Propositions Subordonnées Relatives Définissantes : Identifier les Personnes et les Choses
détecteur de précisionpour dire *exactement* de
quelle personne ou quelle chose tu parles.
Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds
Defining relative clauses give essential information to identify exactly which person or thing you are talking about.
- Use 'who' or 'that' for people (e.g., The man who called).
- Use 'which' or 'that' for things (e.g., The car that I bought).
- Never use commas before or after a defining relative clause.
Overview
defining relative clauses (propositions relatives restrictives) sont ta solution. En gros, ces structures servent d'étiquettes d'identification.The barista is friendly. Ton ami va te regarder d'un air confus parce qu'il y a trois baristas derrière le comptoir.defining relative clause, tu précises : The barista who made my latte is friendly. Là, c'est clair. Tu as identifié la personne parmi d'autres.qui et que pour cela. La bonne nouvelle, c'est que la structure de base est très similaire à la nôtre (Sujet-Verbe-Objet). Cependant, l'anglais apporte des nuances subtiles, notamment sur le choix du pronom en fonction de la nature de l'antécédent (personne ou objet) et sur la possibilité — très déroutante pour nous, francophones — de supprimer carrément le pronom.relative pronoun.Who(pour les personnes) : C'est l'équivalent de notrequiouquequand on parle d'un être humain.
The woman who lives next door is a lawyer. (La femme qui habite à côté...)Which(pour les objets, les animaux et les concepts) : Contrairement au français oùquipeut s'appliquer à une chaise comme à un collègue, l'anglais est plus catégorique.Whichest réservé à ce qui n'est pas humain.
The car which I bought is electric. (La voiture que j'ai achetée...)That(le joker polyvalent) : C'est le pronom préféré des anglophones à l'oral. Il peut remplacerwhoOUwhichdans lesdefining relative clauses. C'est ton meilleur ami pour ne pas te tromper.
The student that studied hard passed. (L'étudiant qui a travaillé dur...)The phone that is on the table is mine. (Le téléphone qui est sur la table...)defining relative clause, l'information est indispensable pour identifier le nom. Si on l'enlève, la phrase perd son sens principal. Pour cette raison, on ne met jamais de virgule avant le pronom relatif.- Correct :
The book that you lent me is great. - Incorrect :
The book, that you lent me, is great.(En anglais, ces virgules changeraient totalement la nature de la règle, on verra ça plus tard).
Subject Relative Clause)qui. Dans ce cas, tu dois garder le pronom. Tu ne peux pas le supprimer.who/that + Verbe | The man who works here is nice. | The machine that makes coffee is broken. |which/that + Verbe | — | The app which tracks my steps is free. |Object Relative Clause), on dit obligatoirement Le livre que tu m'as donné".The book you gave me est parfait.The person who I met yesterday... | The person I met yesterday... |The movie which we watched... | The movie we watched... |The gift that she received... | The gift she received... |expert pour un niveau B1. Si tu as une préposition comme with, to, at, ou for, tu as deux options :- Style soutenu : La préposition vient avant le pronom (on utilise alors
whompour les personnes etwhichpour les objets).The person with whom I spoke...(Très rare à l'oral). - Style naturel : On met la préposition à la fin de la clause et on utilise
thatou rien du tout.The person (that) I spoke with...
- Pour choisir un élément dans un groupe :
Pass me the file that contains the budget. Sans la relative, ton collègue ne sait pas lequel prendre.- Pour définir un concept ou un métier :
A translator is a person who converts text from one language to another. C'est la base des définitions.- Pour exprimer une préférence spécifique :
I like people who tell the truth. Ici, tu ne parles pas de tous les gens, mais uniquement de cette catégorie précise.- Dans les situations de voyage ou de shopping :
I'm looking for a hotel that has a gym. Le critère gym définit exactement ce que tu cherches.the man, the city, the restaurant), utilise une defining relative clause pour réduire le champ des possibles.which pour une personne et L'oiseau qui chante". C'est le même mot. Du coup, on a tendance à vouloir utiliser un seul mot en anglais aussi. Mais attention : The man which... est une erreur qui sonne très bizarre pour un anglophone.- Le conseil du prof : Si tu as un doute, utilise toujours
that. Il fonctionne pour tout le monde !
