Examples of Defining Relative Clauses in Complex Sentences

📚 Quick Study Guide

• 🔍 Defining Relative Clause: A clause that provides essential information to identify the noun it modifies. Without it, the sentence's meaning changes significantly.
• ✍️ Placement: Usually placed immediately after the noun they modify.
• 🔑 Relative Pronouns/Adverbs: Commonly introduced by 'who,' 'whom,' 'whose,' 'which,' 'that,' 'where,' 'when,' or 'why.'
• 📝 Complex Sentence Structure: Combines an independent clause (a complete thought) with one or more dependent clauses, including the defining relative clause.
• 💡 Example Structure: [Independent Clause] + [Relative Pronoun] + [Defining Relative Clause]. Example: *The book that I borrowed from the library is due next week.*

🧪 Practice Quiz

1. Which sentence contains a defining relative clause?
   1. A. The cat, which is very fluffy, is sleeping.
   2. B. My sister, who loves to read, works at the library.
   3. C. The house that Jack built is now for sale.
   4. D. I enjoy tea, which is hot, every morning.
2. In the sentence, "The student who studies hard usually succeeds," what is the defining relative clause?
   1. A. The student
   2. B. usually succeeds
   3. C. who studies hard
   4. D. The student who
3. Which relative pronoun is most appropriate for referring to people in a defining relative clause?
   1. A. Which
   2. B. That
   3. C. Who
   4. D. Where
4. Identify the noun modified by the defining relative clause in the sentence: "The car that he bought last year is already having problems."
   1. A. Year
   2. B. Problems
   3. C. He
   4. D. Car
5. Which of the following sentences does NOT require a comma before the relative pronoun?
   1. A. My dad, who is an engineer, built this house.
   2. B. The restaurant that serves the best pizza is downtown.
   3. C. This book, which I found at a thrift store, is really interesting.
   4. D. Sarah, who is my best friend, is coming over tonight.
6. What is the function of a defining relative clause?
   1. A. To add extra, non-essential information.
   2. B. To provide essential information about the noun it modifies.
   3. C. To start a new sentence.
   4. D. To show contrast between two ideas.
7. In the sentence, "The park where we had our picnic got flooded", identify the relative adverb.
   1. A. The
   2. B. Park
   3. C. Where
   4. D. Flooded