B1 Grammar: Relative Clauses

B1 Grammar: Relative Clauses
ESL Structure Curriculum

ESL Grammar Course

B1: Intermediate

Connecting puzzle pieces, one with a noun and the other with a relative pronoun

Relative Clauses

Relative clauses are used to give extra information about a noun without starting a new sentence. They are introduced by relative pronouns. At this level, we focus on defining relative clauses, which provide essential information.

Relative Pronouns:

  • `who` / `that`: for people
  • `which` / `that`: for things
  • `where`: for places
  • `whose`: for possession

⚠️ Attention: Common Challenges

1. `Who` vs. `Which`: A simple but important rule: `who` is only for people. `Which` is only for things.

  • “The man who lives next door is a doctor.”
  • “The car which is parked outside is mine.”

2. Using `That`: `That` is very flexible and can be used for both people and things in defining relative clauses. It is very common in spoken English.

  • “The man that lives next door…” / “The car that is parked outside…”

3. `Whose` for Possession: Use `whose` to show that something belongs to someone/something.

  • “She’s the woman whose dog is always barking.” (The dog belongs to her).

Practice Quiz

1. A doctor is a person ____ helps sick people.

2. This is the book ____ I was telling you about.

3. That’s the park ____ we play soccer every weekend.

4. I have a friend ____ father is a famous actor.

5. The emails ____ she sent were very clear.

6. I want to visit the city ____ my parents were born.

7. The woman ____ lives upstairs is very noisy.

8. I know a man ____ dog can play the piano.

9. The restaurant ____ we had dinner last night was excellent.

10. He gave me the keys ____ opened the front door.