Stage 7

Relative clauses:
defining and non-defining

Teacher Meriem
 Clauses, phrases and sentences
• A clause is a group of words that consists of a subject and a
verb
He laughed
The guests arrived
• A phrase is a group of words that does not count of a subject
and a verb
On the table
Under the tree

2
 Note:

• Both clauses and phrases may exist within a sentence

He is sleeping on the bed
• A clause has both subject and object. It can stand alone as a
complete sentence. A phrase cannot stand by itself and
doesn’t have a meaning.

3
 Relative pronouns:
People Who, that
Whom (object formed)
Things Which/ that

Places where

Dates when

Possessives whose

4
 Defining relative clauses:
• A defining relative clause give essential info about noun in
the main clause which is referred to without the info the
sentence would be incomplete.
She’s the woman who I was telling you about
We do not use commas around the relative clause.
The doctor who treated me is very kind.

5
 Non-defining clauses:
• A non-defining relative clause gives extra info about the main
clause which referred.