Relative Clauses - A Practice Task

A relative clause is a subordinate clause that begins with a question word; e.g. who, which, where, or that. We can use it to modify a noun or pronoun.

Now read the sentences below and learn the structure of a relative clause.

Poor character (a.) // sets(b.) // the environment (c.) // that breeds the death of any good relationship (d.). by Robb Thompson
(a. Subject)//(b. verb) //(c. object)// (d. relative clause )

Now read the paragraph below and expand the imcomplete sentences (3-6) using the sentence structure with a relative clause.

Secondary school education is our fundamental cornerstone of learning. It is important to help students to understand the factors which influence personal development, interpersonal relationships, values and beliefs; and to devlop self-understanding and self confidence.

1. School education // is // the cornerstone //that helps students with self development.
2. Schools // can provide // a learning environment //which develops students' value and beliefs.
3. Education creates manpower that ....
4. Most school graduates have received the education that ...
5. Studying at university ....
6. Learning different languages equips students with language skills that ...

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More sample sentences

• Students who can develop independent learning skills often achieve good academic results.
• A university is a place where people pursue advanced knowledge in specific academic disciplines.
• What’s the name of the person who/that first landed on the moon?
• The student who achieves the highest score in this school will be awarded a scholorship of $20,000.
• Computer games that involve fighting and shooting apparently have a negative effect on young people.
• Albert Einstein, who put forward the theory of relativity, is considered by many as the most intelligent person in human history.
  

Reduction of relative clauses. You can sometimes reduce a defining relative clause to create a more concise style. You cannot reduce a non-defining clause.

• Half of the training sessions (that are) arranged for the athletes have been cancelled due to bad weather.
• The foreigner (who/whom) you saw at the party last night is Giorgio Armani!