Answers and an explanation for each question appear once you add this activity to your own library.

Guide

How to use this lesson

For the Teacher

Set a timer for 12 minutes and let students read the four cards at their own pace.

Have learners check their scores instantly and discuss the bracketed clue words together.

For the Learner

First read the four rule boxes carefully and look at the underlined words in each sentence.

Next work through the twelve practice tasks from top to bottom using the clues in brackets.

Grammar Focus

Relative clauses with where / whose / when, and leaving out who / which / that

Learn how to connect details about places, people, times, and objects without repeating extra words.

4 Rules You Need to Know

Rule 1

Connecting a place with "where"

The word where comes after a place word. A subject and an action word follow it. It already means in that place, so never add "there" or "in" at the end.

• The harbour is the place where the first fishermen settled.

• This is the narrow alley where artists sell attractive paintings.

Rule 2

Showing belonging with "whose"

The word whose stands in front of a noun to show something belongs to someone. It takes the place of words like his, her, or their. Because of that, you must never use both words together.

• We spoke to a man whose family has lived in the district for four generations.

• I met a guide whose knowledge of the town's historic origin amazed us.

Rule 3

Talking about time with "when"

The word when comes after a time word like day, year, or century. After words like these, you can leave when out in natural talk. Both choices mean the exact same thing.

• Grandma remembers the day when the harbour was full of ships.

• The nineteenth century was a lively time when thousands moved to settle here.

Rule 4

Dropping "who", "which", or "that"

You can leave out who, which, or that when a new subject comes right after. You must keep the word when it does the action itself. The word whose can never be left out.

• The photo my grandfather took of the old district hangs in the hall.

• The cafe we visited near the canal was very attractive.

Part 1: Choose the correct sentence

Questions 1–3

1. Choose the correct sentence.

(place)

____ That is the lively square where young musicians perform there on weekends ____ That is the lively square where young musicians perform on weekends ____ That is the lively square which young musicians perform there on weekends

2. Choose the correct sentence.

(owner)

____ We met a baker whose shop has been in the district for a century ____ We met a baker whose his shop has been in the district for a century ____ We met a baker who shop has been in the district for a century

3. Choose the correct sentence.

(time)

____ Summer is the season where tourists crowd the historic harbour ____ Summer is the season which tourists crowd the historic harbour ____ Summer is the season when tourists crowd the historic harbour

Part 2: Rewrite the sentence

Questions 4–6

4. Join the two sentences into one using where.

(alley)

This is the quiet alley. Many artists settled there.

____ (Type your new sentence here...)

5. Join the two sentences into one using whose.

(origin)

I know a family. Their origin is from an Italian harbour town.

____ (Type your new sentence here...)

6. Join the sentences without using who, which, or that.

(generation)

That is the ancient custom. Our generation keeps it alive.

____ (Type your new sentence here...)

Part 3: Fill the gap

Questions 7–9

7. Type the single missing word in the gap.

(family)

The guide ____ generation lived near the historic harbour showed us the old gate.

8. Type the single missing word in the gap.

(place)

We found an attractive market ____ local farmers sell fresh bread and cheese.

9. Complete the gap with where, whose, or when.

(time)

Do you remember the century ____ the great fleet first anchored outside the harbour?

Part 4: Correct the message

Questions 10–12

10. Fix the message by removing the extra word.

(district)

Message from Mia:

"I visited the historic district where my grandparents met there in 1960."

____ (Rewrite the corrected sentence...)

11. Fix the message by replacing the wrong linking word.

(day)

Message from Leo:

"Sunday was the day where the lively street parade took place."

____ (Rewrite the corrected sentence...)

12. Fix the message by adding "that" before the action word.

(action)

Message from Noah:

"The cat lives in the attractive alley followed me home."

____ (Rewrite the corrected sentence...)

Why this works

Look at the word right after the noun. If a new subject begins, you can drop the connector: "The historic book (that) I read was fascinating."

When you name an owner, use whose before the noun and never add another possessive word: "The girl whose bag I found said thank you."

Relative Clauses: Where, Whose, When and Omissions

How to use this lesson

Relative clauses with where / whose / when, and leaving out who / which / that

4 Rules You Need to Know

Connecting a place with "where"

Showing belonging with "whose"

Talking about time with "when"

Dropping "who", "which", or "that"

Part 1: Choose the correct sentence

Part 2: Rewrite the sentence

Part 3: Fill the gap

Part 4: Correct the message

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