Relative Clauses

A relative clause is a type of subordinate clause that gives more information about a noun — the person, thing or place mentioned in the main clause. Relative clauses begin with a relative pronoun: who (for people), which (for things), that (for people or things), whose (to show belonging) or where (for places). For example: ‘The girl who sits next to me is called Layla.’ The relative clause ‘who sits next to me’ tells us more about ‘the girl’. Relative clauses can be defining — providing information that is essential to identify which person or thing we mean — or non-defining, giving extra, bonus information that could be removed without changing the core meaning. Non-defining relative clauses are separated from the rest of the sentence by commas: ‘My dog, which loves the park, is called Biscuit.’ The commas show that the clause is additional information, not essential for identification. Using relative clauses adds depth and detail to sentences and is a key feature of more sophisticated writing.