Clauses with who/that/which Relative Clauses Clauses with who/that/which

A clause is a part of a sentence. A relative clause tells us which person or thing (or what kind of person or thing) the speaker means. Examples: The woman who lives next door is a doctor. An architect is someone who designs buildings.

Relative Clause with “who” as the Verb’s Subject We use “who” in a relative clause when we are talking about people. We use “who” instead of he/she/they etc. Examples: Anyone who wants to do the exam must enter before next Friday. The man who lives next door is very friendly.

Relative Clause with “which” as the Verb’s Subject We use “which” in a Relative Clause when we are talking about things. Examples: The machine which broke down has now been repaired. Where is the cheese which was in the fridge?

Relative Clause with “that” as the Verb’s Subject When we are talking about things, we can use “that” or “which” in a Relative Clause. Example: The bus that/which goes to the airport runs every half an hour. The building that/which was destroyed in the fire has now been rebuilt.

“who”/”which”/”that” as the Verb’s Object Sometimes “who”/”which”/”that” is the object of the verb. Example: I wanted to see a woman. The woman was away on holiday. → The woman who I wanted to see was away on holiday.

When “who”/”which”/”that” is the object of the verb, we can leave it out. Example: → The woman who I wanted to see was away on holiday. ← The woman I wanted to see was away on holiday.