B1 · Intermediate Level

Weekly Exercises · Chapter 9 — Relative Clauses

Add detail smoothly! Master defining and non-defining relative clauses, learn when to omit relative pronouns, and use whose, where, and when to enrich your sentences.
Five exercises on one page · Lesson + Quiz · Listen & Type · Scrambled Sentences · Shadowing · Listen, Read & Understand
Each section has its own Finish & Send button. Complete the exercises in any order.

① Quick Lesson — Chapter 9: Relative Clauses

Weekly Exercises — Quick Lesson: Relative Clauses

Defining Clauses · Non-Defining Clauses · Omitting Pronouns · Whose/Where/When · Common Errors

9.1 — Defining Relative Clauses

who, which, that — Essential Information

Use defining relative clauses to give necessary information that identifies or defines the noun. Without this clause the sentence would be unclear. No commas.

Pronoun	Use	Example
who	people	The woman who lives next door is a doctor.
which	things / animals	The car which broke down has been repaired.
that	people or things	I need the book that you borrowed.

⚠ Key Rule — No Commas! Defining clause: Students who study regularly get better grades. ← NO commas
The clause is essential — removing it changes or loses the meaning entirely.

9.2 — Non-Defining Relative Clauses

who, which, whose — Extra Information

Use non-defining relative clauses to add extra, non-essential information. The sentence still makes sense without it. Always use commas.

Pronoun	Use	Example
who	people	My sister, who lives in Toronto, is visiting.
which	things	The Eiffel Tower, which is in Paris, is iconic.
whose	possession	Prof. Lee, whose lectures are engaging, retired.

⚠ Never use "that" in non-defining clauses! ✗ My phone, that I bought last year, is broken.
✓ My phone, which I bought last year, is broken.
And never omit the pronoun — it is always required.

9.3 — Omitting the Relative Pronoun

When Can You Leave It Out?

You can omit who / which / that only in defining clauses — and only when the pronoun is the object of the verb (not the subject).

Can omit? (object)	Cannot omit? (subject)
The song (that) you played is great.	The woman who called you is my aunt. ✗ omit
The man (who) I called didn't answer.	The dog that barks all night… ✗ omit
The book (which) she recommended was great.	The student who won the prize… ✗ omit

⚠ Quick Test Ask: does the relative pronoun have its own verb after it? If yes → it is the subject → do NOT omit.
The woman [who called you] → "called" belongs to "who" → subject → cannot omit.

9.4 — Whose, Where & When

Possession · Place · Time

Word	Meaning	Example
whose	possession (people & things)	The student whose essay won is in my class.
whose	things too	The company whose CEO resigned is in crisis.
where	place	This is the café where we first met.
where	place	Paris is the city where I studied abroad.
when	time	I'll never forget the day when we graduated.
when	time	Summer is the season when I feel most alive.

9.5 — Common Errors to Avoid

5 Mistakes & How to Fix Them

#	Wrong	Correct
1	My brother, that lives in Berlin… (non-defining)	My brother, who lives in Berlin…
2	My laptop which is old still works. (no commas)	My laptop, which is old, still works.
3	The book what I read was good.	The book that / which I read was good.
4	The woman called you is my aunt. (omitted subject)	The woman who called you is my aunt.
5	Clause placed too far from its noun.	Keep the clause immediately after the noun it describes.

⚠ Final Tips Essential info → defining → no commas → can use that.
Extra info → non-defining → commas required → never use that.
Use whose for possession, where for place, when for time.

📝 Quick Quiz — Chapter 9: Relative Clauses

20 questions · Multiple choice · Auto-graded

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② Listen & Type

Listening Exercise | Relative Clauses

Listen & Type — Chapter 9: Relative Clauses

15 relative clause sentences • Level A1

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③ Scrambled Sentences

Relative Clauses — Scrambled Sentences

🔀 Put the sentences in order | Relative Clauses in Context | English B1

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PronounVerb ★Article AdjectivePrepositionNoun Adverband / but / by

④ Shadowing

🎤 Shadowing — Chapter 9: Relative Clauses

Listen · Repeat · Practice — 25 beginner sentences in natural context

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25 sentences — Relative Clauses · Level B1

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⑤ Listen, Read & Understand

Listen, Read & Understand — Chapter 9: Relative Clauses

Read the story · listen along · answer the quiz · send your results

Sofia is a journalist who works for a well-known magazine. Last week she visited a small town whose history dates back five hundred years. The town, which is located in the mountains, has a beautiful old cathedral. The cathedral, which was built in the sixteenth century, attracts many visitors every year.

Sofia met a local guide named Carlos, whose knowledge of the town is remarkable. He showed her the square where the market takes place every Saturday. He also took her to the restaurant where the town's founders used to meet. "I will never forget the year when this restaurant first opened," said Carlos. "That was the moment when the town really came alive."

On her way back, Sofia wrote about the people who live there, the traditions that have survived for centuries, and the buildings whose walls hold countless stories. She also mentioned the old bridge, which was repaired just last year, and the musicians whose songs she heard in the square. Sofia's article, which was published the following Monday, received hundreds of positive comments.

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Grammar Notes — Relative Clauses in the Story:

🔵 "a journalist who works for a magazine" → Defining clause — 'who' for people, no commas, identifies which journalist

🔵 "a small town whose history dates back five hundred years" → 'whose' for possession — the history belongs to the town

🟢 "The town, which is located in the mountains..." → Non-defining clause — commas before and after, 'which' for things

🟢 "the square where the market takes place" → 'where' for place — the square is a location

🔴 "the year when this restaurant first opened" → 'when' for time — the year is a time expression

🔴 "the traditions that have survived for centuries" → Defining clause — 'that' for things, no commas, essential information

🟡 "Sofia's article, which was published..." → Non-defining clause — 'which' + commas, adds extra non-essential detail

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📝 Comprehension & Grammar Quiz — Chapter 9: Relative Clauses

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