Relative Clause Example Sentences: Defining and Non-Defining

A relative clause is a dependent clause that begins with a relative pronoun or a relative adverb and describes a noun in the main clause. These 344 relative clause example sentences are written for who, whom, whose, which, that, where, when, and why, together with defining and non-defining clauses, reduced forms, and everyday contexts. You get model sentences for essays, emails, and exam practice, together with related practice on adjective clauses, noun clauses, and complex sentences.

Quick Answer: Relative Clause Example Sentences

• Who: The musician who played last night is my cousin.
• Whom: The writer whom we met signed our books.
• Whose: The woman whose car broke down called a mechanic.
• Which: The bag which Lena carried was full of fruit.
• That: The film that we watched was about a lighthouse.
• Where: The park where we play has a pond.
• When: Summer is the time when the lake is warm.
• No pronoun: The shirt Ali wore was too big.

Relative Clause Example Sentences for Everyday Use

Relative clauses describe people, objects, locations, and times with words such as who, which, that, where, and whose, as in “who sings in the choir”, “when we learned to swim”, and “who retired last year”.

1. The girl who sings in the choir is my neighbour.
2. This is the house that Jack built.
3. I admire people who tell the truth.
4. The lamp which stood on the desk fell over.
5. Samira, who works at the bank, speaks four languages.
6. The shop where I bought these shoes is closing.
7. That was the summer when we learned to swim.
8. The book I read last week was about whales.
9. The teacher whose class won received flowers.
10. The reason why he left remains private.
11. Do you know the man whom the police arrested?
12. Teachers who return work quickly earn their pupils’ respect.
13. We stayed in a cabin that overlooked the lake.
14. My uncle, who retired last year, now grows tomatoes.
15. The song we danced to played all evening.
16. A neighbour whose car had broken down knocked on our door.
17. The train that arrives at noon is always full.
18. He lost the ring that his grandmother had given him.
19. Anyone who finishes early may leave quietly.
20. The café where Nora works serves soup until midnight.

Defining Sentences with Relative Clauses

No commas surround the clause that identifies the noun, as in “who play outdoors”, “who asked the question”, and “that falls from the tree”.

1. Children who play outdoors sleep better at night.
2. The jacket that hangs by the door belongs to my father.
3. I need a pen that writes in red.
4. The woman who answered the phone sounded worried.
5. Rooms that face the sea cost more.
6. The student who asked the question received a full answer.
7. Bakers who start at four finish before noon.
8. The bus that I usually take was cancelled.
9. A tool that cuts metal needs careful handling.
10. The people who live upstairs play the piano.
11. Fruit that falls from the tree is collected by the children.
12. The painter whose work I admire is giving a lecture.
13. Customers who spend over fifty pounds receive a free gift.
14. The film that won the prize was shot in a village.
15. The path that leads to the lighthouse is muddy.
16. The neighbour who borrowed the ladder returned it today.

Non-Defining Sentences with Relative Clauses

Commas set off the clause that adds an extra fact about a noun, as in “who lives in Madrid”, “which freezes in January”, and “whose garden won a prize”.

1. My cousin, who lives in Madrid, visits every August.
2. The museum, which opened in 1998, attracts school groups.
3. Mr Hall, whom everyone respects, retires on Friday.
4. The island, where we spent our honeymoon, has no cars.
5. Our teacher, whose voice is very soft, never needs to shout.
6. Lake Corin, which freezes in January, is popular with skaters.
7. The principal, who had been ill, returned on Monday.
8. Her first novel, which she wrote at nineteen, sold slowly.
9. We met in December, when the town is full of lights.
10. The old bridge, which carries no traffic now, is a popular walking route.
11. My neighbour, whose garden won a prize, shares her seeds.
12. The chef, who trained in Lyon, prepared the soup.
13. Dr Mensah, whom the patients adore, retires in June.
14. The festival, which began in 1950, ends tomorrow.
15. Tessa’s dog, which is twelve years old, still loves long walks.
16. The train, which was already late, stopped for twenty minutes.

