers to places.
Examples
The woman who called left a message.
My brother, who lives in Chile, is visiting.
The laptop that I bought is already broken.
Our office, which opened in May, is downtown.
The student whose bag was missing found it.
Common mistakes
A non-defining clause about a person uses who, not that.
A defining object relative can use that and could also omit it.
Ready to practise?
The test combines multiple choice, gap completion, error correction, and sentence building so students have to recognise and produce the grammar, not simply reread the rule.