Les propositions relatives : Déterminatives vs Explicatives
précis, alors que les non-définissantes ajoutent juste des détails en plus, avec des virgules et which ou who.
Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds
Defining clauses identify exactly who/what you mean; non-defining clauses just add extra details using commas.
- Defining: No commas, 'that' is okay, essential for meaning. Example: 'The car that I bought is red.'
- Non-Defining: Use commas, 'that' is NOT okay, extra info only. Example: 'My car, which is red, is fast.'
- Omission: In defining clauses, you can drop 'who/which/that' if it's the object. Example: 'The book (that) I read.'
Overview
The cat that is white is so moody, il utilise une proposition relative déterminative (defining relative clause). Pourquoi ? Parce que sans la partie that is white, tu ne saurais pas de quel chat il parle !My cat, which is white, is so moody, c'est une proposition relative explicative (non-defining relative clause). Le fait que le chat soit blanc est juste un détail supplémentaire.How This Grammar Works
The movie that we watched last night was awesome, la proposition that we watched last night est le pointeur laser. Elle te dit exactement de quel film je parle. Si je l'enlève et que je dis juste The movie was awesome, tu me dirais : « Quel film, mec ?Inception, which we watched last night, was awesome, tu sais déjà que le film est *Inception*.Inception was awesome a toujours tout son sens.My girlfriend who lives in London is coming to visit suggère que tu as d'autres petites amies dans d'autres villes (mouvement risqué !), alors que My girlfriend, who lives in London, is coming to visit nous dit simplement où vit ton unique amoureuse.
Formation Pattern
the laptop, my boss).
who ou that (Déterminative) ou *seulement* who (Explicative).
which ou that (Déterminative) ou *seulement* which (Explicative).
that est un peu casanier. Il ne vit que dans les propositions déterminatives. Il ne va jamais dans les explicatives.
I, you, we), tu peux souvent le supprimer entièrement (The phone [that] I bought). Dans les explicatives, le pronom est obligatoire. C'est le VIP qui ne quitte jamais la fête.
When To Use It
I want the burger that has no onions, cette proposition est 100 % nécessaire.The hotel that we stayed at was trash, ou pour se plaindre de la technologie : The update that I downloaded broke my phone.Sarah, who has ten years of experience in marketing, joined our team. Tu sais déjà que c'est Sarah.Paris), ou une relation unique (my mother). Si tu racontes un potin sur une célébrité, tu dirais : Taylor Swift, who is currently on tour, just released a new album. On sait qui est Taylor ; l'info sur la tournée est juste un « au fait ».
Common Mistakes
- Le drame de la virgule : Oublier les virgules dans une proposition explicative est l'erreur n°1. Écrire
My dad who is a doctor lives in Berlinsuggère que tu as plusieurs pères et que tu identifies celui qui est médecin. À moins que tu n'aies une dynamique familiale très moderne, tu as probablement besoin de ces virgules :My dad, who is a doctor, lives in Berlin. - Le piège du 'That' : Utiliser
thatdans une proposition explicative. Tu ne peux pas dire :✗ Paris, that I love, is beautiful.On dirait un bug dans la matrice. Utilisewhichà la place :✓ Paris, which I love, is beautiful. - La confusion du 'Who' : Parfois, les gens utilisent
whichpour les personnes. Ne le fais pas !✗ The guy which lives next doorest une grosse erreur. C'est✓ The guy who lives next door. - Doubles sujets : Ajouter un pronom supplémentaire après la proposition.
✗ The car that I bought it is fast.Tu n'as pas besoin duit! Le pronom relatifthatfait déjà le travail du complément. Reste simple :✓ The car that I bought is fast. - Obsession de l'omission : Essayer de supprimer le pronom dans une proposition explicative.
✗ My brother, lives in Tokyo, is a chef.Tu as besoin de cewhopour faire le lien :✓ My brother, who lives in Tokyo, is a chef.