Relative Pronoun Sentences with Relative Clauses

Who, whom, whose, which, or that begins the clause in “that has two meanings”, “which my aunt invented”, and “whom you admire most”.

Relative Clause Example Sentences with Who

Describing a person with who, the clause follows the noun, as in “who comforted him”, “who has a ticket”, and “who lives opposite”.

1. The nurse who comforted him received a letter.
2. Children who read aloud gain confidence.
3. The man who delivers the post whistles every morning.
4. Pedro is the one who fixed the roof.
5. Anyone who has a ticket may enter.
6. The athlete who broke the record thanked her coach.
7. I know a woman who keeps bees.
8. The guests who arrived first helped with the chairs.
9. The baker who lives opposite gave us fresh rolls.
10. Pupils who forget their books must report to the office.
11. The couple who bought the farm plan to grow olives.
12. Someone who understands maps should lead the walk.

Relative Clause Example Sentences with Whom

A person is described with whom in “whom critics praise most”, “whom I visit every spring”, and “whom the dog bit”.

1. The woman whom I met on the train was a pilot.
2. He is the actor whom critics praise most.
3. The student whom the principal congratulated blushed.
4. My aunt, whom I visit every spring, makes jam.
5. The people whom we interviewed were friendly.
6. She is a leader whom workers trust.
7. The man whom the dog bit needed stitches.
8. Tell me about the person whom you admire most.
9. The cook whom we hired cannot start until June.
10. Those whom the committee rejected may apply again.

Relative Clause Example Sentences with Whose

Whose names an owner or possessor in “whose bike was stolen”, “whose books are banned”, and “whose scores improve”.

1. The boy whose bike was stolen looked upset.
2. Mrs Adeyemi, whose son is a surgeon, spoke proudly.
3. I met a girl whose parents run a circus.
4. The house whose roof leaked was repaired in May.
5. Authors whose books are banned often become famous.
6. A man whose wallet had vanished shouted for help.
7. The club whose members meet weekly raised funds for the clinic.
8. The lady whose umbrella I borrowed lives next door.
9. Students whose scores improve will be moved up.
10. The poem whose first line everyone remembers was written by a child.
11. The village whose well never dries is known for its water.
12. The nurse whose shift ends at dawn drives home slowly.

Relative Clause Example Sentences with Which

For objects and events, the clause begins with which, as in “which hangs in the lobby”, “which needs very little light”, and “which is two years old”.

1. The painting which hangs in the lobby is worth a fortune.
2. The car, which was parked badly, blocked the lane.
3. She read a poem which made her cry.
4. The machine which sorts the letters broke down.
5. I bought a plant which needs very little light.
6. The recipe, which my aunt invented, uses no sugar.
7. The storm which struck the coast lasted three days.
8. This is a river which floods every spring.
9. The laptop, which is two years old, still runs fast.
10. Our school has a garden which the pupils designed.
11. The film, which lasted three hours, ended abruptly.
12. He wore a coat which was far too large.

Relative Clause Example Sentences with That

After nouns and pronouns such as meal, vase, everything, and nothing, the clause begins with that, as in “that we rented”, “that Omar planned”, and “that knows the code”.

1. The movie that we rented was in French.
2. She found the key that opened the box.
3. It was the best meal that I have ever eaten.
4. The shoes that you bought look comfortable.
5. Everything that Omar planned worked perfectly.
6. The vase that fell off the shelf was a gift.
7. There is nothing that frightens her.
8. The first thing that she noticed was the silence.
9. The rules that govern the game are posted on the wall.
10. He is the only person that knows the code.
11. The candles that burned all night left wax on the floor.
12. Yesterday I read the article that you recommended.
13. The company that employs my sister is hiring.
14. A word that has two meanings confuses beginners.

Relative Adverb Sentences with Relative Clauses

Relative adverbs such as where, when, and why begin the clause in “why she stayed silent”, “when the new schedule begins”, and “where I grew up”.

