- Level
- Intermediate
- Used in
- Writing, Academic Passage, Build a Sentence
Which word to use
| Word | Refers to | Example |
|---|---|---|
| who | People | The student who won the prize is from Lagos. |
| which | Things and ideas | The course, which starts in May, is full. |
| that | People or things (no commas) | The book that I needed was missing. |
| whose | Possession | The author whose novel we read will visit. |
| where | Places | This is the lab where the vaccine was developed. |
Commas: needed or not?
If the clause identifies which one you mean, use no commas. If it only adds extra information, put it between commas and never use "that".
Not quite
Better
- My brother that lives in Dubai is a doctor.My brother, who lives in Dubai, is a doctor.
- The city, that I visited, was beautiful.The city that I visited was beautiful.
Combine short sentences
Coral reefs cover a tiny part of the ocean. They support a quarter of marine species.
Answer
Coral reefs, which cover a tiny part of the ocean, support a quarter of marine species.
The second idea becomes a non-defining clause, so the sentence keeps its main point and flows better.
Reading tip
Long academic sentences often hide the main verb after a relative clause. Cover the clause between commas and the core sentence becomes clear.
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