Defining relative clauses

In English defining relative clauses are introduced by relative pronouns. A defining relative clause cannot be omitted because it adds an essential specification to the noun which otherwise wouldn’t be clear.

A defining relative clause usually follows a noun and it helps to understand whom or what the noun refers to. (E.g. The thief that robbed the lady wore a helmet; The bus that broke down was travelling along Oxford street). There is no comma between the noun and the relative clause.

Subject Pronouns	Object pronouns	Possessive pronouns	Examples
People
Who	who/whom	whose	The lady who (that) sold the house was 42.
That	that		The boy whose father was very ill was Irish.
Things
which	which	whose/of which	The ball that I gave you was Paul’s.
that	that		The bike whose brakes I broke is yours. The bike of which I broke the brakes.