Relative Clauses Exercises - Study Paper

Explanation:

 Relative clauses provide additional information about a noun in the main clause.
They usually start with relative pronouns like "who," "which," or "that."
o Example: The dog that barks loudly belongs to my neighbor.

In many cases, "which" and "that" are interchangeable when introducing restrictive relative
clauses (those essential to the meaning of the sentence). However, there are some differences
in usage:

 "That" is often preferred in restrictive relative clauses when referring to things,

especially in informal contexts.
 "Which" is used when referring to things, particularly in non-restrictive relative
clauses (additional, non-essential information).

In formal writing, "which" might be preferred for non-restrictive relative clauses, but in everyday
usage or less formal contexts, "that" is commonly used for restrictive clauses, particularly when
referring to things.

 Non-restrictive relative clause using "which":

 The house, which is painted blue, belongs to my aunt.


o In this example, the relative clause "which is painted blue" provides additional
information about the noun "house," but it is not essential to identify which
house is being referred to. Therefore, it's set off by commas and uses "which."

 Restrictive relative clause using "that":

 The book that I borrowed from the library is due tomorrow.


o In this example, the relative clause "that I borrowed from the library" is
essential to identify which book is being referred to. It restricts the meaning to
a specific book out of possibly many. Therefore, it does not use commas and
employs "that."

Exercise 1: Complete the Sentences with Relative Pronouns

Choose the correct relative pronoun (who, which, or that) to complete the sentences.

1. The girl ______________ is sitting next to me is my friend.

2. The book ______________ is on the table belongs to Sarah.
 3. The house ______________ has a red door is mine.
4. The movie ______________ we watched last night was scary.
5. The cat ______________ is sleeping on the bed is mine.

Exercise 2: Identify the Relative Clauses

Underline the relative clauses in the following sentences.

1. The boy who is wearing a blue hat is my brother.

2. The car that is parked in front of the house belongs to my dad.

3. The cake which has chocolate frosting tastes delicious.

4. The tree that stands in the park is very old.

5. The dog who chased the cat ran away.

Exercise 3: Choose the Correct Form

Choose the correct relative pronoun (who, which, or where) to complete each sentence.

1. The girl _______________ sings beautifully won the competition.

2. The car _______________ is parked in our driveway is red.
3. The city _______________ I was born is too cold.
4. The house _______________ has a green door needs painting.
5. The dog _______________ barks loudly scares the neighbors.

Exercise 4: Write Sentences

Write 5 sentences using relative clauses.

1.

2.

3.
4.

5.