Defining Relative Clauses Practice

Intermediate (B1) 25 minutes
Intermediate B1 worksheet for defining relative clauses practice: gap-fill, multiple choice and error correction

ESL Defining Relative Clauses Worksheet - Grammar Exercises: Gap-fill, Multiple Choice, Error Correction, Writing Sentences, Rewriting Sentences

This free defining relative clauses worksheet helps students practice defining relative clauses with who, which, where and when. First, students complete...

ESL Defining Relative Clauses Worksheet - Grammar Exercises: Gap-fill, Multiple Choice, Error Correction, Writing Sentences, Rewriting Sentences This free defining relative clauses worksheet helps students practice defining relative clauses with who, which, where and when. First, students complete each defining relative clause with the correct relative pronoun in brackets. Next, students rewrite defining relative clauses, correcting the relative pronoun mistakes. Students then write definitions for places, things, times and people using defining relative clauses, e.g. 'A kitchen is a room where people store and cook food.' Lastly, students rewrite sentences, combining them together with defining relative clauses.
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Fold your Arms

Intermediate (B1) 25 minutes
Intermediate B1 group game for describing objects, people, places, and times with defining relative clauses

ESL Defining Relative Clauses Game - Grammar and Speaking: Describing, Forming Sentences, Guessing, Freer Practice - Group Work

In this fun defining relative clauses game, students describe pictures of objects, people, places and times with defining relative clauses. In groups, students...

ESL Defining Relative Clauses Game - Grammar and Speaking: Describing, Forming Sentences, Guessing, Freer Practice - Group Work In this fun defining relative clauses game, students describe pictures of objects, people, places and times with defining relative clauses. In groups, students take turns to pick up a card, look at the picture, place the card face-down and fold their arms. The student then describes the object, person, place or time to the other students using defining relative clauses. When describing pictures, students must keep their arms folded. This is to stop them from miming or using gestures. Students are also not allowed to say the name of the object, person, place or time or use variations of the word. The first student to guess the word wins and keeps the card. The student with the most cards at the end of the game wins.
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I didn't know that!

Intermediate (B1) 30 minutes
Intermediate B1 group activity writing and correcting sentences with non-defining relative clauses using who

ESL Non-Defining Relative Clauses Activity - Grammar: Sentence Completion, Guessing, Error Correction, Reforming Sentences - Group Work

In this creative non-defining relative clauses activity, students write imaginary information about their classmates using non-defining relative clauses with 'who'...

ESL Non-Defining Relative Clauses Activity - Grammar: Sentence Completion, Guessing, Error Correction, Reforming Sentences - Group Work In this creative non-defining relative clauses activity, students write imaginary information about their classmates using non-defining relative clauses with 'who'. First, students write down the names of everyone in their group in the first column of the worksheet. Students then sit in a circle and fold their worksheet so only the 'Non-Defining Relative clauses' column is showing and give it to the person on their right, who completes the first non-defining relative clause with 'who' any way they like. Students then pass the worksheet to the person on their right who completes the next relative clause. This procedure is repeated until all the non-defining relative clauses with 'who' have been completed. After that, students do the same with the ‘Verb phrases’ column. When the students have finished, they open out their completed worksheets and read the sentences, correcting any mistakes. Finally, students read their sentences to the group. The student, who is the subject of each sentence, says whether the information is true or not, correcting the sentence to make it true if need be.
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Keep it going!

Intermediate (B1) 30 minutes
Intermediate B1 group game for extending sentences with non-defining relative clauses and pronoun cards

ESL Non-Defining Relative Clauses Game - Grammar and Speaking: Matching, Forming Clauses, Freer Practice - Group Work

In this challenging non-defining relative clauses game, students extend a sentence with non-defining relative clauses to make the longest sentence possible. The first player chooses one of their picture...