Relative Clause Example Sentences with Where

Describing a place with where, the clause follows the noun, as in “where Selma was born”, “where we played football”, and “where you keep the scissors”.

1. The town where Selma was born has a clock tower.
2. This is the hall where the choir rehearses.
3. I know a bakery where the bread is still warm at noon.
4. The field where we played football is now a car park.
5. Nobody has visited the cave where the explorer slept.
6. The office where my mother works has a rooftop garden.
7. Show me the drawer where you keep the scissors.
8. They found a spot where the signal was strong.
9. The street where I grew up has changed.
10. It is a country where winters are mild.

Relative Clause Example Sentences with When

Days, seasons, and times are described with when in “when we first met”, “when the markets sell chestnuts”, and “when the river froze”.

1. Do you remember the day when we first met?
2. It was a time when few people owned a phone.
3. Autumn is the season when the markets sell chestnuts.
4. The moment when the lights went out frightened the children.
5. I miss the years when we lived by the sea.
6. Friday is the evening when the library stays open late.
7. She spoke about the winter when the river froze.
8. Monday is the day when the new schedule begins.

Relative Clause Example Sentences with Why

Reasons are described with why in “why I called you”, “why you should apologise”, and “why he would lie”.

1. That is the reason why I called you.
2. Nobody explained the reason why the bus was late.
3. There is no reason why you should apologise.
4. Tell me the reason why you chose this school.
5. The reason why the soup tastes bitter is the burnt garlic.
6. Can you think of any reason why he would lie?
7. The main reason why people move here is the climate.
8. Fear was the reason why she stayed silent.

Sentences with Relative Clauses Without a Relative Pronoun

Leaving out who, which, or that, the clause joins the noun directly, as in “she knitted”, “he wrote”, and “we drove through”.

1. The sweater she knitted fits me perfectly.
2. Is this the bag you were looking for?
3. The man we met at the station gave us a card.
4. Everything I own is in this suitcase.
5. The song he wrote became a hit.
6. I lost the ticket my brother bought me.
7. The soup Dad cooks is always too spicy.
8. The woman they interviewed was a teacher.
9. The pictures you took are stunning.
10. That is the village we drove through.
11. The best advice I ever received came from my grandfather.
12. The cake Rosa made was gone in minutes.
13. The girl he was talking about is my sister.
14. The noise we heard was only the wind.

Preposition Sentences with Relative Clauses

A preposition is used inside the relative clause in “they fought for”, “he is married to”, and “through which the trains pass”.

Relative Clause Example Sentences with Prepositions Before Whom

Whom and which follow a preposition in “to whom you should apply”, “on which he stood”, and “with whom she travelled”.

1. The colleague with whom I share an office is leaving.
2. This is the hotel in which the meeting took place.
3. The person to whom you should apply is Ms Lee.
4. The reason for which he resigned was never explained.
5. The ladder on which he stood slipped.
6. The teacher from whom I learned most has retired.
7. The tunnel through which the trains pass is old.
8. The committee by which the plan was approved met in secret.
9. The friends with whom she travelled sent postcards.
10. The knife with which he cut the bread was blunt.
11. The year during which the factory closed was hard.
12. The customer about whom you complained has apologised.

Relative Clause Example Sentences with Prepositions at the End

Prepositions such as to, at, with, and of end the clause in “I wrote to”, “he works with”, and “she lives with”.

1. The friend I wrote to never replied.
2. The hotel we stayed at was spotless.
3. The woman he is married to is a judge.
4. The tools he works with are old.
5. That is the song I was thinking of.
6. The club she belongs to meets on Thursdays.
7. The people she lives with are students.
8. The film we talked about is on tonight.
9. The key I was searching for was in my pocket.
10. The cause they fought for is just.

Quantity Sentences with Relative Clauses

Quantity words plus of whom or of which follow a comma in “all of whom play football”, “both of whom were nervous”, and “most of which were bruised”.