The cake that I made is on the table, mais si tu veux vraiment sonner naturel, essaie de dire The cake I made is on the table. Les Français ont souvent peur que la phrase s'écroule sans le que. Entraîne-toi à le supprimer quand il y a déjà un autre sujet (I, you, he, etc.) juste après.à la françaisewho ou un that change le sens.The students who failed the exam must retake it.(Seulement ceux qui ont échoué).The students, who failed the exam, must retake it.(Ici, on suggère que TOUS les étudiants ont échoué et qu'en plus ils doivent le repasser).
defining clause, l'information est soudée au nom : pas de virgule !defining relative clauses avec leurs cousines, les non-defining relative clauses.that | Utilisable et très fréquent. | Interdit ! On utilise who ou which. |- Defining :
My brother who lives in Lyon is a chef.(J'ai plusieurs frères, je parle de celui qui habite à Lyon). - Non-defining :
My brother, who lives in Lyon, is a chef.(Je n'ai qu'un seul frère. Le fait qu'il vive à Lyon est juste une info supplémentaire).
who pour mon chien ?which ou that. Cependant, si c'est ton animal de compagnie et que tu le considères comme un membre de la famille, beaucoup d'anglophones utilisent who. C'est une question d'affection !Sujet n°2. Regarde ce qu'il y a juste après le pronom. Si c'est un verbe (The man who is...), tu ne peux pas supprimer. Si c'est un nom ou un pronom sujet (The man (who) I saw...), tu peux l'enlever.That est-il trop familier pour un e-mail professionnel ?That est parfaitement acceptable dans un contexte pro. Si tu veux vraiment paraître très formel, tu peux utiliser who ou which, mais that ne choquera personne au bureau.who et whom ?whom est la version objet de who. C'est comme la différence entre il et lui. Mais honnêtement, même les natifs ne l'utilisent presque plus, sauf après une préposition (to whom). Pour ton niveau B1, concentre-toi sur who et that, c'est bien plus utile !Relative Pronoun Selection
| Target | Subject Form | Object Form | Possessive Form |
|---|---|---|---|
|
People
|
who / that
|
who / whom / that / (omitted)
|
whose
|
|
Things
|
which / that
|
which / that / (omitted)
|
whose / of which
|
|
Places
|
which / that
|
where
|
n/a
|
|
Times
|
that
|
when
|
n/a
|
Meanings
A defining relative clause provides information that is necessary to identify the noun it follows. Without this clause, the sentence would be incomplete or the meaning would change significantly.
Identifying People
Using 'who' or 'that' to specify which person is being discussed.
“The woman who lives next door is a doctor.”
“I know a girl that speaks five languages.”
Identifying Things
Using 'which' or 'that' to specify which object or concept is being discussed.
“The book which I borrowed is excellent.”
“This is the phone that has the best camera.”
Possession
Using 'whose' to show who something belongs to within the identifying clause.
“The boy whose father is a pilot is my friend.”
“I met a woman whose car had broken down.”
Reference Table
| Pronom Relatif | Fait référence à | Utilisation | Exemple |
|---|---|---|---|
|
who
|
Personnes
|
Sujet ou Complément d'Objet
|
`The friend who called.`
|
|
which
|
Choses / Animaux
|
Sujet ou Complément d'Objet
|
`The phone which rang.`
|
|
that
|
Personnes / Choses / Animaux
|
Sujet ou Complément d'Objet
|
`The idea that succeeded.`
|
Spectre de formalité
The gentleman whom I encountered this morning. (social_interaction)
The man who I met this morning. (social_interaction)
The guy I met this morning. (social_interaction)
The dude I linked with earlier. (social_interaction)
Clauses Relatives Définissantes : L'Essentiel
Pronoms
- who pour les personnes
- which pour les choses/animaux
- that pour personnes & choses (informel)
Fonction
- Identifier Préciser 'lequel ?'
- Clarifier Éviter l'ambiguïté
Structure
- Pas de virgules Partie du sens essentiel
- Suit le nom Directement après le nom qu'il décrit
Qui (Who) vs Quel (Which) vs Que (That) dans les Clauses Définissantes
Choisir Ton Pronom Relatif (Clauses Définissantes)
L'information est-elle essentielle pour identifier le nom ?
Le nom est-il une personne ?
Le nom est-il une chose ou un animal ?
Quand les Clauses Définissantes Aident
Désigner des personnes
- • The friend who lent me money.
- • The teacher that graded my essay.
- • The actor who won the Oscar.
Spécifier des choses
- • The book which I finished.
- • The phone that rang loudly.
- • The movie which everyone saw.
Clarifier le contexte
- • The coffee that has oat milk.
- • The app which tracks my steps.
- • The meme that went viral.
Exemples par niveau
The man who is happy is my dad.
The man who is happy is my dad.
The dog which is big is mine.
The dog which is big is mine.
I like the girl who is nice.
