Relative Clauses

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• Middelbare school
• havo, vwo
• Leerjaar 3-5

Relative clauses

relative clauses

relative clauses are " betrekkelijke bijzinnen".

There are two different kinds of relative clauses:

• defining relative clause 
• non-defining relative clauses

Relative clauses

Defining relative clauses (no commas):

You can leave out that when:

• it is the object of the relative clause
• it is followed by a pronoun (name or I, you, he, she etc.)

This is the house that Jack built. 

Relative clauses

Defining relative clauses:  you need them in the sentence for it to make sense. They give you essential information. NO COMMAS!!!

Non defining relative clauses: They give extra information, which isn’t absolutely necessary. We use COMMAS to separate them from the rest of the sentence. 

Defining relative clauses give us...

1. Extra information
2. Essential information

Non-defining relative clauses give us...

1. Extra information
2. Essential information

Is this sentence correct?
This sport, that was invented two years ago, is becoming very popular.

1. Correct
2. Incorrect

The village in .........I lived had really changed

1. that
2. which
3. whom
4. who

Is this sentence correct?
Nadal, whose uncle was a football player, won Wimbledon in 2010.

1. Correct
2. Incorrect

Sarah's dog,.... is still young, always likes to play with a ball

1. who
2. which
3. whom
4. whose

Our new table, ... is made of recycled wood, looks great!

1. that
2. who
3. which
4. whose

Xander's best friend,... is older than he is, works as a teacher

1. who
2. that
3. whom
4. which

The man ... car was stolen was on the news

1. which
2. whose
3. that
4. who

Thank you for your letter. It arrived yesterday morning.

The Grand Hotel has offered me a job. My brother works there.