1. There were fifty guests, many of whom had travelled overnight.
2. She has three brothers, all of whom play football.
3. The company hired ten engineers, some of whom had no degree.
4. He wrote several books, two of which became films.
5. The students, most of whom were beginners, enjoyed the course.
6. We tried six restaurants, none of which served vegetarian food.
7. The twins, both of whom were nervous, entered the room together.
8. She owns two dogs, one of which is deaf.
9. The farm has many cows, a few of which give no milk.
10. The conference had five speakers, each of whom spoke for an hour.
11. There are twenty rooms in the hotel, half of which face the sea.
12. The villagers, several of whom had lost their homes, gathered at the school.
13. The author published ten novels, the best known of which is set in Cairo.
14. I bought a dozen apples, most of which were bruised.
15. The team lost three players, one of whom was the captain.
16. The house has four bedrooms, all of which need painting.

Sentential Sentences with Relative Clauses

After a comma, which refers to the whole main clause, as in “which surprised everyone”, “which caused a long delay”, and “which impressed the coach”.

1. She passed the driving test, which surprised everyone.
2. The train was cancelled, which meant we had to walk.
3. He never apologised, which annoyed his sister.
4. It rained all week, which ruined the harvest.
5. Tara forgot her passport, which caused a long delay.
6. The shop offers free delivery, which is why customers return.
7. Our team won the final, which nobody had expected.
8. The power failed at noon, which left the office dark.
9. He speaks five languages, which helps him in his work.
10. Maya ran the marathon in the rain, which impressed the coach.
11. The road was closed, which made us late.
12. She did not answer the phone, which worried her parents.

Reduced Form Sentences with Relative Clauses

Shortened clauses take an -ing form, a past participle, or an infinitive, as in “to leave the station”, “taught by Ms Reyes”, and “arriving late”.

Relative Clause Example Sentences with -ing Forms

The clause is shortened to an -ing form in “standing at the gate”, “sitting next to me”, and “leaving at noon”.

1. The girl standing at the gate is my cousin.
2. Passengers waiting for the bus huddled under the roof.
3. The man sitting next to me snored all night.
4. Anyone wishing to join should sign here.
5. The child carrying a huge kite waved at me.
6. The boat leaving at noon is already full.
7. People living near the airport hear planes all day.
8. Students arriving late must wait outside.

Relative Clause Example Sentences with Past Participles

Past participles shorten the clause in “baked by my grandmother”, “left in the room”, and “used in the experiment”.

1. The cake baked by my grandmother won first prize.
2. The man injured in the crash was taken to hospital.
3. Items left in the room will be donated.
4. The letter written in pencil was hard to read.
5. A village surrounded by hills gets little wind.
6. The tools used in the experiment were sterilised.
7. Students taught by Ms Reyes scored highest.
8. The window broken last night has been mended.

Relative Clause Example Sentences with Infinitives

To plus a verb shortens the clause in “to cross the desert alone”, “to notice the error”, and “to translate the letter”.

1. She was the first woman to cross the desert alone.
2. The best way to learn a language is to speak it.
3. Mia is the only one to notice the error.
4. He has nothing to hide from the police.
5. We need someone to translate the letter.
6. The last train to leave the station was empty.

Agreement Sentences with Relative Clauses

The verb in the clause matches the noun it describes, as in “who lives upstairs”, “who passes”, and “who are late”.

1. The man who lives upstairs plays the cello.
2. The men who live upstairs play cards on Fridays.
3. She is the only one of the girls who has finished.
4. She is one of the girls who have finished the race.
5. Each student who passes receives a certificate.
6. All students who pass the final exam receive a certificate.
7. The committee that makes the decision meets today.
8. The jeans that were on the chair are mine.
9. I, who am your friend, will help you.
10. It is you who are late.
11. The scissors that lie on the table are sharp.
12. Anyone who forgets the password must call the helpdesk.
13. Those who hesitate miss the chance.
14. The news that reaches us changes every hour.

Negative Sentences with Relative Clauses

Not, no, never, nobody, nothing, and few are used in the sentences.

