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Year 9 English — Defining and non-defining relative clauses

Tell a clause that says which one from a clause that only adds extra information, and punctuate each correctly.

Name: ________________________

  1. 1."The runners who trained on the hills finished first." There are no commas. What does the sentence tell you?

    • a) Every runner trained on the hills.
    • b) The runners finished first, and it happens that they had all trained on the hills.
    • c) Some of the runners trained on the hills, and those are the ones who finished first.
    • d) None of the runners trained on the hills.

  2. 2.Put the cards in order to make one correct sentence with a defining relative clause.

    • The pen
    • has run out.
    • last week
    • which
    • you lent me

  3. 3.The speaker has only one uncle. Which version is punctuated correctly?

    • a) My uncle who lives abroad, is coming on Sunday.
    • b) My uncle, who lives abroad is coming on Sunday.
    • c) My uncle, who lives abroad, is coming on Sunday.
    • d) My uncle who lives, abroad, is coming on Sunday.

  4. 4.Complete with a defining relative clause built from "lives next door". Write the four words that fill the gap: The woman ____ is a pilot.

  5. 5.Which sentence is wrong?

    • a) The film that we watched last night was long.
    • b) The film we watched last night was long.
    • c) The film which we watched last night was long.
    • d) The film, that we watched last night, was long.

  6. 6.In each sentence the relative clause is in capitals. Sort by whether that clause needs commas round it.

    Groups: Needs commas — extra information · No commas — it says which one

    • The boy WHO PLAYS THE FLUTE sits behind me.
    • The man WHO GREW UP ON A FARM keeps bees.
    • My father WHO GREW UP ON A FARM tells wonderful stories.
    • My mother WHO IS A DOCTOR works long hours.
    • The doctor WHO TREATED MY ANKLE works at the clinic.
    • My only brother WHO PLAYS THE FLUTE is younger than me.

  7. 7.One relative pronoun can never introduce a clause sitting between a pair of commas. Write it.

  8. 8.Match each relative pronoun to what it stands in for.

    • who
    • whom
    • whose
    • which
    • where
    • when
    • a person, as the subject of the clause
    • a time
    • a thing or an animal
    • something belonging to the person or thing
    • a person, as the object of the clause
    • a place

Answer key — Year 9 English — Defining and non-defining relative clauses

  1. 1. c) Some of the runners trained on the hills, and those are the ones who finished first.
  2. 2. 1. The pen 2. which 3. you lent me 4. last week 5. has run out.
  3. 3. c) My uncle, who lives abroad, is coming on Sunday.
  4. 4.
    • who lives next door
    • that lives next door
  5. 5. d) The film, that we watched last night, was long.
  6. 6. My mother WHO IS A DOCTOR works long hours. → Needs commas — extra information; The doctor WHO TREATED MY ANKLE works at the clinic. → No commas — it says which one; My father WHO GREW UP ON A FARM tells wonderful stories. → Needs commas — extra information; The man WHO GREW UP ON A FARM keeps bees. → No commas — it says which one; My only brother WHO PLAYS THE FLUTE is younger than me. → Needs commas — extra information; The boy WHO PLAYS THE FLUTE sits behind me. → No commas — it says which one
  7. 7. that
  8. 8. who → a person, as the subject of the clause; whom → a person, as the object of the clause; whose → something belonging to the person or thing; which → a thing or an animal; where → a place; when → a time