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Category: Relative Clauses

  • Non-Defining Relative Clauses (PDF)

    Non-Defining Relative Clauses (PDF)

    A non-defining relative clause gives extra, non-essential information about a noun. The sentence makes sense without it — but commas are obligatory. My colleague Anna, who has worked here for ten years, has just been promoted. Three rules separate non-defining from defining: only who and which are allowed (that is not); commas are always required; and which can refer to a whole preceding clause (She arrived on time, which surprised everyone). The quick test: if you can remove the clause and the sentence still makes sense, commas are required.

    This worksheet drills B2 use of non-defining relative clauses through transformation, pronoun-choice, and comma-test tasks.

    What’s inside:

    • Grammar Box with three key rules (who/which only, that forbidden, which can refer to a whole clause) and the comma test
    • Defining vs non-defining: identify which type each sentence needs and add commas as appropriate
    • Combining: merge two sentences into one with a non-defining clause, with appropriate commas
    • Which referring to a whole clause production: write three sentences using which to comment on the previous statement
    • Full Answer Key plus Teacher Notes on the comma test and B2-level register

    Common mistakes addressed: that in non-defining clauses (My manager, that I mentioned, agreed), missing commas (My colleague Anna who has worked here for ten years has just been promoted), and confusion of which (refers to thing or clause) with what (means the thing that).

    For: Adult and teenage learners (14+) at CEFR B2, in upper-intermediate classes, 1:1 lessons, or self-study. Non-defining relative clauses are a B2 syntactic marker tested in Cambridge B2 First (FCE) Writing assessment criteria. Part of the Relative Clauses collection — the natural sibling is Defining Relative Clauses, which sets up the essential-information counterpart practised here.

  • Defining Relative Clauses (PDF)

    Defining Relative Clauses (PDF)

    A defining relative clause gives essential information about a noun — without it, the sentence doesn’t identify which one. The manager who interviewed me was very professional, The report which she submitted was excellent, The colleague whose presentation impressed everyone got the promotion. Six pronouns cover the system: who/that for people, which/that for things, whose for possession, where for places, when for times. The omission rule is the hidden third trap: the pronoun can be left out only when it functions as the object of its own clause (The report (that) she submitted) — never as the subject (The manager interviewed me is wrong without who).

    This worksheet builds B1 control of defining relative clauses through combining and omission tasks in workplace and academic contexts.

    What’s inside:

    • Grammar Box with the full pronoun table, the no-commas rule for defining clauses, and the omission test (subject vs object pronoun)
    • Combining: merge pairs of simple sentences into one with a defining relative clause
    • Omission drill: decide whether the relative pronoun can be left out — and rewrite
    • Gap-fill: complete sentences with the most appropriate pronoun (who, which, that, whose, where, when)
    • Full Answer Key plus Teacher Notes on the quick subject-vs-object test for omission

    Common mistakes addressed: commas in defining clauses (The manager, who interviewed me, was great), omitting subject pronouns (The manager interviewed me was great), and using what instead of that (The thing what she said was true).

    For: Adult and teenage learners (14+) at CEFR B1, in intermediate classes, 1:1 lessons, or self-study. Defining relative clauses are heavily tested in Cambridge B1 Preliminary (PET) sentence-combining tasks. Part of the Relative Clauses collection — the natural next step is Non-Defining Relative Clauses, which adds the comma-marked extra-information variant.