“who can speak five languages” is a defining relative clause. It tells us which person or thing the speaker is talking about.

I can speak five languages

Later…

I’ve just hired a secretary who can speak five

languages.

relative pronoun

Defining relative clause

who… is for people

which… is for things

that… is for people and things

whose… is used to talk about possession

a girl who swims well

a house which has four bedrooms

a girl that swims well

a house that has four bedrooms

a man whose wife sings

a country whose population live well

Relative Pronouns

Relative Pronouns

Observe:

I met a man.

The man had a gun.

subject

I met a man who had a gun.

subject

The relative pronoun is necessary because it is the subject of the relative clause.

Mr Jones bought a new computer. I haven’t seen it.

Observe:

I haven’t seen the new computer

that / which Mr Jones bought.

subject

object

The relative pronoun is not necessary because it is the object of the relative clause.

Non-defining relative clause

Anne and Tim work in the same office.

They are good friends.

Anne and Tim, who are good friends, work in the same office.

who are good friends is a non-defining relative clause. We already know who or what the speaker is talking about. The clause just gives extra information.

It should be between commas.

Relative Pronouns

We can use who and which with non-defining relative clauses, but we can’t use that.

John, who that works for a big company, is always nervous and tense.

Peter, whose that father is a doctor, opened a Chinese restaurant.

He always travels by train, which that is faster and more comfortable.

Who has more than one sister, June or James?

June’s sister, who lives in Paris, plays golf very well.

James’s sister who lives in London is a real hard-worker.

Answer: James

Why? Because we needed a defining relative clause to specify which of his sisters we’re talking about.

extra information

Combine the two sentences into one:

1- A boy had an accident. He’s in hospital now.

The boy_________________________________________

2- A girl helped me. She was nice and calm.

The girl_________________________________________

3- I was given a dog. It’s big and very ugly.

The dog_________________________________________

4- We saw a film. It was extremely boring.

The film________________________________________

that/who had an accident is in hospital now

that/who helped me was nice and calm

(that/which) I was given is big and very ugly.

(that/which) we saw was extremely boring

5- I told you a story. It was true.

The story_________________________________________

6- He read some books. They were all interesting

The books________________________________________

7- Sue bought new shoes. They were not comfortable.

The shoes________________________________________

8- My husband took some photographs. I haven't

seen them.

I haven’t seen ___________________________________

(that/which) I told you was true

(that/which) he read were all interesting

(that/which) Sue bought were not comfortable

the photographs (that/which) my

husband took.

9- The boy loves volleyball. He lives next to me.

The boy________________________________________

10- We bought a car. The car was too expensive.

We bought________________________________________

11- A vet is a doctor. He looks after animals.

A vet_________________________________________

who loves volleyball lives next to me

a car that / which was too expensive

is a doctor who looks after animals