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Defining relative clause Exercises

( Free Online English Grammar Lessons )

Read time : 2 minutes

In English we use defining relative clauses to give important information about a person, place or thing.

We use :

"who" or "that" for people

  • He's the man who lives next door.
  • She's the woman that works in the cafe.
  • People who smoke often develop breathing problems.

"which" or "that" for things

  • A clock is a thing which tells the time.
  • This is the letter that I was talking about.
  • This is the dress that I bought for $5.
  • The novel that I am reading is part of a trilogy.

"where" for places where an activity takes place

  • A post office is a place where you can buy stamps.
  • This is the restaurant where we had our first date.
  • Perth is the city where I grew up.

"whose" for possessives

  • Jason is the boy whose parents own the newsagent.
  • That's the girl whose mother is a ballet dancer.

"when" for times

  • My grandmother lived at a time when women were expected to become either teachers or nurses.

Note : We don't use "what" in relative clauses!

eg. These are the jeans that I want to buy. NOT These are the jeans what I want to buy.

In defining relative clauses, we can leave out "who", "that" or "which" when these words aren't the subject of the defining relative clause.

  • He's the man (that) I met yesterday.
  • Mary found the watch (that) I lost last week.

We never leave out "whose'" in defining relative clauses. We can leave out "where" if we add a preposition at the end of the relative clause.

  • That's the city where I was born. = That's the city I was born in.

We can leave out "when" if the time reference is clear.

  • Next Tuesday is the day (when) my sister arrives.

Note : We don't use commas with defining relative clauses.

Defining relative clause example sentences
Where I'm supposed to be having the meeting.僕がミーティングをするはずだった会社のね。
Do you remember the French restaurant we went to before?前に一緒に行ったフレンチのレストランは覚えてるかい?
Do you remember those girls we met last week?先週会った女の子の事を覚えてる?
What's the reason you don't want to leave the house?あなたがお家を出たくない理由って何なの?
You're the one who's been living here longer than me.君は僕よりも長くここに住んでいる人だよ。
It's nice to have a landlord who fixes things before we know about them!私たちが気づく前に修理してくれる大家さんがいるなんて助かるわね!
Yes, of course, he is the nicest man I've ever known!もちろんさ、彼は僕が知り合ってきた人の中で一番良いやつさ!
You know the people who take tourists sightseeing on bicycles?知ってるだろ、観光客を自転車に乗せて観光地を案内している人だよ?
I don't know, maybe I like seeing the canals going around the buildings.分からないけど、ビル群を流れる運河を見るのが好きなのよね。
Is there any news from the houses you went to see today?今日見に行った家から何か知らせはあったかい?
There is an old guy on the phone who can't hear anything I say...僕には耳もかさないお年寄りが電話にでちゃったんだ…
The one you told me shouted at you before...前に君を怒鳴りつけた人だよ…
You could have asked if she knew the girl you were going to meet.君が会おうとしていた女の子を知っているか尋ねられたんじゃないかな。
Yes, because it's the only French restaurant we have been to.ええ、だって私たちが行ったフレンチ・レストランなんてあそこぐらいですもの。
What about the houses you found?あなたが見つけた方のお家はどう?
They are the kind of people who like to party...彼らはなんていうかパーティーが好きな人たちなの...
And you could be the first man I've known who doesn't snore.私が知る中でいびきをかかない男性は、あなたが初めてだと思うわ。
And I tried to find the rice I was talking about.あとさっき話してたお米を探してみたの。

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Be going to
Be going to passive
Be used to / Get used to
Comparative
Defining relative clause
Echo tag
Expression
First conditional
Future
Future continuous
Future perfect continuous
Future perfect passive
Future perfect simple
Future simple passive
Greeting
Have/Get something done
Imperative
Implied conditional
Indirect question
Infinitive of purpose
Interjection
Mixed conditional
Modal
Modal passive
Non-defining relative clause
Other
Past continuous
Past continuous passive
Past perfect continuous
Past perfect passive
Past perfect simple
Past simple
Past simple passive
Polite request / offer / suggestion
Present continuous
Present continuous passive
Present perfect continuous
Present perfect passive
Present perfect simple
Present simple
Present simple passive
Question tag
Reduced relative clause
Reported speech imperative
Reported speech question
Reported speech request
Reported speech statement
Second conditional
Short answer
Superlative
Third conditional
Used to / would (past habit)
Was/were going to
Was/were supposed to
Wish
Would rather
Zero conditional