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In the English language there are no different forms for subjects and objects. To keep subject and object apart, however, we have to stick to the word order.

Explanations and Exercises

Word Order in Positive Sentences

Word Order in Negative Sentences

Word Order in Subordinate Clauses

Position of Time Expressions

Position of Adverbs

Word Order in Questions

We use relative clauses to give additional information about something without starting another sentence. By combining sentences with a relative clause, your text becomes more fluent and you can avoid repeating certain words.

How to Form Relative Clauses

Imagine, a girl is talking to Tom. You want to know who she is and ask a friend whether he knows her. You could say:

A girl is talking to Tom. Do you know the girl?

That sounds rather complicated, doesn't it? It would be easier with a relative clause: you put both pieces of information into one sentence. Start with the most important thing – you want to know who the girl is.

Do you know the girl …

As your friend cannot know which girl you are talking about, you need to put in the additional information – the girl is talking to Tom. Use „the girl“ only in the first part of the sentence, in the second part replace it with the relative pronoun (for people, use the relative pronoun „who“). So the final sentence is:

Do you know the girl who is talking to Tom?

Relative Pronouns

Subject Pronoun or Object Pronoun?

Subject and object pronouns cannot be distinguished by their forms - who, which, that are used for subject and object pronouns. You can, however, distinguish them as follows:

If the relative pronoun is followed by a verb, the relative pronoun is a subject pronoun. Subject pronouns must always be used.

the apple which is lying on the table

If the relative pronoun is not followed by a verb (but by a noun or pronoun), the relative pronoun is an object pronoun. Object pronouns can be dropped in defining relative clauses, which are then called Contact Clauses.

the apple (which) George lay on the table

Relative Adverbs

A relative adverb can be used instead of a relative pronoun plus preposition. This often makes the sentence easier to understand.

This is the shop in which I bought my bike.
→ This is the shop where I bought my bike.

Defining Relative Clauses

Defining relative clauses (also called identifying relative clauses or restrictive relative clauses) give detailed information defining a general term or expression. Defining relative clauses are not put in commas.

Imagine, Tom is in a room with five girls. One girl is talking to Tom and you ask somebody whether he knows this girl. Here the relative clause defines which of the five girls you mean.

Do you know the girl who is talking to Tom?

Defining relative clauses are often used in definitions.

A seaman is someone who works on a ship.

Object pronouns in defining relative clauses can be dropped. (Sentences with a relative clause without the relative pronoun are called Contact Clauses.)

The boy (who/whom) we met yesterday is very nice.

Non-Defining Relative Clauses

Non-defining relative clauses (also called non-identifying relative clauses or non-restrictive relative clauses) give additional information on something, but do not define it. Non-defining relative clauses are put in commas.

Imagine, Tom is in a room with only one girl. The two are talking to each other and you ask somebody whether he knows this girl. Here the relative clause is non-defining because in this situation it is obvious which girl you mean.

Do you know the girl, who is talking to Tom?

Note: In non-defining relative clauses, who/which may not be replaced with that.

Object pronouns in non-defining relative clauses must be used.

Jim, who/whom we met yesterday, is very nice.

How to Shorten Relative Clauses?

Relative clauses with who, which, that as subject pronoun can be replaced with a participle. This makes the sentence shorter and easier to understand.

I told you about the woman who lives next door. – I told you about the woman living next door.

Do you see the cat which is lying on the roof? – Do you see the cat lying on the roof?

Exercises on Relative Clauses

Relative Pronouns and Relative Adverbs

• Exercise on Relative Pronouns
• Subject Pronouns or Object Pronouns?
• Relative Pronouns – Necessary or not?
• Relative Pronouns – Necessary or not?
• Relative Adverbs

• Relative Pronouns in the Text „Stonehenge“ (who/which)

Relative Clauses and Contact Clauses

• Relative Clauses - Formation
• Contact Clauses
• Definitions with Relative Clauses
• Relative Clauses - defining or non-defining?
• Non-Defining Relative Clauses
• Forming Relative Clauses - defining and non-defining

Pronouns are words like I, me (personal pronouns) or my, mine (possessive pronouns).

Personal Pronouns - Subject Form

example: We have got some books.

Exercise on personal pronouns - subject form

Personal Pronouns - Object Form

example: The books are for us.

Exercise on personal pronouns - object form

Possessive Adjectives

example: These are our books.

Exercise on possessive adjectives

Possessive Pronouns

example: The books are ours.

Exercise on possessive pronouns

Reflexive Pronouns

example: He can carry the bags himself.

Exercise on reflexive pronouns

Exercise on reflexive and reciprocal pronouns

Relative Pronouns

example: This is the man who lives next door.

Exercise on relative pronouns (see relative clauses)

Phrasal verbs are mainly used in spoken English and informal texts. (The more formal a conversation or text, the less phrasal verbs are found.)

Phrasal verbs consist of a verb plus a particle (preposition, adverb). The particle can change the meaning of the verb completely, e.g.:

• look up – consult a reference book (look a word up in a dictionary)
• look for – seek (look for her ring)
• look forward – anticipate with pleasure (look forward to meeting someone)

There are no rules that might explain how phrasal verbs are formed correctly - all you can do is look them up in a good dictionary and study their meanings. In our lists, you will find some frequently used phrasal verbs and their meanings.

Frequently Used Phrasal Verbs with:

• break, bring, call, carry, come, do, fall, get, go, keep, look, make, put, run, set, take, turn

Position of the Particle

The particle is placed either after the verb or after the object.

Example:

Write down the word. / Write the word down.

If the object is a pronoun, however, the particle has to be placed after the pronoun (object).

Example:

Write it down.

Exercises on Phrasal Verbs

• Phrasal Verbs with 'up'
• Phrasal Verbs with 'on'
• Phrasal Verbs with 'turn'
• Mixed Exercise 1
• Mixed Exercise 2

• Phrasal Verbs with 'out'
• Phrasal Verbs with 'down'
• Phrasal Verbs with 'look'
• Mixed Exercise 1
• Mixed Exercise 2

• Phrasal Verbs with 'up'
• Phrasal Verbs with 'out'
• Phrasal Verbs with 'off'
• Phrasal Verbs with 'come'
• Phrasal Verbs with 'get'
• Phrasal Verbs with 'go'
• Mixed Exercise 1
• Mixed Exercise 2