A. Which of these relative clauses are defining and which are non-defining?

1. The new University that they intent to create will specialise in distant learning.
2. The ESSEX company, which was created in 1989, is facing serious difficulties now.
3. The teacher who you spoke to is responsible for the foreign language department.
4. What's the name of the company whose factory we visited yesterday?
5. Mrs West, who I spoke to on the phone, last night, is very interested in our project.
6. Mr Edwards, who has worked for the same company all his life, is retiring next month.
7. The boy who she fell in love with left her after a few weeks.
B. Identify the mistakes and correct them.
1. Ann, who party we went to last month, has just got a job.
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2. I like the course I've chosen it.
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3. That's the man who's company was awarded a prize.
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4. The job that you want it requires many skills.
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5. The chairs who you brought to the office are very comfortable.
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C. Defining relative clauses
Join the following pairs of sentences by means of a relative pronoun.
1. She's the woman. She lives next door.
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2. She's the woman. Her husband works at that bookshop just around the corner.
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3. I know a big bookshop. It sells all kinds of books.
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4. This is the car. We bought it from Ted Elliot.
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5. These are the people. I invited them for my party.
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D. Non-defining relative clauses. Join these sentences by means of a relative pronoun.
DON'T FORGET THE NECESSARY COMMAS.
1. Mrs Elliot went to hospital. Mrs Elliot had a terrible pain on her back.
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2. Ted Elliot is telling David about his problems. Ted's wife left home some days ago.
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3. The new disco in Main Street has just opened. Everyone is talking about the disco.
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4. Wordsworth was a famous English poet. His house was by Windermere lake.
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5. My cousin Ted won a tennis tournament. This makes our family very proud of him.
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6. That high yellow building on the corner was recently built. There's a solar panel on its
roof.
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 E. Defining/non-defining relative clauses Join these sentences by means of a relative
pronoun. DON'T FORGET THE NECESSARY COMMAS.
1. Thousands of people have been killed in the terrorist attack. They were innocent.
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2. The last match was very good. The match was played between two national top teams.
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3. The coalition soldiers occupied the capital city. They came to protect the population.
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4. One of my best friends has got many cousins. I cant remember their names.
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5. My friend John runs the best pet shop in town. He is very fond of animals.
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6. My neighbour Sheila complained at the police station. Her house was robbed last night.
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7. Many other neighbours were there too. Their cars were also robbed.
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8. A police officer is taking note of all the cars. They were robbed last night.
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9. Neil Armstrong landed on the Moon. He was an American astronaut.

10. Mr Taylor had been driving all day. He was tired and wanted to stop.
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11. The keys are on the table. They are mine.

12. She was dancing with a boy. He is my brother.

13. That is the Spanish girl. I told you about her last evening.
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14. The book is very good. I have just read it.

