مدونة التربية و التعليم في الجزائر – دروس، فروض، نتائج امتحانات مدونة التربية والتعليم في الجزائر | تحضير الدروس، فروض واختبارات، نتائج البكالوريا وBEM، مسابقات التوظيف، والتوجيه المدرسي للطلاب وأولياء الأمور.
Relative Clauses (Defining and Non-Defining)
Relative clauses are used to add extra information about a noun. They begin with relative pronouns like who, whom, which, that, whose. There are two types: defining and non-defining.
Relative Pronouns
| Pronoun | Used for | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Who | People (subject) | The man who called you is my brother. |
| Whom | People (object, formal) | The person whom I met was kind. |
| Which | Things/Animals | The book which I read was great. |
| That | People/Things (informal) | The car that I bought is red. |
| Whose | Possession | The girl whose bag was stolen cried. |
Defining Relative Clauses
Purpose: Essential information — without it, the sentence doesn’t make complete sense.
“The woman who lives next door is a doctor.”
“I need a pen that works.”
Note: No commas used. “That” can replace “who/which”.
Non-Defining Relative Clauses
Purpose: Extra information — the sentence makes sense without it.
“My mother, who is a teacher, loves her job.”
“Paris, which is the capital of France, is a beautiful city.”
Note: Always use commas. Cannot use “that”.
Comparison
| Defining | Non-Defining |
|---|---|
| Essential information | Extra information |
| No commas | Commas used |
| Can use “that” | Cannot use “that” |
| “The man who called is here.” | “John, who called, is here.” |
Exercises
- Combine: “I bought a phone. The phone is expensive.” (defining)
- Add a non-defining clause: “My father … loves gardening.”
- Choose defining or non-defining: “The students ___ passed the exam will get a certificate.”