Relative Clauses (defining & non-defining)
Relative clauses add information about a noun using who, which, that, whose, where, when. At B1 you learn two kinds: defining (essential information, no commas) and non-defining (extra information, with…
Relative clauses add information about a noun using who, which, that, whose, where, when. At B1 you learn two kinds: defining (essential information, no commas) and non-defining (extra information, with commas).
Relative pronouns
| Pronoun | Used for | Example |
|---|---|---|
| who | people | the teacher who helped me |
| which | things/animals | the book which I read |
| that | people or things (defining only) | the course that I joined |
| whose | possession | the student whose work won |
| where | places | the school where I study |
Defining vs non-defining
| Type | Commas? | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Defining | NO commas (essential) | The man who called is my tutor. |
| Non-defining | YES commas (extra info) | Mr Khan, who is my tutor, called. |
The comma testIf you can remove the clause and the sentence still makes sense, use commas (non-defining). If removing it loses essential meaning, use no commas (defining). Also: never use that in a non-defining clause.
Examples from EduCareer
- This is the tutor who teaches business English.
- The lesson that I booked is on Monday.
- EduCareer, which started in 2023, now has hundreds of students.
- That’s the classroom where we practise speaking.
Tutor tip for Arabic speakersEnglish does not repeat the noun or pronoun inside the relative clause. Say “the book which I read,” not “the book which I read it.” Dropping that extra “it/them” is the most common B1 relative-clause error for Arabic speakers.
Common mistakes
- The book which I read it was good. → The book which I read was good.
- My brother that lives in Dubai… (extra info) → My brother, who lives in Dubai, …
- The man which called… → The man who called…
Practise with the 20 questions below.
Check your understanding
Answer the questions below. You will see instantly if you are right.
1."The teacher ___ helped me is kind."
people → who.
2."The book ___ I read was great."
things → which.
3."The student ___ work won is here."
possession → whose.
4."That's the school ___ I study."
place → where.
5.Non-defining clauses use:
extra info → commas.
6.Which pronoun is NOT used in non-defining clauses?
'that' is defining only.
7.Which is correct?
people → who.
8.Which is correct?
no extra 'it'.
9."EduCareer, ___ started in 2023, is growing."
non-defining thing → which.
10."The course ___ I joined is online."
defining thing → that.
11.In a defining clause, do you use commas?
no commas — essential.
12."My brother, ___ lives in Dubai, is a doctor."
non-defining person → who.
13."The day ___ we met was sunny."
time → when.
14."This is the tutor ___ teaches IELTS."
person → who.
15.The comma test: if you can remove the clause, use:
removable → commas.
16."The phone ___ screen is broken is mine."
possession → whose.
17."The restaurant ___ we ate was cheap."
place → where.
18."She's the friend ___ I told you about."
person → who.
19.Which sentence is non-defining?
commas = non-defining.
20."The car ___ he bought is fast."
thing → which.
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