A relative clause is a clause that gives more information about a noun, introduced by a relative pronoun such as who, which, that, whose, or where. For example, in "The woman who called you is my sister," the relative clause "who called you" tells us more about "the woman."
What Is a Relative Clause?
Relative clauses attach extra information to a noun without starting a new sentence. They are introduced by a relative pronoun (who, whom, which, that, whose) or a relative adverb (where, when, why), which refers back to the noun it describes.
English distinguishes two types. A defining relative clause (also called restrictive) gives essential information needed to identify which person or thing is meant, and is not separated by commas: "The book that I borrowed is on the table" (without the clause, we wouldn't know which book). A non-defining relative clause (non-restrictive) adds extra, non-essential information, is separated by commas, and cannot use "that": "My brother, who lives in Canada, is visiting next week."
The choice of relative pronoun depends on what is being described: who/whom for people, which for things, that for people or things (only in defining clauses), whose for possession, and where/when/why for place, time, and reason. In defining clauses, the relative pronoun can often be omitted if it is the object of the clause: "The book (that) I borrowed is on the table." Reference grammars such as the Cambridge Grammar guide document relative clause usage in detail.
Examples
| Example | Notes |
|---|---|
| The man who lives next door is a doctor. | Defining — identifies which man |
| My car, which is ten years old, still runs well. | Non-defining — extra info, set off by commas |
| This is the house where I grew up. | Relative adverb "where" |
| The woman whose dog barks all night just moved in. | Possessive relative pronoun "whose" |
| The film (that) we watched last night was excellent. | Object pronoun optionally omitted |
Related Grammar Terms
Practise Relative Clauses
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a relative clause?
A relative clause is a clause that gives more information about a noun, introduced by a relative pronoun such as who, which, that, or whose: "The woman who called you is my sister."
What is the difference between defining and non-defining relative clauses?
A defining relative clause gives essential information needed to identify the noun and has no commas ("The book that I borrowed is here"). A non-defining relative clause adds extra, non-essential information and is set off by commas ("My car, which is ten years old, still runs well").
Can I use that in a non-defining relative clause?
No. "That" can only be used in defining relative clauses. Non-defining clauses must use who, which, or whose, and always require commas.
When can I omit the relative pronoun?
You can omit the relative pronoun in a defining relative clause when it is the object of the clause: "The film (that) we watched was excellent." You cannot omit it when it is the subject: "The man who called is my uncle" (cannot drop "who").
What relative pronoun do I use for people versus things?
Use "who" (or "that") for people and "which" (or "that") for things. "Whose" is used for possession with both people and things, and "where"/"when"/"why" are used for place, time, and reason.
Do relative clauses always come right after the noun they describe?
Yes, in almost all cases the relative clause immediately follows the noun it modifies, to avoid ambiguity about what is being described.
What is a reduced relative clause?
A reduced relative clause shortens a relative clause by dropping the relative pronoun and auxiliary verb, often using a participle instead: "The man who is standing by the door" can become "The man standing by the door."
Can whom be used instead of who?
Yes. "Whom" is the object form of "who" and is used when the relative pronoun is the object of the clause, especially in formal writing: "The man whom I met yesterday..." In everyday speech, "who" is commonly used instead.
How does punctuation change the meaning of a relative clause?
Adding commas turns a defining clause into a non-defining one, which can change meaning: "My sister who lives in Paris is a teacher" (implies I have more than one sister) versus "My sister, who lives in Paris, is a teacher" (implies I have only one sister).
How can I practise relative clauses?
Try LexFizz's relative clauses exercises, which cover defining and non-defining clauses with who, which, that, and whose through interactive practice.