Mastering the Relative Pronouns: Who, Which, and That

• Engels
• Middelbare school
• havo
• Leerjaar 2

Mastering the Relative Pronouns: Who, Which, and That

By: Mr. Abualkibash

Learning Objective

At the end of the lesson, you will be able to confidently use the relative pronouns: who, which, and that.

This slide is to be displayed at the beginning of the presentation to clearly communicate the lesson's objective to the students.

What do you already know about relative pronouns?

Definition of Relative Pronouns

Relative pronouns are words used to connect a clause to a noun or pronoun.

Introduce the concept of relative pronouns and provide examples of how they are used.

Who

Who is used to describe people. Example: The boy who is wearing a red shirt is my cousin.

Explain that 'who' is used to describe people and provide more examples.

Which

Which is used to describe things or animals. Example:

The car which is parked outside is mine.

Explain that 'which' is used to describe things or animals and provide more examples.

That

That is used to describe people, things, or animals. Example:

 The book that I am reading is very interesting.

Explain that 'that' is used to describe people, things, or animals and provide more examples.

Restrictive vs Non-Restrictive Clauses

- Relative pronouns can be used in either long or short clauses.

- Short clauses provide essential information while long  clauses provide additional information.

Differentiate between restrictive and non-restrictive clauses and provide examples.

Restrictive Clauses with Who

Who is used in clauses when it refers to the subject of the clause.

Example: The girl who is singing is my sister.

Provide examples of restrictive clauses with 'who' and explain when it is appropriate to use them.

Restrictive Clauses with Which

Which is used in short clauses when it refers to the object of the clause.

 Example: The car which I bought last week is a Toyota.

Provide examples of restrictive clauses with 'which' and explain when it is appropriate to use them.

Restrictive Clauses with That

That is used in short clauses when it refers to either the subject or object of the clause. 

Example: The book that I am reading is very interesting.

Provide examples of restrictive clauses with 'that' and explain when it is appropriate to use them.

Non-Restrictive Clauses with Who

Who is used in long clauses when it provides additional information about the subject. 

Example: My sister, who is a doctor, is coming to visit me.

Provide examples of non-restrictive clauses with 'who' and explain when it is appropriate to use them.

Non-Restrictive Clauses with Which

Which is used in long clauses when it provides additional information about the object.

 Example: The car, which is parked outside, is mine.

Provide examples of non-restrictive clauses with 'which' and explain when it is appropriate to use them.

Non-Restrictive Clauses with That

That is not typically used in long clauses.

Explain that 'that' is not typically used in non-restrictive clauses and provide examples.

Practice Exercise

Identify the relative pronoun in the following sentence: 

The dog that is barking is annoying.

Provide an interactive slide for students to identify the relative pronoun in a given sentence.

Common Mistakes

Common mistakes when using relative pronouns include using 'that' when 'who' or 'which' is appropriate, and using non-restrictive clauses when restrictive clauses should be used.

Highlight common mistakes to help students avoid them.

Summary

Relative pronouns are used to connect a clause to a noun or pronoun. Who is used to describe people, which is used to describe things or animals, and that is used to describe people, things, or animals. They can be used in either restrictive or non-restrictive clauses.

Summarize the key points of the lesson for students to review.

Conclusion

Congratulations! You have successfully learned how to use the relative pronouns who, which, and that.

End the presentation with a positive and encouraging message to the students.

Write down 3 things you learned in this lesson.

Have students enter three things they learned in this lesson. With this they can indicate their own learning efficiency of this lesson.

Write down 2 things you want to know more about.

Here, students enter two things they would like to know more about. This not only increases involvement, but also gives them more ownership.

Ask 1 question about something you haven't quite understood yet.

The students indicate here (in question form) with which part of the material they still have difficulty. For the teacher, this not only provides insight into the extent to which the students understand/master the material, but also a good starting point for the next lesson.