1. Relative Clauses
We use relative clauses to give additional
information about something.
When you combine a sentence with a relative
clause, your text becomes more fluent and you
can avoid repeating certain words.
A novelist is a person. She/He writes novels.
A novelist is a person who/that writes novels.

2. Relative Pronouns
use example
I told you about the woman
who for people
who lives next door.
Can you see the cat which is
which for animals and things
lying on the roof?
possession for people, animals and Do you know the boy whose
whose
things mother is a nurse?
for people, animals and things in
I don’t like the table that
that defining relative clauses (who or which
stands in the kitchen.
are also possible)

3. Relative Adverbs
relative
use example
adverb
Friday was the day
when refers to a time expression
when we met.
That was the restaurant
where refers to a place
where we met.
That is the reason why
why refers to a reason
we met.

4. Defining Relative Clauses
They give important information that cannot be left
out. It tells us exactly what is being referred to.
That book which /that you lent me is really good.
Non-Defining Relative Clauses
They add extra information. They are separated by
commas in writing, and by pause in speaking.
The book, which I hadn’t read, was still on the shelf.
(If there’s only one book on the shelf)
That is not used in non-defining relative clauses.

5. Attention
In defining relative clauses we can leave out the
relative pronoun if it is the object of the clause.
That is the car (that) I used to own.
(I used to own sth. What?)
We cannot leave out the relative pronoun if it is the
subject of the clause.
That is the woman who/ that bought my car.
(She bought my car.)
Source:EMMERSON, Paul, VINCE, Michael. First Certificate Language
Practice with key. Oxford:Macmillan, 2003. Pages 62-63.