Defining Clauses

What is a Defining Relative Clause?

A defining relative clause (also called a restrictive relative clause) gives essential information that identifies exactly which person, place, or thing we are talking about. Without this information, the sentence would not make complete sense.

Important: Defining clauses are NOT separated by commas.

• The man who lives next door is a doctor. (Which man? The one who lives next door.)
• The book that I borrowed was fascinating. (Which book? The one I borrowed.)
• The restaurant where we ate was expensive. (Which restaurant? The one where we ate.)

Relative Pronouns

The choice of relative pronoun depends on what is being described and its role in the clause.

• The woman who called you is my boss. (Subject — person)
• The car which won the race is Italian. (Subject — thing)
• The film that we saw was terrible. (Object — thing)
• The woman whose purse was stolen is crying. (Possessive)

Omitting the Relative Pronoun

When the relative pronoun is the object of the clause (not the subject), you can omit it in defining clauses.

• The film (that) we saw was terrible. (Object — pronoun can be omitted.)

• The man who called you is here. (Subject — pronoun cannot be omitted.)

• The pizza (that) I ordered has arrived. (Object — pronoun optional.)

• The pizza which was delivered is cold. (Subject — pronoun required.)

Examples

• The woman who lives next door is from Canada. (Subject — cannot omit "who")
• The dress (that) she wore was stunning. (Object — "that" is optional)
• The house whose roof is red belongs to my uncle. (Possessive — "whose" is required)
• Do you know the reason why she left? (Reason — "why")
• The café where we first met has closed. (Place — "where")