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Relative Clauses Worksheet

Free printable exercises: fill-in-the-blank, true/false, and sentence writing. Includes answer key.

Level: B1–B2 3 Exercises Answer Key Included A4 Format

📖 Quick Grammar Reference: Relative Clauses

PronounRefers toExample
whopeopleThe teacher who taught me French retired.
whichthings / animalsThe book which I borrowed was fascinating.
thatpeople or things (defining only)The car that she bought broke down.
whosepossessionThe student whose essay won the prize is here.
defining vs non-definingessential vs extra infoMy sister, who lives in Edinburgh, is visiting.

Exercise 1 — Fill in the Blank (Write the correct relative pronoun: who, which, that, or whose.)

  1. The teacher taught me French retired last year.
  2. The book I borrowed was fascinating.
  3. The student essay won the prize is in my class.
  4. My sister, lives in Edinburgh, is visiting us next week.
  5. The Eiffel Tower, was built in 1889, attracts millions of visitors.
  6. The man called you yesterday is my neighbour.
  7. This is the house Jack built.
  8. The woman bag was stolen reported it to the police.
  9. Professor Hall, research I admire greatly, gave a lecture.
  10. The film ( ) we watched last night was brilliant.

Exercise 2 — True or False (Read each statement about relative clauses and circle T (True) or F (False).)

  • Non-defining relative clauses are separated from the main clause by commas.
    T F
  • That can be used in non-defining relative clauses, for example “My brother, that lives in Dublin, is visiting.”
    T F
  • The relative pronoun can be omitted when it is the object of the relative clause, as in “The film (that) we watched was brilliant.”
    T F
  • A defining relative clause can be removed from the sentence without changing its core meaning.
    T F
  • Whose is a possessive relative pronoun that can refer to both people and things.
    T F

Print version: write T or F on the line next to each statement.

Exercise 3 — Write Your Own Sentences (Combine the two short sentences into one sentence using a relative clause.)

  • I met a woman. She speaks five languages.
  • This is the film. We watched it last night.
  • My father is a retired teacher. He loves gardening.
  • The student won a scholarship. Her project won the prize.
  • Write your own sentence about a place, using the relative adverb “where”.
📋 Show Answer Key

Exercise 1

  1. who / that
  2. which / that
  3. whose
  4. who
  5. which
  6. who / that
  7. that / which
  8. whose
  9. whose
  10. that (or omitted)

Exercise 2

  1. True — Non-defining clauses always use commas
  2. False — That cannot be used in non-defining clauses; it should be who
  3. True — This is a contact clause, omitted because it is the object
  4. False — A defining clause is essential to the meaning and cannot be removed without losing clarity
  5. True — Whose can refer to people (the student whose essay…) or things (the building whose roof…)

Exercise 3

Open answers. Check that students use the correct relative pronoun (who for people, which for things, whose for possession), correct commas for non-defining clauses, and grammatically complete combined sentences, e.g. “I met a woman who speaks five languages.”

📄

Practice Online: Cloze Dropdown

Select the correct relative pronoun from a dropdown to complete each sentence with instant feedback.

Try the exercise →

Relative Clauses Worksheet — FAQ

What does this relative clauses worksheet cover?
This worksheet covers choosing between who, which, that and whose, the difference between defining and non-defining relative clauses, and when the relative pronoun can be omitted. It includes fill-in-the-blank, true/false, and sentence-writing exercises.
What level is this relative clauses worksheet?
This worksheet is designed for B1 (Intermediate) to B2 (Upper-Intermediate) learners who are combining sentences into more sophisticated, fluent structures.
What is the difference between defining and non-defining relative clauses?
A defining relative clause identifies which person or thing is meant and uses no commas: The book that I lent you is out of print. A non-defining relative clause adds extra information about a noun already clearly identified and is separated by commas: My father, who is a retired teacher, loves gardening.
When do I use who and when do I use which?
Use who to refer to people: The doctor who treated me was very kind. Use which to refer to things and animals: The report which she submitted was excellent. In defining clauses, that can replace both, but never in non-defining clauses.
Can I save this worksheet as a PDF?
Yes. Click the orange ‘Print / Save as PDF’ button at the top of the page. In your browser’s print dialogue, select ‘Save as PDF’ as the destination. The worksheet is formatted for A4 paper.
Is the answer key included?
Yes. Scroll to the bottom of the worksheet to find the collapsible answer key. Click ‘Show Answer Key’ to reveal all answers. If you want to print the answers too, open the key before clicking Print.
What online exercise goes with this worksheet?
The related online exercise is Cloze Dropdown at lexfizz.com/exercises/cloze-dropdown/ — it lets you select the correct relative pronoun to complete each sentence with instant feedback.
How is whose used in relative clauses?
Whose is the possessive relative pronoun, replacing his, her, its, or their. It can refer to people or things and always precedes a noun: The student whose essay won the prize is in my class.
When can I omit the relative pronoun?
You can omit the relative pronoun when it is the object of the verb in a defining relative clause — this is called a contact clause: The film (that) we watched was brilliant. It cannot be omitted when it is the subject of the clause.
How long does this worksheet take to complete?
The three exercises take approximately 20–25 minutes for most B1–B2 learners. Allow extra time for the writing task in Exercise 3 if students need to think carefully about forming original sentences.