I like the girl who is nice.
This is the house which is blue.
This is the house which is blue.
The phone that I have is new.
The phone that I have is new.
The people that live here are kind.
The people that live here are kind.
Where is the cake that I bought?
Where is the cake that I bought?
I saw the movie that you liked.
I saw the movie that you liked.
The woman whose car broke down is waiting.
The woman whose car broke down is waiting.
The hotel where we stayed was cheap.
The hotel where we stayed was cheap.
The reason why I called is important.
The reason why I called is important.
Is that the man you were talking about?
Is that the man you were talking about?
The candidate whom we interviewed yesterday was impressive.
The candidate whom we interviewed yesterday was impressive.
The city in which he was born is very small.
The city in which he was born is very small.
The students failing the test will need to retake it.
The students failing the test will need to retake it.
It was the atmosphere that made the restaurant special.
It was the atmosphere that made the restaurant special.
The speed at which the virus spread was alarming.
The speed at which the virus spread was alarming.
Any person found trespassing will be prosecuted.
Any person found trespassing will be prosecuted.
The extent to which he went to help was amazing.
The extent to which he went to help was amazing.
He is a man for whom I have great respect.
He is a man for whom I have great respect.
The manner in which the data was manipulated suggests fraud.
The manner in which the data was manipulated suggests fraud.
Such was the intensity with which she studied that she fell ill.
Such was the intensity with which she studied that she fell ill.
The person to whom the letter was addressed has moved.
The person to whom the letter was addressed has moved.
The criteria by which we judge art are subjective.
The criteria by which we judge art are subjective.
Facile à confondre
Learners often use commas in defining clauses or use 'that' in non-defining clauses.
Using 'what' to mean 'the thing that'.
Mixing up the person with their possessions.
Erreurs courantes
The man what lives here.
The man who lives here.
The car who I like.
The car that I like.
The boy he is my friend.
The boy who is my friend.
I like the book is red.
I like the book that is red.
The man, who is tall, is my uncle.
The man who is tall is my uncle.
The girl who she called me.
The girl who called me.
The house that I live.
The house where I live.
The man whose his car is red.
The man whose car is red.
The reason because I came.
The reason why I came.
The book I read it was good.
The book I read was good.
The person that I gave the book.
The person to whom I gave the book.
Structures de phrases
The ___ who ___ is ___.
I'm looking for a ___ that ___.
That is the ___ where ___.
He is the kind of person whose ___ is always ___.
Real World Usage
I am looking for a role that allows me to use my coding skills.
Show me the laptops that are under $500.
I want to meet someone who loves hiking and travel.
The suspect is a man who was wearing a blue hoodie.
Did you see the video I sent you?
Take the bus that stops in front of the library.
L'info essentielle !
The student who studies hard will succeed.Sans
who studies hard, on ne sait pas de quel étudiant tu parles !Pas de virgules, s'il te plaît !
The phone that rang was mine.et non
The phone, that rang, was mine.
Quand tu as un doute, "that" est ton ami !
who ou which dans une clause définissante, that est presque toujours un choix sûr et naturel, autant pour les personnes que pour les choses, surtout dans un contexte informel. C'est un peu ton joker linguistique ! The person that called was my sister.ou
The movie that I saw was great.
Le "whom" formel
whom est correct grammaticalement quand c'est un complément d'objet, on ne l'utilise presque jamais en conversation. Tu le verras surtout dans des textes très formels. Ne t'inquiète pas trop de l'utiliser tous les jours. The manager with whom I spoke was helpful.(Très formel !) vs.
The manager who I spoke to was helpful.(Plus courant).
Smart Tips
You can probably omit the relative pronoun entirely to sound more like a native speaker.
Avoid using 'that' for people; use 'who' or 'whom' instead to maintain a professional tone.
Try removing the clause. If the sentence becomes confusing or 'The [Noun]' doesn't refer to anyone specific anymore, don't use commas.
Remember that 'whose' replaces 'his/her/their' + the noun. Don't keep the possessive adjective!
Prononciation
Relative Pronoun Reduction
In fast speech, 'that' is often pronounced with a schwa /ðət/.
Stress on the Noun
The stress usually falls on the noun being defined, not the relative pronoun.
Continuous Flow
The girl who lives next door ↗ is a doctor.
There is no pause between the noun and the defining clause.
Mémorise-le
Moyen mnémotechnique
WHO is for humans, WHICH is for things, and THAT is the friend that fits both strings.
Association visuelle
Imagine a giant magnifying glass hovering over a crowd of people. The glass highlights one person wearing a 'WHO' t-shirt. This represents how the clause 'defines' or 'zooms in' on one specific person.