1. The students who did not submit homework stayed after class.
2. I know nobody who speaks Basque.
3. The road that was not repaired flooded again.
4. There is no one who can help us.
5. She has no cousin who lives abroad.
6. The man who never smiled ran the shop.
7. She did not enjoy the restaurant where we ate.
8. Nothing that he said convinced me.
9. He did not read the letter that arrived on Monday.
10. Few people who tried it disliked it.

Question Sentences with Relative Clauses

Ending with a question mark, each sentence contains a relative clause, as in “who just waved at you”, “whose dog barks”, and “who won the lottery”.

1. Who is the girl who just waved at you?
2. Is this the film that everyone loved?
3. Where is the bag I left on the chair?
4. Have you met the neighbour whose dog barks?
5. Which book that you borrowed was the best?
6. Do you know a shop where I can buy ink?
7. Was she the woman who won the lottery?
8. Why did the boy who was late receive a prize?
9. Is there anyone who speaks Portuguese?
10. What was the name of the café where we met?

Passive Sentences with Relative Clauses

A passive verb is used in the clause or in the main clause, as in “who was caught”, “who was elected mayor”, and “that is awarded each June”.

1. The thief who was caught confessed.
2. The bridge that was damaged in the flood has reopened.
3. The books which are sold here are secondhand.
4. The man who was elected mayor gave a speech.
5. The cake that had been left outside was ruined.
6. The hall, which is used for concerts, holds six hundred people.
7. The prize that is awarded each June includes a trip.
8. The patient who was treated first recovered quickly.
9. The bakery was robbed by a man who was seen by two witnesses.
10. The goods that are damaged will be replaced.

Reported Speech Sentences with Relative Clauses

Verbs such as said, told, asked, and wondered report speech in “who called”, “which he needed”, and “whom he met”.

1. Nina said that the man who called was her uncle.
2. The guard told us that the road that leads north was closed.
3. Dad asked if I had seen the hat that he left on the stairs.
4. She explained that the tool which he needed was in the garage.
5. The reporter said that the people who lived there had fled.
6. Ken wondered whether the teacher whom he met remembered him.
7. Mum replied that the cake she had baked was for the party.
8. They announced that the hall where the dance was held would be sold.

Context Sentences with Relative Clauses

Settings range from homes and classrooms to offices, journeys, newsrooms, stories, stadiums, and clinics.

Relative Clause Example Sentences for Home Life

At home, the clauses describe mugs, clocks, cupboards, and neighbours, as in “that Dad uses every morning”, “where we keep the biscuits”, and “whose ladder we borrowed”.

1. The mug that Dad uses every morning has a chipped handle.
2. My sister, who shares my room, snores softly.
3. The cupboard where we keep the biscuits is locked.
4. Grandma’s clock, which strikes every hour, startles visitors.
5. The neighbour whose ladder we borrowed came for tea.
6. Anything that falls behind the sofa is lost for weeks.

Relative Clause Example Sentences for School Life

In the classroom, the clauses describe pupils, teachers, homework, and tests, as in “who sits at the front”, “that I forgot”, and “who join the chess club”.

1. The pupil who sits at the front answers every question.
2. Mr Okoye, whose maths lessons are popular, teaches the top class.
3. The homework that I forgot was due today.
4. The hall where we hold assemblies is being painted.
5. Students who join the chess club learn patience.
6. The test, which lasted two hours, covered the whole term.

Relative Clause Example Sentences for Work

At the office, the clauses describe colleagues, meetings, suppliers, and software, as in “who trains new staff”, “whose prices rose”, and “who pay late”.

1. The colleague who trains new staff is on leave.
2. The meeting that begins at nine has been moved.
3. Our supplier, whose prices rose, lost the contract.
4. The room where we hold interviews is on the third floor.
5. Clients who pay late receive a reminder.
6. The software, which cost a fortune, crashes daily.

Relative Clause Example Sentences for Travel

On the road, the clauses describe ferries, tourists, hostels, and airports, as in “that crosses at dawn”, “where we stayed”, and “which opened last year”.

