English 1r Batxillerat

UNIT 7 _ Non-Defining Relative Clauses

A. Combine the sentences using relative clauses. Note that all relative clauses are non-defining.
- Samuel Johnson was the son of a bookseller. Samuel Johnson was born in 1709.
- In 1728, he went to Oxford. He studied at Pembroke College in Oxford.
- Johnson had to leave Oxford without a degree. He was too poor to pay the fees.
- In 1737, Johnson moved to London. There he wrote poetry, essays and biographies.
- In 1746, Johnson started to write his dictionary. It took him nine years to complete.
- His home at that time was in 17 Gough Square in London. It is a museum now.
- In this house, his wife died in 1752. Her name was Elizabeth Porter.
- In 1755, the work was published. It was called A Dictionary of the English Language.
- Samuel Johnson died in 1784. He is buried in Westminster Abbey.
B. Study the situations and then decide whether the following relative clauses are
defining or non-defining.

defining no commas

non-defining commas

1. I
My

brother

have
who

lives

three
Sidney

in

came

brothers.
see
me

to

last

month.

in

France.

My brother, who lives in Sidney, came to see me last month.

2. I
My

sister

have
who

is

25

one
years
old

spent

sister.
her
holiday

My sister, who is 25 years old, spent her holiday in France.

3. Bob's
Bob's

mum
mum
who

has
is

lost
musician

her
has
lost

keys.
her
car

keys.

to
moved

Canada.
Canada last

week.

Bob's mum, who is a musician, has lost her car keys.

4. My
My

friend
friend Jane

Jane
whose husband

is

moved
Canadian

to

My friend Jane, whose husband is Canadian, moved to Canada last week.

5. I

am
shoes

The

a
which

shoe
yesterday

bought

are

fanatic.
very

comfortable.

The shoes, which I bought yesterday, are very comfortable.

6. Mr
Mr

Robinson
Robinson whom

is
I

met

at

very
trade fair

the

is

famous.
famous

inventor.

Mr Robinson, whom I met at the trade fair, is a famous inventor.

7. Tamara
has
two
cats.
Both
of
them
are
Tamara's
two
cats
which
can
play
outside

black.
are
black.

Tamara's two cats, which can play outside, are black.

8. Kevin
has
four
cats.
Two
Kevin's
two
cats
which
are

of

them
black

are

black.
play
outside.

a
is

church.
very
old.

can

Kevin's two cats, which are black, can play outside.

9. We

are
The

on
church

holiday.
which

Yesterday
we
visited
we
visited
yesterday

The church, which we visited yesterday, is very old.

10. We
St.

are
on
holiday.
Yesterday
Mary's
Church
which
we

we
visited

visited
yesterday

a
is

church.
very
old.

St. Mary's Church, which we visited yesterday, is very old.

Forming relative clauses

C. Combine the sentences using a relative clause. Use relative pronouns only where necessary. Note
that you have to use commas in some of the sentences.
2

A holiday in Scotland
1. We spent our holiday in Scotland last year. Scotland is in the north of Great Britain.
Last year we

2. People
The people

live

3. We
first
We first

went

in

to

Scotland.

Edinburgh.

They

Edinburgh

are

is

the

called

capital

Scots.

of

Scotland.

4. Arthur Conan Doyle was born in Edinburgh. He wrote the Sherlock Holmes stories.
Arthur Conan Doyle

5. Then
The lake

we

visited

6. Loch Ness
Loch Ness

is

7. There we
An old man

met

37

an

km

old

lake.

long.

It

People

man.

He

is

know

told

us

it

in

for

that

the

its

he

Highlands.

friendly

had

monster.

seen

Nessie.

8. We then travelled to a mountain. The mountain is near the town of Fort William.
We then

9. The mountain is the highest mountain in Great Britain. It is called Ben Nevis.
The mountain

10.I sent you

The postcard

postcard.

It

was

written

on

the

summit

of

Ben

Nevis.

1. Circle the relative pronoun and underline the noun it describes.

1.

I have a friend who lives in Paris.

2.

This is the book which I told you about.

3.

We ate in a restaurant where the waiters sing and dance.

4.

That is the man whose wife died.

5.

The 4th of July is the day when Americans celebrate independence.

6.

Those are the flowers that my father bought.

2. Match A to B to form sentences.

A

1.

They say New York is a city

a.

2.

She works for an airline

3.

There are many Americans

c.

whose speciality is treating back pain.

4.

She took him to a doctor

d.

where people never sleep.

5.

They met in 1943

b.

e.

when the country was at war.

who speak Spanish.

which has got offices all over the world.

3. Choose the correct relative pronoun.

1.

They met outside the house which / where / whose the party was held.

2.

Whats the name of the artist who / which / when painted the Mona Lisa?

3.

Her father didnt like the car who / when / that her mother had chosen.

4.

The girl who / whose / that bicycle was stolen is terribly upset.

5.

Thats the book who / which / where he recommended.

4

6.

Have you met the couple who / which / where want to buy the house?

7.

I remember the day where / which / when my brother was born.

4. Complete the sentences with a suitable relative pronoun.

1.

She knows Antonio Bear, is an excellent translator.

2.

He uses American Sign Language, is different from British Sign Language.

3.

The Bahamas, my friends have gone on holiday, is supposed to be beautiful.

4.

His father, mother tongue is English, speaks French quite well.

5.

Molly was born in 1996, my sister was just one.

5. Combine the sentences using the relative pronoun in brackets. Make any necessary changes.
1.

She fell in love with a boy. His father works in Africa. (whose)

2.

That is the shop. I bought my new shoes there. (where)

3.

Ill never forget that day. I first saw you then. (when)

4.

Where can I find a shop? It sells drumsticks. (which)

5.

This is the guide. He will take you on a tour of the city. (who)

RELATIVE CLAUSES
Complete the sentences with a relative pronoun if necessary:
-I really admire people.give up their free time to do charity work
-Is that the girl..you met at the party?
-I hate films..have an open ending
-I couldnt understand the notesyou lent me
-I dont know how they are going to pay for the new flat..they bought
-The stories..Stephen King writes are usually very frightening
-Is that the girl..father is a TV presenter?