• Key Stage 2 • Grammar
A relative clause adds information about a noun, usually starting with a word such as who, which or that. Pupils learn relative clauses in Year 5. This guide explains what relative clauses are, lists the relative pronouns and gives clear examples.
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The Quick Answer
- A relative clause is a type of subordinate clause that adds information about a noun.
- It usually starts with a relative pronoun: who, which, where, when, whose or that.
- Sometimes the relative pronoun is left out: “The prize I won was a book.”
- Relative clauses are part of the Year 5 national curriculum.
What Is a Relative Clause?
The national curriculum glossary describes a relative clause as a special type of subordinate clause that modifies a noun. It often does this by using a relative pronoun such as who or that to refer back to that noun, although that is often left out. A relative clause can also refer back to a whole clause.
| Example | What the relative clause refers to |
|---|---|
| That’s the boy who lives near school. | who refers back to boy |
| The prize that I won was a book. | that refers back to prize |
| The prize I won was a book. | that has been left out |
| Tom broke the game, which annoyed Ali. | which refers back to the whole clause |
These examples come from the national curriculum glossary.
Relative Pronouns
The Year 5 curriculum teaches relative clauses beginning with who, which, where, when, whose, that or an omitted relative pronoun:
| Relative pronoun | Used for | Example |
|---|---|---|
| who | People | My aunt, who lives in York, is visiting. |
| which | Things and animals | The book, which was very long, took weeks to read. |
| that | People or things | The cake that Mum made was delicious. |
| whose | Possession | The girl whose bike was stolen reported it. |
| where | Places | That’s the street where Ben lives. |
| when | Times | I remember the day when we moved house. |
Relative Clauses and Commas
Some relative clauses add essential information and some add extra information:
- Essential information, no commas: “The cake that Mum made was delicious.” The clause tells us which cake.
- Extra information, with commas: “My aunt, who lives in York, is visiting.” The sentence still makes sense without the clause.
Using commas around extra information links to parenthesis, which pupils also learn in Year 5. Read our guide to parenthesis.
Common Mistakes
- Using “which” for people: “The man which helped us” should be “The man who helped us”.
- Missing commas around extra information: “My brother who is twelve likes football” needs commas if you only have one brother.
- Confusing who’s and whose: “who’s” means “who is”; “whose” shows possession.
Relative Clauses in KS2
Relative clauses and the terms relative pronoun and relative clause are part of the Year 5 national curriculum. Pupils use them to add detail and combine ideas concisely in their writing. They can be tested in the KS2 grammar, punctuation and spelling test. See also subordinate clauses and our guide to KS2 grammar terms.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a relative clause?
A clause that adds information about a noun, usually starting with a relative pronoun such as who, which or that.
What are the relative pronouns?
The Year 5 curriculum lists who, which, where, when, whose and that.
Is a relative clause a subordinate clause?
Yes. A relative clause is a special type of subordinate clause that modifies a noun.
What year are relative clauses taught?
Relative clauses are part of the Year 5 national curriculum.
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Sources: Department for Education, National curriculum in England: English programmes of study, including English Appendix 2: vocabulary, grammar and punctuation and the English glossary.