1. The ferry that crosses at dawn carries mostly fishermen.
2. Tourists who visit in winter find the beaches empty.
3. The hostel where we stayed had a rooftop terrace.
4. Our guide, whose English was perfect, explained every ruin.
5. The airport, which opened last year, has a small museum.
6. The suitcase I lost was found in Lisbon.

Relative Clause Example Sentences for News Reports

In news reports, the clauses describe ministers, villagers, factories, and storms, as in “who resigned”, “where the fire started”, and “whom reporters chased”.

1. The minister who resigned gave no reason.
2. Villagers whose crops failed received emergency aid.
3. The factory where the fire started has been sealed off.
4. The report, which runs to four hundred pages, criticises the council.
5. The athlete whom reporters chased declined to comment.
6. The storm that hit the north cut power to nine thousand homes.

Relative Clause Example Sentences for Stories

Orphans, queens, pirates, and poets appear in the clauses of stories, as in “who inherits the castle”, “whose crown is cursed”, and “whom the king exiled”.

1. The orphan who inherits the castle discovers a secret door.
2. The forest where the wolves roam frightens the villagers.
3. The queen, whose crown is cursed, trusts no one.
4. The map that the pirate buried shows a hidden bay.
5. The poet whom the king exiled wrote his finest verses abroad.
6. The ring, which glows in the dark, belongs to the giant.

Relative Clause Example Sentences for Sports

On the pitch, the clauses describe goalkeepers, teams, fans, and stadiums, as in “who saved the penalty”, “whose tickets were cancelled”, and “whom everybody respects”.

1. The goalkeeper who saved the penalty was lifted by teammates.
2. The team that finishes first qualifies for the final.
3. Fans whose tickets were cancelled received refunds.
4. The stadium, which holds forty thousand, was sold out.
5. The coach whom everybody respects retires in May.
6. The race where she set her record was run in heavy rain.

Relative Clause Example Sentences for Health

Clauses about health describe patients, doctors, wards, and vitamins, as in “whose clinic opens at seven”, “where my aunt works”, and “I take every morning”.

1. Patients who take their medicine on time recover sooner.
2. The doctor, whose clinic opens at seven, sees emergencies first.
3. The ward where my aunt works has twelve beds.
4. Food that contains a lot of sugar should be eaten rarely.
5. The vitamin I take every morning is sold in pharmacies.
6. Her cough, which worried the nurse, disappeared in a week.

Kids and Student Sentences with Relative Clauses

Levels range from short sentences for beginners to formal sentences for exam answers.

Relative Clause Example Sentences for Kids

For kids, short clauses contain everyday words, as in “who can juggle”, “who waves”, and “that sings”.

1. I know a boy who can juggle.
2. This is the toy I love.
3. The cat that sleeps is mine.
4. Here is the girl who waves.
5. I like the cake Mum made.
6. That is the park where we play.
7. The bird that sings is blue.
8. I have a friend whose dog barks.
9. See the boy standing there.
10. The man who drives the bus smiles.

Relative Clause Example Sentences for Exams

Exam answers use formal wording about writers, scientists, treaties, and reforms, as in “who experiment with form”, “that critics have raised”, and “which included four hundred participants”.

1. Writers who experiment with form often challenge readers’ expectations.
2. The treaty, which both sides signed in haste, collapsed within a year.
3. Scientists whose findings contradict the theory must publish their data.
4. The essay should address the objections that critics have raised.
5. Sources to which readers have no access weaken an argument.
6. The historian whom the committee consulted disagreed with the report.
7. The sample, which included four hundred participants, was drawn at random.
8. Reforms introduced in the early years reduced poverty significantly.
9. The period during which the economy contracted lasted three years.
10. Candidates who prepare thoroughly perform better, which explains the high pass rate.

FAQs

Related:

• Adverb Clause Examples
• Dependent Clause Examples
• Independent Clause Examples
• Participle Clause Examples
• Appositive Example Sentences
• Time Clause Examples