Grammar - Relative Clauses
Relative Clauses – Complete Explanation
1. What is a Relative Clause?
A relative clause is a dependent clause that gives more information about a noun or pronoun in the main clause. It begins with a relative pronoun or relative adverb.
A relative clause cannot stand alone as a complete sentence.
Example
The girl who is wearing a red dress is my sister.
In this sentence:
Main clause: The girl is my sister.
Relative clause: who is wearing a red dress
The relative clause tells us which girl.
2. Why Do We Use Relative Clauses?
We use relative clauses to:
Give extra information.
Identify a person or thing.
Avoid repeating words.
Join two simple sentences into one complex sentence.
Example
Simple Sentences:
I met a man.
The man is a doctor.
Complex Sentence:
I met a man who is a doctor.
3. Relative Pronouns
The most common relative pronouns are:
| Relative Pronoun | Refers to | Example |
|---|---|---|
| who | people (subject) | The boy who won the race is my cousin. |
| whom | people (object) | The woman whom I met was kind. |
| whose | possession | The student whose book is missing is absent. |
| which | animals and things | The car which I bought is new. |
| that | people, animals, things | The book that I borrowed is interesting. |
4. Relative Adverbs
Sometimes we use relative adverbs instead of pronouns.
| Relative Adverb | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| where | place | This is the house where I was born. |
| when | time | I remember the day when we first met. |
| why | reason | Do you know the reason why he left? |
5. Types of Relative Clauses
There are two main types:
Defining (Restrictive) Relative Clauses
Non-defining (Non-restrictive) Relative Clauses
6. Defining Relative Clauses
Definition
A defining relative clause gives essential information about the noun. Without it, the sentence would not be clear.
Examples
The boy who won the race is my brother.
The book that I bought yesterday is interesting.
Students who study hard usually succeed.
The clause tells us exactly which boy, book, or students.
Punctuation
No commas are used.
7. Non-defining Relative Clauses
Definition
A non-defining relative clause gives extra information that is not essential to identify the noun.
Examples
My father, who is a doctor, works in Yangon.
Paris, which is the capital of France, attracts many tourists.
If we remove the relative clause, the sentence still makes sense:
My father works in Yangon.
Paris attracts many tourists.
Punctuation
Always use commas.
8. Using "Who"
Use who for people when it is the subject of the relative clause.
Examples
The girl who lives next door is friendly.
The teacher who teaches English is kind.
9. Using "Whom"
Use whom for people when it is the object of the relative clause.
Examples
The man whom I met was polite.
The student whom the teacher praised was happy.
In everyday English, who is often used instead of whom, especially in speaking.
The man who I met was polite. ✔ (Common)
10. Using "Whose"
Use whose to show possession.
Examples
The boy whose bicycle was stolen is crying.
The woman whose son won the prize is proud.
Whose can refer to people, animals, and sometimes things.
11. Using "Which"
Use which for animals and things.
Examples
The computer which I bought is fast.
The dog which barked all night belongs to my neighbor.
Which is commonly used in non-defining clauses.
My car, which is five years old, still runs well.
12. Using "That"
Use that for people, animals, or things in defining relative clauses.
Examples
The student that won the prize is absent.
The house that we bought is beautiful.
That is not normally used in non-defining clauses.
❌ My brother, that lives in Mandalay, is a teacher.
✅ My brother, who lives in Mandalay, is a teacher.
13. Omitting the Relative Pronoun
When the relative pronoun is the object, it can often be omitted.
Examples
Full:
The book that I borrowed is interesting.
Shorter:
The book I borrowed is interesting.
Another example:
The man whom I met yesterday was friendly.
↓
The man I met yesterday was friendly.
You cannot omit the relative pronoun when it is the subject.
✔ The boy who won the race is happy.
❌ The boy won the race is happy.
14. Relative Clauses with Prepositions
Formal Style
The person to whom I spoke was helpful.
The company for which she works is famous.
Informal Style
The person who I spoke to was helpful.
The company that she works for is famous.
The informal style is much more common in everyday English.
15. Relative Adverbs
Where
Refers to a place.
This is the school where I studied.
When
Refers to a time.
I remember the day when we met.
Why
Refers to a reason.
Do you know the reason why he left?
16. Combining Sentences Using Relative Clauses
Example 1
Simple Sentences:
I have a friend.
She lives in Bagan.
Combined:
I have a friend who lives in Bagan.
Example 2
Simple Sentences:
I bought a book.
The book is very useful.
Combined:
I bought a book that is very useful.
Example 3
Simple Sentences:
This is the house.
I was born there.
Combined:
This is the house where I was born.
17. Common Errors
Error 1
❌ The man which helped me.
✅ The man who helped me.
Error 2
❌ The book who is on the table.
✅ The book that/which is on the table.
Error 3
❌ My brother, that lives in Yangon.
✅ My brother, who lives in Yangon.
Error 4
❌ The student whose won the prize.
✅ The student who won the prize.
Error 5
❌ The woman which is a doctor.
✅ The woman who is a doctor.
18. Relative Pronoun Summary
| Pronoun | Refers to | Function |
|---|---|---|
| who | People | Subject |
| whom | People | Object |
| whose | Possession | Possessive |
| which | Things/Animals | Subject or Object |
| that | People/Things/Animals | Subject or Object (defining clauses only) |
19. Defining vs Non-defining Clauses
| Defining | Non-defining |
|---|---|
| Essential information | Extra information |
| No commas | Commas required |
| Can use that | Cannot use that |
| Identifies the noun | Adds additional details |
Examples
Defining:
The student who studies hard will succeed.
Non-defining:
My brother, who studies medicine, lives in Yangon.
20. Practice
Choose the correct relative pronoun.
The girl _____ won the prize is my cousin.
Answer: who
The book _____ I bought yesterday is interesting.
Answer: that / which
The man _____ daughter is a doctor is my uncle.
Answer: whose
This is the school _____ I studied.
Answer: where
I remember the day _____ we first met.
Answer: when
21. Memory Tips
Who → People (subject)
Whom → People (object)
Whose → Possession
Which → Things and animals
That → People, animals, and things (defining clauses only)
Where → Place
When → Time
Why → Reason
Remember:
No commas in defining clauses.
Commas in non-defining clauses.
That is not used in non-defining clauses.
22. Easy Definition to Remember
A relative clause is a dependent clause that gives more information about a noun or pronoun. It usually begins with a relative pronoun (who, whom, whose, which, or that) or a relative adverb (where, when, or why).
Relative clauses help combine ideas into complex sentences, making English more natural, precise, and fluent.
Formula
Noun + Relative Pronoun/Relative Adverb + Relative Clause
Examples:
The boy who won the competition is my friend.
The house where I grew up has been renovated.
The teacher, who has taught here for twenty years, is retiring.
Mastering relative clauses will improve both your writing and speaking, allowing you to describe people, places, things, times, and reasons more clearly and elegantly.
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