EXERCISES. 1. Join each pair of sentences together to make one sentence with a relative clause, using who or which:

1. Join each pair of sentences together to make one sentence with a relative clause, using who or which:

1. This is the man. I met him in Paris. 2. I wanted the painting. You bought it. 3. This is the chair. My parents gave it to me. 4. She’s the woman. She telephoned the police. 5. He’s the person. He wanted to buy your house. 6. We threw out the computer. It never worked properly. 7. This is the lion. It’s been ill recently. 8. The man was badly injured. He was driving the car. 9. The children broke the window. They live in the next street. 10. That’s the woman. I was telling you about her. 11. I know somebody. He deals with exports. 12. I want some plates. They can go in the microwave. 13. I was at school with the man. He is driving that taxi. 14. I’d like to speak to the person. He could mend that chair. 15. There’s some cheese in the fridge. It needs to be eaten. 16. We’ve got some light bulbs. They last for years. 17. This is the switch. It isn’t working.

2. Point out the relative clause and indicate whether it is a subject or object relative clause:

1. The woman who I spoke to wasn’t very polite. 2. The machine that worked better than others cost the least. 3. I wouldn’t stay at a hotel that refused to accept children. 4. I don’t understand people who hate animals. 5. The stereo that I bought last week doesn’t work properly. 6. The television that they have designed is going to be very expensive. 7. That man who complained is always making trouble. 8. The woman who gave us all this money is not very rich. 9. I admire people who can speak more than one language. 10. The assistant who you complained about has been moved.

3. Indicate whether the clause is limiting (defining)or descriptive (non-defining). Decode its meaning:

1. The bus, which arrived late, was full. 2. The bus which they sent didn’t have enough seats. 3. The house which we wanted to buy was too expensive. 4. The house, which we wanted to buy, was too expensive. 5. I have two brothers who are working as architects at the moment. 6. I have two brothers, who are working as architects at the moment. 7. I never met the doctor, who lived next door for five years. 8. Did I ever tell you about my uncle, who left school when he was 15? 9. I didn’t agree with the man who said we should cancel the trip. 10. She’s one of those people who will argue about anything.

4. Express each pair of sentences as one with a contact clause. Think carefully about the word order:

e.g.I shouted at a man. He didn’t come back again. → The man I shouted at didn’t come back.

1. I dropped a television. It never worked again. 2. I hired a machine. It was broken. 3. They built a wall. It fell down after three weeks. 4. I asked a policeman. He wasn’t very helpful. 5. We bought a car. I didn’t really like it. 6. I borrowed some money from Janice. I lost it. 7. They sent a new teacher. I really liked her. 8. I sacked a sales assistant. I had a terrible argument with him. 9. She bought some clothes. They were beautiful. 10. He spoke to the girl very rudely. She really hates him.

5. Use who, that, which, or nothing to complete these sentences:

e.g. Have you got the money __ I lent you yesterday? → Have you got the money I lent you yesterday?

1. Peter, __ I had seen earlier, wasn’t at the party. 2. This is the machine __ cost half a million pounds. 3. Mary, __ had been listening to the conversation, looked angry. 4. Have you read the book __ I gave you? 5. The house, __ they bought three months ago, looks lovely. 6. Mrs. Jackson, __ had been very ill, died yesterday. 7. Is this the person __ stole your handbag? 8. The dog, __ had been very quiet, suddenly started barking. 9. I didn’t receive the letter __ she sent me. 10. My mother, __ hadn’t been expecting visitors, looked surprised. 11. The old man, __ had been talking to them earlier, knew that they were in the building. 12. The horse, __ had been injured by the flying stones, was very frightened. 13. We didn’t like the secretary __ the agency sent. 14. I didn’t find the money __ you said you’d left.

6. Express these pairs of sentences as one, using which:

e.g. I love the countryside. That is why I want to go and live there. →

I love the countryside, which is why I want to go and live there.

1.They stayed for hours. I was very annoyed about this.

2.He passed all his exams. This surprised us.

3.They forgot about my birthday. This was a bit disappointing.

4.The pilot showed us how to fly the plane. It was extremely interesting.

5.I couldn’t get a flight to Malaga. This upset the children.

6.He was rude and aggressive. His behaviour made me very angry.

