Definition / Explanation
Defining relative clauses help us say exactly which person or thing we mean. They add important information, so we do not use commas. We often use who for people and which for things, while that is common for both in everyday English. This structure helps combine two short sentences into one longer sentence. It is useful for giving clear descriptions without repetition.
Key Rules
- Use who for people: the man who helped me.
- Use which for things: the book which I bought.
- Use that for people or things in many everyday sentences.
- Do not use commas in defining relative clauses.
- The relative clause comes right after the noun it describes.
Examples
- That is the man who helped me.
- This is the book that I like.
- The girl who sits there is my sister.
- I need a phone that works well.
- The dog which lives next door is very friendly.
Common Mistakes
- ❌ That is the man which helped me. -> ✅ That is the man who helped me.
- ❌ This is the book, that I like. -> ✅ This is the book that I like.
- ❌ I need a phone who works well. -> ✅ I need a phone that works well.