Relative Clauses in English | Defining vs Non-Defining with Who, Which, and That
Relative Clauses in English | Defining vs Non-Defining with Who, Which, and That
Welcome to ESC Grammar & Structure! 🎉
In this video, we’re making Relative Clauses easy to understand—even if you’re just starting out. Whether you’re preparing for exams, improving your English writing, or just trying to sound more fluent, this lesson is for you.
✨ What you’ll learn in this video:
• The difference between Defining and Non-Defining Relative Clauses
• How to use who, which, and that correctly
• The role of commas in relative clauses
• Fun and simple examples that you can use in daily conversation
🔹 What are Relative Clauses?
Relative clauses give us extra information about a noun. They often start with words like who, which, or that. For example:
• The man who is wearing a red hat is my brother.
Here, the clause tells us exactly which man we mean.
But not all relative clauses work the same way. That’s where Defining vs. Non-Defining comes in!
🔹 Defining Relative Clauses
• Give essential information.
• Without them, the sentence may be unclear.
• Usually introduced with who, which, or that.
• ❌ Do not use commas.
Example:
• The book that I borrowed yesterday is very interesting.
🔹 Non-Defining Relative Clauses
• Give extra, non-essential information.
• If you remove them, the sentence still makes sense.
• Introduced with who or which (❌ never “that”).
• ✅ Always use commas.
Example:
• My brother, who lives in Canada, is visiting me next week.
🔹 Quick Tips:
✔ Use Defining Clauses to specify which one you mean.
✔ Use Non-Defining Clauses to add extra details.
✔ Watch your commas—they make a huge difference!
📘 Why is this important?
Relative clauses appear everywhere—in spoken English, academic writing, and exams like IELTS, TOEFL, and Cambridge tests. Mastering them makes your English clearer, more precise, and more advanced.
This video makes it simple, with fun examples and clear explanations, so even beginners can follow along while intermediate and advanced learners get valuable clarity.
💡 Practice Challenge for You:
Write your own two sentences in the comments below:
1️⃣ One with a defining relative clause
2️⃣ One with a non-defining relative clause
I’ll check and give feedback where I can! Let’s practice together. 🚀
👉 If you enjoyed this lesson, don’t forget to:
✔ Like this video
✔ Subscribe to ESC Grammar & Structure
✔ Share it with a friend who wants to improve their English
📌 Related Videos You May Like:
• Already vs. Yet vs. Still – Common Mistakes
• Few vs. A Few / Little vs. A Little
• Will vs. Going to – Future Tense Explained
• Mixed Conditionals Made Easy
🎯 Keywords Covered:
Relative clauses in English, defining relative clauses, non-defining relative clauses, relative pronouns who which that, grammar lesson English, English grammar for beginners, English grammar intermediate, advanced English grammar, commas in relative clauses, English writing tips, English for IELTS, TOEFL grammar, academic English structures, ESC Grammar & Structure.
Thank you for watching and learning with ESC Grammar & Structure!
Remember: English doesn’t have to be hard—it can be fun, simple, and powerful. See you in the next video!
#EnglishGrammar #RelativeClauses #LearnEnglish #GrammarTips #EnglishForIELTS #ESL #EnglishLesson #ESCGrammarAndStructure #DefiningClauses #NonDefiningClauses