Grammar

Relative Clauses — Adding Detail

Use who, which, that, where to combine ideas into richer sentences — a key skill for moving from short, choppy writing to CLB 9+ complexity.

6 min read

Key strategies

1.who = people, which = things, that = either, where = places, whose = possession.
2.Relative clauses let you combine two short sentences into one richer one.
3.Defining clauses (essential info) take no commas; non-defining clauses (extra info) take commas.
4.Do not repeat the subject: "The man who he called me" is wrong; "The man who called me" is correct.

What they do

A relative clause adds information about a noun, letting you combine ideas:

Two sentences: "I met a woman. She works at the embassy." One sentence: "I met a woman who works at the embassy."

Choosing the right word

who — people: "the teacher who helped me."
which — things/animals: "the book which won the prize."
that — people or things (informal): "the car that broke down."
where — places: "the city where I grew up."
whose — possession: "the man whose car was towed."

Do not double the subject

The relative pronoun replaces the subject — do not add another:

✓ "The man who called me was polite." ✗ "The man who he called me was polite."

Commas change the meaning

Defining (no commas) — essential to identify the noun: "The students who studied passed." (only those students)
Non-defining (commas) — extra, removable info: "My brother, who lives in Ottawa, is visiting."

CELPIP application

Short, simple sentences cap your score. Relative clauses are one of the easiest ways to write complex sentences — exactly what Readability at CLB 9+ rewards: "The proposal, which the council approved last week, will create new jobs."

Check yourself

A quick self-check on this lesson — pick an answer, then see the explanation. Not graded.

1. Choose the correct word: "That is the woman ___ won the award."

2. Combine correctly:

3. Places use which word? "This is the town ___ I was born."

4. Which sentence gives EXTRA (non-essential) information?

Grow your Grammar vocabulary

The right words lift your score. Study task-specific CELPIP word lists with definitions, examples and exam tips.

All vocabulary bundles

Ready to practise for real?

Get exam-style questions, instant AI feedback on your Writing and Speaking, and a personalised path to your target CLB.

Create your free account →