Mastering Relative Clauses

Mastering Relative Clauses

Learning Objectives

At the end of the lesson you will be able to create a review on relative clauses and understand when to use who, where, which, whom, and that. You will be able to combine two sentences into 1 sentence using a relative pronoun. You will be able to choose which relative pronoun to use in a defining or non-defining relative clause.

Introduce the objectives of the lesson and explain what students will be able to do by the end.

What do you already know about relative clauses and relative pronouns?

What are Relative Clauses?

Relative clauses are used to give additional information about the subject or object of a sentence. They are introduced by relative pronouns such as who, whom, whose, which, and that.

Introduce what relative clauses are and explain their purpose.

Defining Relative Clauses

Defining relative clauses provide essential information about the subject or object of the sentence. They cannot be removed without changing the meaning of the sentence.

Explain what defining relative clauses are and how they differ from non-defining relative clauses.

Example of a Defining Relative Clause

The book that I read last night was really interesting.

Provide an example sentence to illustrate what a defining relative clause looks like in practice.

Non-Defining Relative Clauses

Non-defining relative clauses provide additional, but not essential, information about the subject or object of the sentence. They are separated from the rest of the sentence by commas.

Explain what non-defining relative clauses are and how they differ from defining relative clauses.

Example of a Non-Defining Relative Clause

My sister, who is a doctor, is coming to visit me next week.

Provide an example sentence to illustrate what a non-defining relative clause looks like in practice.

Relative Pronouns

Relative pronouns are used to introduce relative clauses. Common relative pronouns include who, whom, whose, which, and that.

Introduce common relative pronouns and explain their function in introducing relative clauses.

When to Use Who and Whom

Who is used when referring to the subject of the sentence, while whom is used when referring to the object of the sentence.

Explain the difference between who and whom and when to use each one.

Example of Using Who

The woman who lives next door is a teacher.

Provide an example sentence to illustrate the use of who in a relative clause.

Example of Using Whom

The doctor whom I saw yesterday was very helpful.

Provide an example sentence to illustrate the use of whom in a relative clause.

When to Use Which

Which is used to refer to things, while who and whom are used to refer to people.

Explain when to use which in a relative clause.

Example of Using Which

The car which is parked outside belongs to my neighbor.

Provide an example sentence to illustrate the use of which in a relative clause.

When to Use That

That can be used to refer to people or things, but is more commonly used to refer to things.

Explain when to use that in a relative clause.

Example of Using That

The book that I'm reading is really good.

Provide an example sentence to illustrate the use of that in a relative clause.

Practice Combining Sentences

Have students practice combining two sentences into one using a relative pronoun.

Provide practice exercises for students to work on combining sentences using relative pronouns.