English // Grammar & Punctuation

Relative Clauses

Form and use relative clauses beginning with relative pronouns (who, whose, whom, which, that) and relative adverbs (where, when, why) to add detail, qualify nouns, and create complex sentences

Ages
9 to 10
Type
Method
Builds on
2 topics
Leads to
3 topics
Standards
3 codes

Quick check

When the learner writes to add detail about a noun — like describing a friend "who loves football" or a place "where we always go on holiday" — do they build that into the same sentence using a relative clause?

Ask this to see whether the topic is secure.

Topic // Mastery

What mastery looks like

What a learner can do once this topic is secure.
  • Combine a main clause with a relative clause using 'who' or 'which' to add information about a noun, e.g. 'The dog, which had a red collar, barked loudly'
  • Choose the correct relative pronoun (who for people, which for things, where for places, when for times) and identify the noun it refers back to
  • Recognise that a relative clause beginning with 'that' can often replace 'who' or 'which' in defining clauses, e.g. 'The book that I read' vs 'The book which I read'

Topic // Map

Where this fits

What to learn first and what this topic opens up, with the reason for each link. Required links come first.
  • RequiredMust come first
  • HelpfulHelps, but not essential

Before this

2 topics
  • Subordinate clausesRequired

    Grammar & Punctuation // Ages 6 to 9

    Relative clauses extend subordination; learners must understand how subordinate clauses work before embedding relative clauses

  • Pronouns for clarityHelpful

    Grammar & Punctuation // Ages 7 to 9

    Relative pronouns (who, which, that) overlap with pronoun knowledge; pronoun cohesion supports understanding pronoun reference in relative clauses

You are here

Relative Clauses

Ages 9 to 10 // Method

Leads to

3 topics
  • Phrases & ClausesRequired

    Grammar & Punctuation // Ages 11 to 13

    Phrase/clause analysis extends KS2 relative clauses with relative pronouns/adverbs

  • Types of SentencesRequired

    Grammar & Punctuation // Ages 11 to 14

    Constructing complex sentences uses subordinate/relative clauses from KS2

  • Varying Sentence StructureHelpful

    Grammar & Punctuation // Ages 10 to 11

    Sentence crafting uses relative clauses

Topic // Standards

Curriculum standards

Codes for the curriculum statements this topic maps to. Each publisher owns its standard text.
Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts & Literacy in History/Social Studies, Science, and Technical Subjects
L.4.1a
The national curriculum in England: Key stages 1 and 2 framework document
Eng.App2.Y5.Sent.1Eng.UKS2.Write.VGP.1f

English // Grammar & Punctuation

More in Grammar & Punctuation

All 75 topics