What you'll learn
By the end of this lesson, you'll be able to join two ideas with who, which, and that to identify exactly which person or thing you are talking about, and decide when to leave the connector out.
When do I use it?
Use a defining relative clause to specify which person or thing you mean. Without it, the sentence is too general: "The man is my neighbor" could be any man, but "The man who lives next door is my neighbor" points to one. Spanish works the same way with "que": "el hombre que vive al lado".
How do I form it?
person/thing + who/which/that + extra information
- People: who or that — "The woman who works here is kind."
- Things: which or that — "The book that I bought is great."
- No commas: this clause is essential, so you do not separate it with commas.
The girl who won the prize is my cousin.
The phone that I lost was brand new.
Common mistakes for Spanish speakers
- Omitting the connector when it is the subject. Spanish always keeps "que", so learners sometimes drop it: "The woman lives here is my aunt" is missing its subject. Keep the connector: "The woman who lives here is my aunt."
- Using "what" for things. From Spanish "que" or "lo que", some learners write "the movie what we saw". Use "that" or "which": "The movie that we saw was good."
- Adding a duplicated pronoun. "The boy who he broke the window" repeats the subject. Spanish "el chico que él rompió" hints at this, but English needs only "The boy who broke the window."
Sort your connectors: "who" for people, "which" for things, and "that" for both. If removing the clause changes who or what the sentence means, it is defining, so no commas.
Practice
Word Order
B1Put the words in the correct order for a defining relative clause.
Fill in the Blank
B1The man fixed my car is very friendly.
Hint: Use 'who' for a person who does the action in the clause.
Multiple Choice
B1Choose the correct sentence.
Find the Error
B1Practice Speaking
Apply what you've learned in a real conversation with AI feedback.
Level: B1