7.He said they couldn’t pay for the car immediately. This made me a bit suspicious.

8.The policeman asked me for directions. This confused me a little.

9.The restaurant wouldn’t accept cheques. I found it rather surprising.

10.He fixed my player within ten minutes. I was very happy about it.

7. Make the second sentence into a descriptive clause and put it into the correct place:

e.g. When I was in town, I met my sister. She was shopping for some clothes. →

When I was in town, I met my sister, who was shopping for some clothes.

1. Their house needs a lot of work doing to it. It is near the beach. 2. Sandra’s just got a new job with Capital Insurance. It’s a much better company than the last one she worked for. 3. The new manager seems to be a very capable woman. I met her last week. 4. This case is full of books. I carried it all the way to the station. 5. The Games International Company has just gone bankrupt. We have done business with them for many years. 6. The hospital has handed out redundancy notice to all its staff. It is due to close down next year. 7. The prisoners are requesting more time out of their cells. Their families are campaigning on their behalf. 8. The new government is now facing major problems. It came to power with a lot of public support. 9. Her latest novel is really good. I read it on holiday. 10. The Home Affairs Minister is suspected of being involved in a financial scandal. The Opposition have accused the minister of lying. 11. The Education Department is changing its policy on single sex schools. Mrs. Parkinson is in charge of the department. 12. The Lilley and Swan department store has made reductions on most of its goods. The store has a sale on at the moment. 13. The sales manager is planning a new advertising campaign. I support her ideas. 14. The principal actor could hardly speak last night due to a sore throat. He normally has a wonderful voice.

8. Use the sentences in the box to make descriptive clauses. Insert an appropriate clause into each of the sentences:

e.g. This new drug have bad side effects. → This new drug, which is very powerful, have bad side effects.

1. Her father is said to be dying of cancer. 2. The Prime Minister said that he was very saddened by the news of the air crash. 3. The story she gave was that she had not realized how late it was. 4. Agatha Christie was a very prolific writer. 5. The sub-tropical gardens are open all year round. 6. The manager of the restaurant said that she was very sorry about the undercooked fish. 7. Our Professor of Psychology has written some very interesting books. 8. We packed a picnic and walked down to the beach. 9. Next Saturday I’m going to visit my Aunty Sheila.

9. Use a relative pronoun in the following sentences. In which sentences is it possible to omit the relative pronoun?

1. The British are almost the only people __ drive on the left. 2. Canada, __ capital city is Ottawa, is a bilingual country. 3. The resource __ Saudi Arabia is famous for is its oil. 4. The language __ is dominant in South America is Spanish. 5. Most of the Americans __ I know are from California. 6. The Japanese, __ electronics industry is very efficient, have a big export market. 7. Tourists __ wish to travel to Russia must apply for a visa. 8. Spain, Portugal and Greece have become members of the European Economic Community, __now includes twelve countries. 9. The Shetland Irelands, _ lie halfway between Scotland and Norway, can be reached by sea or air. 10. Countries in __ motorways are free include Germany and Britain. 11. It was an awful experience. It was the worst thing that had ever happened to me. 12. Our doctor is a person whom I really respect. 13. He had a simple idea which changed the world. 14. I’ve lost that nice ring which Bill gave me. 15. It’s a book that everybody talks about and nobody reads. 16. Once there were three rabbits that lived near a river. 17. That’s the man who I wanted to see. 18. An orphan is a child who hasn’t got any parent. 19. He keeps telling you things which you already know. 20. They never thanked me for the money that I sent them.

10. Fill in the blanks with a relative pronoun. Put Ø if you think no pronoun is necessary. Where can you use that?

1. We’re looking for someone __ can speak two foreign languages at least. 2. The man next door, __ is unemployed at the moment, has asked me to help him find a job. 3. Is he the same man __ we met at the bar a couple of days ago? 4. Who is his wife? Perhaps she’s the woman __ we were talking about yesterday? 5. He did the decorating in this flat, __, by the way, is the same size as mine. 6. The things __ he said about his previous jobs are very interesting. 7. Are you talking about the music __ was being played at their party. 8. You have no taste! The souvenirs __ you bought during your trip are really awful. 9. Who is the person __ you’re staring at? 10. There are people and places __ I’ll remember all my life.