ESL Non-Defining Relative Clauses Game - Grammar and Speaking: Matching, Forming Clauses, Freer Practice - Group Work In this challenging non-defining relative clauses game, students extend a sentence with non-defining relative clauses to make the longest sentence possible. The first player chooses one of their picture cards and begins a sentence about the picture, e.g. 'My father...' The players then take turns to add additional information to the sentence by adding a non-defining relative clause with a picture card or adding an appropriate relative pronoun. If the next player puts down a relative pronoun card (e.g. who), the player after must put down a picture card (e.g. pilot) and add a non-defining relative clause as the next part of the sentence. For example, 'My father, who is a pilot,...' If the next player puts down a picture card (e.g. Singapore), they say the next part of the sentence. For example, 'works in Singapore.' The following player must put down an appropriate relative pronoun card to extend the sentence, e.g. 'My father, who is a pilot, works in Singapore, where...' Players write the sentence down as they go. The group with the longest grammatically correct sentence at the end of the game wins.
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Relative Clause Bingo

Intermediate (B1) 20 minutes
Intermediate B1 group bingo game for describing people, places and things with defining relative clauses

ESL Defining Relative Clauses Game - Grammar and Speaking: Forming Sentences, Guessing, Freer Practice - Group Work

In this engaging defining relative clauses game, students play bingo by describing people, places and things using defining relative clauses. In groups, students take turns picking up a word card...

ESL Defining Relative Clauses Game - Grammar and Speaking: Forming Sentences, Guessing, Freer Practice - Group Work In this engaging defining relative clauses game, students play bingo by describing people, places and things using defining relative clauses. In groups, students take turns picking up a word card and describing the person, place or thing on the card using a defining relative clause, e.g. 'It is a place where...' The other students in the group try to guess the word. When the word has been guessed, the students who have the word on their bingo card cross it off. The next student then picks up a word card, and so on. The first student to cross off all the words on their card shouts 'Bingo!' and wins the game.
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What's the Word?

Intermediate (B1) 25 minutes
Intermediate B1 game using defining relative clauses to describe and guess words in a group

ESL Defining Relative Clauses Game - Grammar and Speaking: Describing, Forming Sentences, Guessing - Group Work

Here is an entertaining relative clauses game to help students practice defining relative clauses with who, which and where. In groups, students take turns picking up a word card (e.g. library) and...

ESL Defining Relative Clauses Game - Grammar and Speaking: Describing, Forming Sentences, Guessing - Group Work Here is an entertaining relative clauses game to help students practice defining relative clauses with who, which and where. In groups, students take turns picking up a word card (e.g. library) and giving definitions of the word using defining relative clauses, e.g. 'It's a place where people read books.' The first group member to guess the word keeps the card. The student with the most cards at the end of the game wins.
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Who, Which, When, Where

Intermediate (B1) 25 minutes
Intermediate B1 group game for describing words using defining relative clauses who, which, when, where

ESL Defining Relative Clauses Game - Grammar: Writing Sentences, Describing, Guessing - Group Work

In this imaginative defining relative clauses game, students practice describing people, things, places and times with defining relative clauses. Give each student a card containing the relative pronouns who...

ESL Defining Relative Clauses Game - Grammar: Writing Sentences, Describing, Guessing - Group Work In this imaginative defining relative clauses game, students practice describing people, things, places and times with defining relative clauses. Give each student a card containing the relative pronouns who, which, when, and where. Students then write two words relating to each relative pronoun in the 'My Word List' column on the card. Next, students write descriptions for the words in their word list using defining relative clauses. Afterwards, in groups, students take turns reading a description for a word on their card to the other group members. The first group member to guess the word wins. The student describing the word then writes the name of the person who guessed correctly in the 'Name' column next to the word. This continues until all the words have been guessed. The student who guessed the most words at the end of the game wins.
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Anita's Strange Day

Upper-intermediate (B2) 30 minutes
Upper-intermediate B2 worksheet for story-based practice with defining relative clauses and group discussion

ESL Defining Relative Clauses Worksheet - Grammar Exercises: Matching, Gap-fill, Rewriting Sentences - Speaking Activity - Discussion - Group Work

Here is a free story-based relative clauses worksheet to help students practice or review defining relative clauses with who, whose, that, which and where...

