Exercise 1
Choose the correct relative pronouns to complete the following defining relative clauses.
Defining relative clauses
We use defining relative clauses to specify which person, thing or place we are talking about.
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who, which, where
We use who for people.
- He met the police officer who saved his life.
We use which for things and animals.
- He put on the suit which he wore for special occasions.
We use where for places.
- This is the hotel where we spent our honeymoon.
that
We can use that instead of who or which. But we often use who for people and which/that for things.
- He’s the neighbour who/that helped us to move out.
- Change the cable which/that connects the computer to the printer.
Be careful with these common mistakes!
We cannot use *what or an expression like *that he/she etc. in this type of relative clauses.
- That’s the student that/who I told you about. (NOT
the student what I told you about) - That’s the man that/who tried to steal my wallet. (NOT
the man that he tried to steal my wallet.)