Rhyme
If the info is a must, no commas you shall trust.
Story
A detective is looking for a thief. He says, 'I need the man WHO has the red bag.' There are ten men, but only one has the red bag. The 'who' clause is the detective's tool to find the right person.
Word Web
Défi
Look around your room. Pick three objects and describe them using 'that' or 'which' (e.g., 'The lamp that is on my desk is black').
Notes culturelles
American English speakers strongly prefer 'that' over 'which' for defining clauses. Using 'which' can sometimes sound overly formal or even British to American ears.
British English is more accepting of 'which' in defining clauses, though 'that' is still very common in speech.
In formal academic papers, 'whom' is still expected when the person is the object of the clause, whereas it has almost disappeared from spoken English.
Relative pronouns in English evolved from interrogative pronouns (who/which) and demonstrative pronouns (that).
Amorces de conversation
Tell me about a person who has influenced your life.
What is a gadget that you can't live without?
Describe the kind of house where you would like to live.
Think of a movie that made you cry. Why was it so sad?
Sujets d'écriture
Erreurs courantes
Test Yourself
The person ___ helps me with tech is very patient.
who est utilisé pour les personnes, et c'est le sujet de la clause ici. that serait aussi correct, mais who est un très bon choix.Find and fix the mistake:
The film, that I saw, was fantastic.
that est correctement utilisé pour une chose ici.Choisis la phrase correcte :
which est correctement utilisé pour une chose (the car), et il n'y a pas de virgules inutiles car c'est une clause définissante.El restaurante que tiene la mejor pizza siempre está lleno.
Answer starts with: ["T...
that et which sont corrects pour se référer à un lieu/une chose (the restaurant) dans une clause relative définissante.Arrange the words in the correct order:
All words placed
Click words above to build the sentence
who always wears the red hatest essentielle pour identifier
the guy.Score: /5
Exercices pratiques
8 exercisesThe woman ___ lives next door is a famous singer.
Which sentence is punctuated correctly?
Find and fix the mistake:
The man who he called me is my boss.
I have a friend. Her father is a doctor.
You can use 'that' instead of 'who' for people in defining clauses.
A: Which book do you want? B: I want the one ___ is on the top shelf.
The movie that we saw last night was great.
1. The person... 2. The car... 3. The girl... 4. The house...
Score: /8
Practice Bank
13 exercisesI read the article ___ was recommended by my professor.
The architect ___ designed this building won an award.
Is this the laptop ___ you want to buy?
The doctor which I saw was very kind.
The book, that was on the table, is mine.
Quelle phrase est correcte ?
Quelle phrase est correcte ?
El coche que está aparcado allí es nuevo.
No me gusta la gente que se queja mucho.
Arrange ces mots en une phrase :
Mets les mots dans le bon ordre :
Associe les pronoms relatifs à leurs référents habituels :
Associe les parties de la phrase :
Score: /13
FAQ (8)
You can leave it out only if it is the **object** of the clause. For example, in 'The man [that] I saw', 'I' is the subject and 'that' is the object, so you can omit it. In 'The man who called', 'who' is the subject, so you must keep it.
Neither is 'better', but 'who' is more common in formal writing, while 'that' is very common in everyday speech.
No, 'which' is strictly for things and animals. For people, use 'who' or 'that'.
Commas in English indicate that the information is 'extra'. In defining clauses, the information is essential to identify the noun, so we don't use commas.
'Who' is for subjects and 'whom' is for objects. However, 'whom' is very formal and rarely used in spoken English today.
Yes! You can say 'The tree whose leaves are falling' instead of the more clunky 'The tree of which the leaves are falling'.
In American English, 'that' is preferred for defining clauses. In British English, both 'that' and 'which' are used frequently.
Yes, 'where' is much more natural in conversation. 'The house where I live' is better than 'The house in which I live'.
Scaffolded Practice
1
2
3
4
Mastery Progress
Needs Practice
Improving
Strong
Mastered
In Other Languages
que
English has different pronouns for people vs. things, whereas Spanish often uses 'que' for both.
qui / que
French never omits the relative pronoun, while English often does.
der / die / das
German relative clauses always require commas, even if they are defining.
None (Adnominal clause)
Japanese uses word order instead of pronouns like 'who' or 'which'.
al-ladhi (الذي)
English does not use resumptive pronouns (e.g., we don't say 'the man who I saw him').
de (的)
The relative clause precedes the noun in Chinese but follows it in English.
Learning Path
Prerequisites
Continue With
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