Mastering Relative Clauses

What is a relative clause?

• A relative clause is a standalone sentence that expresses a complete thought.

• A relative clause is a phrase that provides additional information about an adverb.

• A relative clause is a clause that modifies a noun and begins with a relative pronoun.

• A relative clause is a type of adjective that describes a verb.

Identify the relative clause in the following sentence: 'The book that I borrowed was fascinating.'

• that was fascinating

• The book was fascinating

• that I borrowed

• I borrowed was fascinating

Combine the sentences: 'The girl is my sister. She won the award.'

• The girl who won the award is my sister.

• The girl is my sister and she won the award.

• My sister won the award, the girl.

• The girl who is my sister won an award.

Differentiate between restrictive and non-restrictive clauses in this sentence: 'My brother, who lives in New York, is visiting.'

• The clause 'who lives in New York' is essential to the sentence.

• The clause 'who lives in New York' is non-restrictive.

• The clause 'who lives in New York' provides no additional information.

• The clause 'who lives in New York' is restrictive.

Rewrite the sentence using a relative clause: 'The car is fast. It belongs to my friend.'

• The car is fast and belongs to my friend.

• The car that is fast belongs to my brother.

• My friend has a fast car.

• The car that belongs to my friend is fast.

Analyze the function of the clause in this sentence: 'The teacher who inspires me is retiring.'

• The clause functions as a relative clause that modifies 'the teacher'.

• The clause functions as a noun clause that acts as the subject.

• The clause functions as a main clause that stands alone.

• The clause functions as an adverbial clause modifying 'is retiring'.

Identify the restrictive clause in the sentence: 'Students who study hard will succeed.'

• who study hard

• study hard will succeed

• Students will succeed

• who will succeed

Combine the sentences: 'I met a man. He is a famous artist.'

• The man I met is a famous artist.

• I met a man who is a famous artist.

• I met a famous artist who is a man.

• I met a man, and he is an artist.

Rewrite the following sentence with a relative clause: 'The movie was thrilling. I watched it last night.'

• I watched the thrilling movie last night.

• The movie was thrilling that I watched last night.

• Last night, I watched the movie that was thrilling.

• The movie that I watched last night was thrilling.

What is the role of a relative pronoun in a relative clause?

• To indicate the tense of the verb in the clause.

• To replace a verb in the clause.

• To introduce a new subject in the sentence.

• The role of a relative pronoun in a relative clause is to link the clause to a noun or pronoun, adding descriptive information.