Defining Relative Clauses
A defining relative clause (also known as a restrictive relative clause) is a type of
subordinate clause that provides essential information about a noun. Without this clause,
the meaning of the sentence would be incomplete or unclear.
1. What Are Relative Clauses?
Relative clauses are dependent clauses that describe or give more information about a
noun. They start with a relative pronoun or a relative adverb and connect ideas in a
sentence.
2. What Are Defining Relative Clauses?
A defining relative clause tells us which person, thing, or place we are talking about. This
information is necessary to understand the sentence fully.
✅ The man who lives next door is a doctor.
✅ The car that she bought is very expensive.
✅ The place where I was born is beautiful.
3. Relative Pronouns Used in Defining Relative Clauses
Relative Pronoun Used For Example
Who People (subject) The teacher who helped me
is very kind.
Whom People (object, formal) The teacher whom you met
is my uncle.
Which Animals & things The phone which I lost was
expensive.
That People, animals & things The movie that we watched
was great.
Whose Possession The man whose car broke
down was late.
Where Places The park where we met is
beautiful.
When Time The day when we met was
unforgettable.
4. Important Grammar Rules for Defining Relative Clauses
1. No commas are used in defining relative clauses.
2. 'That' can replace 'who' or 'which' in defining clauses, especially in informal speech.
3. The relative pronoun can be omitted if it is the object of the clause.
4. 'Whom' is rarely used in spoken English, and 'who' is often preferred.
5. More Examples of Defining Relative Clauses
✅ The boy who sits next to me is my best friend.
✅ The girl that won the contest is my sister.
✅ The man whose wallet was stolen went to the police.
✅ The car which broke down belongs to my father.
✅ The smartphone that I bought last week is amazing.
✅ The place where I was born is beautiful.
✅ The year when I graduated was 2020.
6. Defining vs. Non-Defining Relative Clauses
A defining relative clause gives essential information, while a non-defining relative clause
adds extra (non-essential) information and uses commas.
Defining Clause (No Commas) Non-Defining Clause (With Commas)
The book that I borrowed was interesting. The book, which I borrowed, was
interesting.
The man who fixed my car was kind. The man, who fixed my car, was kind.
The girl whose phone was stolen is crying. Sarah, whose phone was stolen, is crying.
💡 Tip: In non-defining clauses, you cannot use 'that'!
🚫 Incorrect: The book, that I borrowed, was interesting.
7. Exercises on Defining Relative Clauses
A. Fill in the blanks with the correct relative pronoun:
1. The teacher ___ helped me is very kind.
2. The book ___ I borrowed is very interesting.
3. The man ___ car was stolen is at the police station.
4. The school ___ I study is very big.
5. The year ___ I was born was 2005.
B. Rewrite the sentences using a defining relative clause:
1. I have a friend. He speaks five languages.
2. The movie was amazing. We watched it last night.
3. The girl is my cousin. She won the competition.
4. The hotel was very nice. We stayed there during our vacation.
5. The man is a doctor. His son is my classmate.