15. The Johnson's boy can speak French very well. I met him in Paris last Summer.
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 F. Defining/Non-defining. Join the sentences by means of a relative pronoun. Omit it
when possible.
1. We often visit our company headquarters. They are only 15 km away.
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2. Ann is one of my closest friends. I have known her for years.
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3. They didn't thank us for the help we gave them at work. This was very rude of them.
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4. Our History teacher was late this morning. He comes always on time.
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5. The boy is paying no attention at all. The teacher is looking at him.
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6. The girl is very pretty. You have talked to her just now.
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7. The strike at the shipyard is now over. It lasted 4 days.
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8. Our Secretary speaks both English and German fluently. Her mother is German
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9. The course gave us a lot of information on time management. I thought it would be
useless.
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G. Join the sentences by means of a relative pronoun. Omit it when possible.
1. What's the name of the man. You borrowed his car.
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2. I met a nice girl. Her mother is an English teacher.
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3. The woman is a doctor. She lives next door.
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4. Where is the cheese. It was in the fridge.
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5. A bus goes to the airport. It runs every half hour.
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6. Jane went to see the doctor. Jane hasnt been feeling well lately.
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7. Mark is telling David about his problems. Marks wife has left him.
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8. These are the people. I invited them for my party.
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9. Shes the woman. She lives in Birmingham.
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10. The new disco in High Street is very popular with young people. Everyone is talking
about it.
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11. Buddy is planning to go to university. This makes his parents very proud of him.
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H. Join the sentences by means of a relative pronoun. Omit it when possible.
1. The girl is Ann's sister. She worked as a volunteer in Africa.
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2. Ann's father works for an international company. It does business with African countries.
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3. My car was quite old. It was destroyed in a crash.
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4. Some of the girls are coming to Portugal next year. You met them in Rome.
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5. Cultural differences prevented the deal from concluding. The deal was very profitable
for both countries.
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6. Tolerance is very important nowadays. Most people don't show it towards anything or
anyone.
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7. Harmony Day is celebrated in Australia. It should become a world celebration.
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8. The UNESCO already operates worldwide. It should have more economic power in
order to solve situations more efficiently.
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9. The UNESCO agents are often attacked. They must be protected in their humanitarian
actions.
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10. The friend is studying in Paris. I'm writing this letter to him.
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11. Two students are absent today. Their names haven't been called.
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12. Have you seen the article? I told you about it yesterday.
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13. James Larson is in a difficult situation. His father has just died.
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14. My dressmaker went to Paris last year. Her models are highly paid.
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 Exercise A
1. The new University that they intent to create will specialise in distant
learning. Defining
2. The Essex Company, which was created in 1989, is facing serious difficulties
now. Non-defining
3. The teacher who you spoke to is responsible for the foreign language
department. Defining
4. What's the name of the company whose factory we visited
yesterday? Defining
5. Mrs West, who I spoke to on the phone last night, is very interested in our
project. Non-defining
6. Mr Edwards, who has worked for the same company all his life, is retiring
next month. Non-defining
7. The boy who she fell in love with left her after a few weeks. Defining
Exercise B.
1. Ann, who party we went to last month, has just got a job.
a. Ann, whose party we went to last month, has just got a job
2. I like the course I've chosen it.
a. I like the course I've chosen
3. That's the man who's company was awarded a prize.
a. That's the man whose company was awarded a prize.
4. The job that you want it requires many skills.
a. The job that you want requires many skills.
5. The chairs who you brought to the office are very comfortable.
a. The chairs (that) you brought to the office are very comfortable
Exercise C.
1. She's the woman who (that) lives next door.
2. She's the woman whose husband works at that bookshop just around the corner.
3. I know a big bookshop that (which) sells all kinds of books.
4. This is the car (that) we've bought from Ted Elliot.
5. These are the people (who/that) I invited them for my party.
Exercise D. Non-defining
1. Mrs Elliot, who had a terrible pain on her back, went to hospital.
2. Ted Elliot, whose wife left home some days ago, is telling David about his
problems.
3. The new disco in Main Street, which everybody is talking about, has just
opened.
4. Wordsworth, whose house was by Windermere Lake, was a famous English
poet.
5. My cousin Ted won a tennis tournament, which made our family very proud of
him.
6. That high yellow building on the corner, on which roof there is a solar panel,
was recently built.
 Exercise E.
1. Thousands of people who (that) have been killed in the terrorist attack were innocent.
2. The last match that (which) was played between two national top teams was very
good.
3. The coalition soldiers, who occupied the capital city, came to protect the population.
4. One of my best friends has got many cousins whose names cant remember.
5. My friend John, who is very fond of animals, runs the best pet shop in town.
6. My neighbour Sheila, whose house was robbed last night, complained at the police
station.
7. Many other neighbours whose cars were also robbed were there too.
8. A police officer is taking note of all the cars that (which) were robbed last night.
9. Neil Armstrong, who was an American astronaut, landed on the Moon.
10. Mr Taylor, who had been driving all day, was tired and wanted to stop.
11. The keys which (that) are mine are on the table.
12. She was dancing with a boy who (that) is my brother.
13. That is the Spanish girl (who) I told you about her last evening.
14. The book that (which) I have just read is very good.
15. The Johnsons boy (who) I met him in Paris last summer can speak French very well.
Exercise F.
1. We often visit our company headquarters which/that are only 15 km away.
2. Ann, who I have known for years, is one of my closest friends.
3. They didn't thank us for the help we gave them at work, which was very rude of them.
4. Our History teacher, who comes always on time, was late this morning.
5. The boy the teacher is looking at is paying no attention at all.
6. The girl you have been talking to is very pretty.
7. The strike at the shipyard, which lasted for 4 days, is now over.
8. Our Secretary, whose mother is German, speaks both English and German fluently.
9. The course I thought would be useless gave us a lot of information on time
management.