Relative Adverbs Exercises: Where, When, Why

The three relative adverbs in English are where, when and why. Like relative pronouns (who, which, that), they introduce a relative clause that gives more information about a noun. The difference is that a relative adverb tells us about a place, a time or a reason, rather than standing in for a person or a thing. Relative clauses of this kind are typically practised from B1 on the CEFR scale.

Look at how each one attaches a clause to a noun: the place where I was born, the day when we met, the reason why she left. In each case the relative adverb links a noun to a clause that describes it, without needing a clumsy preposition out in front. This makes relative adverbs one of the most useful tools for building fluent, well-connected sentences in British English.

The Three Relative Adverbs at a Glance

Each relative adverb pairs naturally with a particular kind of noun — one of place, one of time, one of reason — and each has an equivalent built from preposition + which.

Relative adverb	Noun type	Preposition + which	Example
where	place (house, town, room, country)	in/at/on which	the house where I live = the house in which I live
when	time (day, year, moment, time)	on/in/at which	the day when we met = the day on which we met
why	reason (only the noun reason)	for which	the reason why she left = the reason for which she left

Where: Relative Adverb of Place

We use where after nouns of place to introduce a clause that describes that place. It replaces a phrase like in which, at which or on which.

• This is the village where I was born. (= the village in which I was born)
• That’s the café where we first met.
• I’ve found a quiet spot where we can talk.

Importantly, where can also follow more abstract nouns such as situation, case, point and stage, where the “place” is figurative:

• We’ve reached a point where we have to make a decision.
• There may be cases where this rule does not apply.
• It’s a difficult situation where nobody is entirely to blame.

When: Relative Adverb of Time

We use when after nouns of time — day, year, moment, time, period — to introduce a clause about that time. It replaces on which, in which or at which.

• I’ll never forget the day when we got married. (= the day on which)
• 1997 was the year when everything changed.
• There are moments when you simply have to say no.

Why: Relative Adverb of Reason

We use why only after the noun reason, to introduce a clause explaining that reason. It is equivalent to for which.

• Nobody knows the reason why she left. (= the reason for which)
• That’s the reason why I phoned you.
• Tell me the reason why you’re upset.

Omitting the Relative Adverb

In defining clauses, when and why can usually be dropped, especially in informal speech and writing:

• the day (when) we met → the day we met
• the reason (why) she left → the reason she left
• the year (when) I was born → the year I was born

However, where cannot normally be dropped — the place adverb has to stay:

• ✓ the house where I live
• ✗ the house I live (this is wrong; you would need the house I live in)

Relative Adverbs vs Relative Pronouns

It helps to see exactly how relative adverbs differ from the relative pronouns who, which and that. A relative pronoun replaces a noun (a person or thing) and acts as subject or object inside the clause. A relative adverb replaces a whole adverbial phrase of place, time or reason.

Word	Type	Replaces	Example
where	relative adverb	in/at/on + which (place)	the office where she works
when	relative adverb	on/in/at + which (time)	the week when we moved
why	relative adverb	for + which (reason)	the reason why it failed
who / that	relative pronoun	a person	the woman who works there
which / that	relative pronoun	a thing	the office which she rents

Notice the contrast: the office where she works (adverb — tells us about the place of working) versus the office which she rents (pronoun — the office is the object of rents). For more on the pronouns, see our guide to relative clauses.

Common Mistakes

• Using which instead of where for a place: ✗ the house which I live ✓ the house where I live (or the house which I live in, which is also correct).
• Using when after a preposition: ✗ the day on when we met ✓ the day when we met or the day on which we met.
• Redundant where…in it: ✗ the room where I sleep in it ✓ the room where I sleep.
• Saying the reason why because: ✗ The reason why I’m late is because of the traffic. ✓ The reason I’m late is the traffic / I’m late because of the traffic.
• Dropping where: ✗ the town I grew up ✓ the town where I grew up or the town I grew up in.

Practice Exercises

Explore related grammar topics:

All Grammar Topics Relative Clauses Adverbs Pronouns Determiners

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a relative adverb?

A relative adverb is a word — where, when or why — that introduces a relative clause giving more information about a noun of place, time or reason. For example, the town where I grew up, the day when we met and the reason why she left. Unlike relative pronouns, a relative adverb stands in for a whole adverbial idea of place, time or reason.

What are the three relative adverbs in English?

There are three: where for place (the house where I live), when for time (the year when I was born) and why for reason (the reason why he called). Each one attaches a clause to a particular kind of noun — a place noun, a time noun or the noun reason — and tells us more about it.

What is the difference between a relative adverb and a relative pronoun?

A relative pronoun (who, which, that) replaces a person or a thing and works as the subject or object inside the clause: the office which she rents. A relative adverb (where, when, why) replaces an adverbial phrase of place, time or reason: the office where she works. So which points to the office as a thing, while where points to it as a location.

How are relative adverbs related to preposition + which?

Each relative adverb is a shorter equivalent of a preposition followed by which. Where stands for in which, at which or on which; when stands for on which, in which or at which; and why stands for for which. So the house where I live equals the house in which I live, and the day when we met equals the day on which we met. The relative-adverb version is far more common in everyday English.

Can you leave out the relative adverb?

In defining clauses, when and why can usually be dropped: the day (when) we met, the reason (why) she left. This omission is very natural in spoken British English. However, where normally cannot be dropped — if you remove it, you have to add the missing preposition at the end instead, as in the town I grew up in.

Is it ‘the reason why’ or ‘the reason that’?

Both are correct, and so is using nothing at all. You can say the reason why she left, the reason that she left, or simply the reason she left. In everyday British English, dropping the relative word is extremely common: The reason I called is… Some writers prefer the reason that in formal contexts, but the reason why is fully standard.

Why is ‘the house which I live’ wrong?

Because live needs a preposition to connect to a place. You can say the house where I live (the relative adverb supplies the idea of in), or the house which I live in (the preposition is added at the end). But the house which I live leaves the preposition missing, so it is incorrect. Either keep where, or use which…in.

Can ‘where’ be used with abstract nouns?

Yes. Besides literal places, where often follows abstract nouns such as situation, case, point and stage, where the “place” is figurative: We’ve reached a point where we must decide, or There are cases where this rule does not apply. This is standard and very common in both speech and writing.

Why can’t I put a preposition before ‘when’ or ‘where’?

Relative adverbs already contain the meaning of the preposition, so adding another one is redundant. Avoid the day on when we met; say the day when we met or the day on which we met. Likewise, do not write the room where I sleep in it — the in it repeats what where already expresses. Just say the room where I sleep.

At what level should I learn relative adverbs?

Relative adverbs are usually introduced at B1 (intermediate) and refined through B2 and C1 on the CEFR scale, once learners are comfortable with basic relative clauses. They appear frequently in Cambridge B1 to C1 exams and in IELTS writing and speaking, where they help you connect ideas about place, time and reason smoothly and naturally.