Relative clauses 1: clauses with who/that/which

Study this example situation:

Last week we had a party and a lot of people came. Everybody enjoyed it.
 Everybody who came to the party enjoyed it.

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:

the woman who lives next door to me
(‘who lives next door to me’ tells us which woman)
people who complain all the time
(‘who complain all the time’ tells us what kind of people)

We use who in a relative clause for people (not things):

• The woman who lives next door to me is a doctor.

• I don’t like people who complain all the time.

• An architect is someone who designs buildings.

• What was the name of the person who called?

• Do you know anyone who wants to buy a car?

We also use that for people, but not which:

• The woman that lives next door to me is a doctor. (not the woman which)

  Sometimes you must use who (not that) for people.

When we are talking about things, we use that or which (not who) in a relative clause:

• I don’t like stories that have unhappy endings.or … stories which have unhappy endings.

• Grace works for a company that makes furniture.or … a company which makes furniture.

• The machine that broke down is working again now.or The machine which broke down …

In these examples that is more usual than which, but sometimes you must use which.

In relative clauses we use who/that/which, not he/she/they/it.

Compare:

• I met a Canadian woman at the party. She is an English teacher. (2 sentences)I met a Canadian woman who is an English teacher. (1 sentence)

• I can’t find the keys. They were on the table.Where are the keys that were on the table? (not the keys they were)

What = the thing(s) that

Compare what and that:

• What happened was my fault. (= the thing that happened)

but

• Everything that happened was my fault.(not Everything what happened)

• The machine that broke down is now working again.(not The machine what broke down)

Try this exercise to test your grammar.

Language Level