What you'll learn
By the end of this lesson, you'll be able to nest one clause inside another for precise, sophisticated sentences.
When do I use it?
An embedded clause sits INSIDE another clause, usually as a relative clause or an additional piece of information:
- Relative: "The idea that you proposed is brilliant."
- Interrupted flow: "The report, which I thought was ready, is still unfinished."
- Noun clause inside a clause: "What you said about the budget worries me."
- Reporting inside: "The manager said that the deadline, which we doubted, was fixed."
Embedding lets you pack more information into one flowing sentence instead of several short ones.
How do I form it?
noun + relative clause embedded in the main clause clause + comma + extra clause + comma + clause
- The proposal, which I drafted yesterday, has been approved.
- Students who study regularly usually perform better.
- I believe that what she told us is true.
- The plan, however reasonable it seems, is risky.
Common mistakes for Spanish speakers
Keep the main clause intact around the embedded one: do not repeat the subject ("the report, which I thought was ready, it is still unfinished" — the "it" is wrong). Also, the embedded clause needs its own verb and word order. And do not over-embed: more than two levels ("the fact that the report that he wrote that I read...") becomes unreadable — break it up.
Insert the embedded clause with commas; keep the main clause continuous without repeating the subject.
Practice
Multiple Choice
C1Which sentence is correct?
Fill in the Blank
C1The book, I borrowed from Maria, is fascinating.
Hint: A thing takes 'which' in an embedded clause.
Find the Error
C1Sentence Transformation
C1Task: Combine with an embedded relative clause
Hint: Insert 'who lives in London' between commas.
Practice Speaking
Apply what you've learned in a real conversation with AI feedback.
Level: C1