ESL Defining Relative Clauses Worksheet - Grammar Exercises: Matching, Gap-fill, Rewriting Sentences - Speaking Activity - Discussion - Group Work Here is a free story-based relative clauses worksheet to help students practice or review defining relative clauses with who, whose, that, which and where. Students start by reading an unfinished story. Students then match phrases together and write out sentences about the story with defining relative clauses. Next, students complete more sentences about the story by choosing the correct relative pronouns. After that, students combine sentences from the story together using relative pronouns. Finally, in groups, students discuss what they think happened next in the story and give possible endings.
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Relative Clause Crossword

Upper-intermediate (B2) 30 minutes
Upper-intermediate B2 crossword activity for describing and guessing words using defining relative clauses

ESL Defining Relative Clauses Activity - Grammar and Speaking: Writing Clues, Describing, Guessing, Controlled and Freer Practice - Group and Pair Work

In this productive defining relative clauses activity, students practice describing words using defining relative clauses with who, where, which and that...

ESL Defining Relative Clauses Activity - Grammar and Speaking: Writing Clues, Describing, Guessing, Controlled and Freer Practice - Group and Pair Work In this productive defining relative clauses activity, students practice describing words using defining relative clauses with who, where, which and that. In two groups, students write down definitions for the words on their crossword. Next, students pair up with someone from the other group. Students then take turns asking their partner for a clue to one of the missing words on their crossword. Their partner then defines the word that appears on their half of the crossword using a defining relative clause and the student tries to guess the word. If the student guesses the word successfully, they write it in the crossword. If not, their partner continues to give more clues using defining relative clauses until the student is able to guess the word. When the students have finished, they check their answers and spelling by comparing worksheets.
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When will I be famous?

Upper-intermediate (B2) 30 minutes
Upper-intermediate B2 worksheet for non-defining relative clauses with reading, gap-fill and writing about celebrities

ESL Non-Defining Relative Clauses Worksheet - Grammar and Reading Exercises: Gap-fill, Identifying, Matching, Rewriting Sentences, Sentence Completion

This useful non-defining relative clauses worksheet helps students practice or review non-defining relative clauses while reading and writing about famous...

ESL Non-Defining Relative Clauses Worksheet - Grammar and Reading Exercises: Gap-fill, Identifying, Matching, Rewriting Sentences, Sentence Completion This useful non-defining relative clauses worksheet helps students practice or review non-defining relative clauses while reading and writing about famous actors, actresses and films. First, students read an introduction about non-defining relative clauses. Students then read a text about famous actors, actresses and films and complete sentences with non-defining relative pronouns. Next, students underline the additional (non-defining) information in each sentence. After that, students choose phrases to go with sentences and rewrite each sentence using the phrase in a non-defining relative clause. Finally, students use their own ideas to complete sentences with non-defining relative clauses.
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Word Bluff

Upper-intermediate (B2) 25 minutes
Upper-intermediate B2 group and pair game for inventing and guessing fake and real definitions with defining relative clauses

ESL Defining Relative Clauses Game - Grammar and Speaking: Writing and Reading Sentences, Guessing - Group and Pair Work

In this amusing defining relative clauses game, students invent false definitions for words using defining relative clauses and then guess which definition for a word is correct. The worksheets show the...

ESL Defining Relative Clauses Game - Grammar and Speaking: Writing and Reading Sentences, Guessing - Group and Pair Work In this amusing defining relative clauses game, students invent false definitions for words using defining relative clauses and then guess which definition for a word is correct. The worksheets show the correct definitions for words. The students' task is to invent two false definitions for each word by completing the defining relative clauses. In two groups, students write their false definitions. Next, students pair up with someone from the other group and play a game where they guess which definition for a word is correct. Students take turns reading out three possible definitions for each word without saying which definition is correct. Their partner then guesses the correct definition. For each correct guess, students score a point. The student with the most points at the end of the game is the winner.
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Understanding Relative Clauses

Relative clauses modify a noun using relative pronouns such as who, which, where, whose, or that, and they split into two types: defining clauses that pin down exactly which person or thing you mean, and non-defining clauses that add extra detail about a noun the reader or listener already knows. Students who mix up the two types can change the meaning of a sentence entirely, for example writing 'My sister who lives in Paris is a doctor' implies having more than one sister, while 'My sister, who lives in Paris, is a doctor' refers to one specific person.

