Relative Clauses

Relative clauses are a fundamental way to add detail to sentences without starting a new one. They are introduced by relative pronouns such as who, whom, whose, which, and that. In English, the choice of pronoun depends on the noun it refers to and its grammatical function. For people, who is used for subjects (The teacher who arrived early was praised) and whom for objects (The man whom we met yesterday is a chef). Whose replaces a possessive form (The student whose laptop crashed needed help). For things and animals, which is common for subjects and objects (The book which lies on the table is new), while that can be used in defining clauses (The film that won the award is now streaming).\n\nThere are two main types of relative clauses: defining (restrictive) and non‑defining (non‑restrictive). Defining clauses give essential information that limits the meaning of the noun; they are not set off by commas (The houses that have solar panels are cheaper to run). Non‑defining clauses add extra, non‑essential information and are always separated by commas (My brother, who lives in Canada, is visiting). In non‑defining clauses, the pronoun that is often replaced by who, which, or whose, but that is rarely used.\n\nRelative clauses can also be reduced. When the relative pronoun would be the object of a verb, we can drop the pronoun and the auxiliary verb, turning the clause into a participial phrase (Students studying hard will pass the exam). When the relative pronoun is the subject, we can use a present participle (The woman walking the dog is my neighbour). These reductions make sentences more concise and are typical in advanced writing.\n\nLearners at B2 level should be comfortable distinguishing between who/whom, using whose for possession, and knowing when to use which versus that. They should also practice punctuating non‑defining clauses correctly and experiment with reduced forms to improve fluency and style. Mastery of relative clauses not only enriches vocabulary but also sharpens the ability to connect ideas smoothly, a skill essential for academic essays and professional communication.

Relative clauses are introduced by relative pronouns (who, whom, whose, which, that). Who refers to people as subjects, whom to people as objects, and whose to possession. Which is used for things and animals, while that is common in defining clauses for both people and things. Defining (restrictive) clauses give essential information and are not set off by commas; non‑defining (non‑restrictive) clauses add extra information and require commas. In non‑defining clauses, that is rarely used; who, which, or whose are preferred. Reduced relative clauses are possible when the pronoun would be the object (verb + -ing) or the subject (present participle). Example: "Students studying hard will pass" (object reduction) and "The woman walking the dog is my neighbour" (subject reduction). Correct punctuation and pronoun choice are crucial for clarity, especially at B2 level where both defining and non‑defining forms appear frequently in essays and reports.