Zorg Spacewhose, where, and the comma clause
The rule
A2 taught the clause that says WHICH one: the man who lives next door. B1 adds two more relative words and one punctuation rule. whose shows possession: the woman whose car was stolen. where refers to a place: the town where I grew up. And a clause between commas adds EXTRA information about something already identified: My brother, who lives in Rotterdam, is a nurse — I have only one brother. Without the commas it would mean the one of my brothers who lives there. A comma clause never uses that.
whose + noun · where + clause · , which / who … , (extra information)
Examples
That is the woman whose car was towed away.
This is the street where I grew up.
My sister, who is a teacher, lives in Antwerp.
The flat, which we saw yesterday, is already taken.
Common mistakes
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Wrong: The man which car is outside is waiting.
Right: The man whose car is outside is waiting.
Possession takes whose, for people and things alike.
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Wrong: This is the hospital that I was born.
Right: This is the hospital where I was born.
A place with no preposition takes where.
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Wrong: My mother, that lives in Cairo, is visiting.
Right: My mother, who lives in Cairo, is visiting.
that is never used in a clause between commas.
Practice questions
Try each one yourself first, then open “Show answer” for the solution and the reason.
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1Choose the correct sentence.
- I met a man that brother works with you.
- I met a man which brother works with you.
- I met a man who his brother works with you.
- I met a man whose brother works with you.
Show answer
Answer: D I met a man whose brother works with you.
whose links the person to what belongs to them.
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2Choose the correct sentence.
- That is the café which we first met.
- That is the café where we first met.
- That is the café where we first met there.
- That is the café that we first met.
Show answer
Answer: B That is the café where we first met.
where already contains in which.
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3Choose the correct sentence.
- Our neighbour who is eighty, still cycles.
- Our neighbour, who is eighty, still cycles.
- Our neighbour, that is eighty, still cycles.
- Our neighbour, which is eighty, still cycles.
Show answer
Answer: B Our neighbour, who is eighty, still cycles.
Extra information about one known person: commas and who.
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4Choose the correct sentence.
- The report, that took a week, is finished.
- The report, which took a week, is finished.
- The report, what took a week, is finished.
- The report which took a week, is finished.
Show answer
Answer: B The report, which took a week, is finished.
A comma clause about a thing takes which.
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5Fill in the gap.
She is the colleague _____ husband works here too.
- who
- whose
- that
- which
Show answer
Answer: B She is the colleague whose husband works here too.
Possession, so whose.
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6Fill in the gap.
This is the office _____ I did my training.
- where
- when
- that
- which
Show answer
Answer: A This is the office where I did my training.
A place, so where.
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7Fill in the gap.
My car, _____ is fifteen years old, still runs well.
- who
- which
- what
- that
Show answer
Answer: B My car, which is fifteen years old, still runs well.
A comma clause about a thing takes which.
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8Fill in the gap.
I remember the summer _____ we moved house.
- that when
- when
- which
- where
Show answer
Answer: B I remember the summer when we moved house.
A time takes when.
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9Put the words in the right order.
That is the man whose dog bit me
Show answer
Answer: That is the man whose dog bit me.
whose sits directly in front of the thing owned.
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10Put the words in the right order.
This is the village where my father was born
Show answer
Answer: This is the village where my father was born.
where introduces the clause about the place.
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