This page covers relative clauses at Intermediate (B1) and Upper-intermediate (B2) levels, with 11 activities, games, and worksheets spanning error correction, guided writing, card games, and group speaking tasks, including two free downloads.

The table below maps each relative pronoun to its function, shows whether it appears in defining clauses, non-defining clauses, or both, and gives a short example sentence.

Relative PronounUsed ForDefining or Non-definingExample Sentence
who people Both 'She is the teacher who helped me.'
whom people (formal, object position) Both 'The candidate whom we hired starts Monday.'
which things and animals Both 'This is the book which changed my view.'
that people or things Defining only 'The car that I bought needs repairs.'
where places Both 'That is the city where I grew up.'
when times Both 'I remember the day when we first met.'
whose possession Both 'The student whose essay won is here.'

When to Use Relative Clauses

Defining a term within a sentence: A writer uses a defining relative clause to explain what a term means at the exact point it appears in the text, keeping the writing flowing without breaking off into a separate definition, as in 'This report examines the factors that contributed to the market collapse.'

Adding biographical detail in formal writing: A non-defining relative clause lets a writer slip background information about a named person into a sentence without interrupting the main point, as in 'The director, who joined the company in 2019, announced the restructure last Monday.'

Combining sentences for written fluency: A writer joins two related sentences into one by using a relative clause to carry the secondary information, as in turning 'The study produced results. The results surprised the team.' into 'The study produced results that surprised the team.'

3-Step Framework for Teaching Relative Clauses

1. Build the Foundation with Controlled Writing: Begin with a structured worksheet that moves students through the full range of defining relative clause work in a single sequence. After gap-fill and multiple choice exercises, students rewrite sentences by correcting relative pronoun mistakes, then write their own definitions for places, things, times, and people, for example 'A kitchen is a room where people store and cook food.' This progression from recognition to production cements accurate pronoun choice before students open their mouths.

2. Add a Competitive Edge with Sentence Building: Move to a collaborative card game that brings non-defining relative clauses to life through group play. The first player starts a sentence from a picture card, for example 'My father...', and each player in turn extends it by laying down a picture card or a relative pronoun card and adding a non-defining relative clause. The group with the longest grammatically correct sentence at the end of the game wins, which turns accuracy into a competitive goal that students genuinely care about.

3. Push for Independent Production with a Bluffing Game: Raise the stakes by asking students to produce defining relative clauses convincingly enough to fool a partner. Each student writes two false definitions for a word using defining relative clauses, alongside one correct definition provided on the worksheet, then reads all three aloud while their partner tries to identify the real one and scores a point for each correct guess. When students need their definitions to sound believable, they pay far closer attention to clause structure and word choice than any drilling exercise produces.

Common Mistakes with Relative Clauses

Using 'which' for people instead of 'who': Students often apply 'which' to people as well as things, not yet distinguishing that 'who' is reserved for people while 'which' describes objects and animals. Wrong: 'She is the teacher which helped me.' Correct: 'She is the teacher who helped me.'

Pronoun doubling after the relative pronoun: Students often add an unnecessary pronoun inside the relative clause, repeating the noun they have already referred to. Wrong: 'The book which I bought it is on the table.' Correct: 'The book which I bought is on the table.'

Common Questions About Teaching Relative Clauses

What is a fun game for practicing defining relative clauses?

The game Fold your Arms bans all miming and gestures, so students must describe objects, people, places, and times using defining relative clauses alone. One student picks up a picture card, places it face down, and folds their arms before describing the picture. The first student to guess the word wins the card.

What is a useful worksheet for practicing relative clauses?

The free worksheet Anita's Strange Day uses an unfinished story as its context. Students match phrases to write sentences with defining relative clauses, choose correct relative pronouns to complete further sentences, and combine sentences using relative pronouns. The activity ends with groups discussing possible endings for the story, connecting grammar practice to real communicative output.

What is an engaging activity for teaching non-defining relative clauses?

In the activity I didn't know that!, students sit in a circle, fold their worksheet to show only the 'Non-Defining Relative Clauses' column, and pass it to the person on their right, who adds a non-defining relative clause with 'who' however they like. Each student then reads their completed sentences aloud and says whether the information is true.

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