Contrast With Similar Patterns
My friend, a professional gamer, is rich. C'est très similaire à My friend, who is a professional gamer, is rich.is), alors que l'apposition utilise juste un groupe nominal. Les deux sont utilisés pour des 'infos sup' et les deux adorent les virgules.The girl who is sitting over there, tu peux simplement dire The girl sitting over there. C'est une façon de parler plus avancée et 'cool' qui te fait paraître très natif.I know what you did. Une proposition relative décrit un nom, comme I know the person who did it.Quick FAQ
which dans une proposition déterminative ?R: Oui, tu peux ! The car which I bought est tout à fait correct, bien que that soit plus courant à l'oral. Mais n'utilise jamais that dans une explicative.
who ou that ?R: Seulement dans les propositions déterminatives, et seulement s'il y a un autre sujet après. The man [who] I saw est correct. The man who saw me ne l'est pas — tu as besoin du who car c'est le sujet.
R: Parce que les noms identifient déjà la personne. Si tu dis John, on sait que c'est John. Toute info après est automatiquement 'en plus', donc elle a besoin de virgules.
R: Totalement. Les propositions explicatives te font paraître plus détaillé et sophistiqué. Les déterminatives te font paraître direct et clair. Les utiliser correctement montre que tu as dépassé l'anglais 'de base'.
R: Si tu veux parler de celle qui vit en Espagne, dis My sister who lives in Spain. Pas de virgules ! Cela dit à l'auditeur que tu choisis une sœur parmi les deux. Magique, non ?
Relative Pronoun Selection
| Function | For People | For Things | For Places/Time |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Subject
|
who / that
|
which / that
|
N/A
|
|
Object
|
who / whom / that / (ø)
|
which / that / (ø)
|
where / when
|
|
Possessive
|
whose
|
whose / of which
|
N/A
|
Pronoun Omission (Defining Only)
| Full Form | Short Form (Omitted) | Condition |
|---|---|---|
|
The man who I met
|
The man I met
|
Pronoun is the Object
|
|
The book that you read
|
The book you read
|
Pronoun is the Object
|
|
The man who lives here
|
NOT POSSIBLE
|
Pronoun is the Subject
|
Meanings
Relative clauses provide more information about a noun. Defining clauses limit the noun to a specific one, while non-defining clauses provide supplementary details about a noun already identified.
Defining (Restrictive)
Tells us which specific person or thing we are talking about. Without it, the sentence is incomplete or unclear.
“The students who studied hard passed the exam.”
“I'm looking for the keys that I left on the table.”
Non-Defining (Non-Restrictive)
Adds extra information about a noun we already know. The sentence still makes sense if you remove this clause.
“My brother, who lives in New York, is a chef.”
“The Eiffel Tower, which was built in 1889, is in Paris.”
Object Pronoun Omission
In defining clauses, if the relative pronoun is the object of the verb, it can be deleted.
“The movie (that) we watched was boring.”
“The person (who) I called didn't answer.”
Reference Table
| Caractéristique | Clause Définissante | Clause Non-Définissante |
|---|---|---|
|
Objectif
|
Identifier le nom
|
Donner une information supplémentaire
|
|
Virgules
|
Pas de virgules
|
Toujours des virgules
|
|
Peut utiliser 'that' ?
|
Oui (très courant)
|
Non (jamais ! )
|
|
Peut omettre le pronom ?
|
Oui (si objet)
|
Non (jamais)
|
|
Exemple
|
The car that I like...
|
My car, which I like,...
|
|
Sens si retiré
|
La phrase devient confuse
|
La phrase reste claire
|
Spectre de formalité
The colleague with whom I collaborated on the project is absent. (Workplace)
The colleague who I worked with on the project is away. (Workplace)
The guy I worked with is out. (Workplace)
My project partner's ghosting today. (Workplace)
Les Clauses Relatives : Le Test d'Identité
Définissante (Essentielle)
- No Commas Identification
- Uses 'That' Informel/Quotidien
Non-Définissante (Extra)
- Has Commas Détail Bonus
- No 'That' Règle Stricte
Définissante vs Non-Définissante
Virgule ou pas de virgule ?
La phrase a-t-elle toujours un sens si tu retires la clause ?
Le nom est-il un nom propre spécifique ou une chose unique (comme 'Paris') ?
Limites d'utilisation des pronoms
Sûr pour les deux
- • Who (for people)
- • Which (for things)
- • Whose
- • Where
SEULEMENT Définissante
- • That
- • Omission (Zero pronoun)
Exemples par niveau
The boy who is happy is my brother.
The boy who is happy is my brother.
I have a dog that is big.
I have a dog that is big.
This is the book that I want.
This is the book that I want.
The girl who lives here is nice.
The girl who lives here is nice.
The car which he bought is blue.
The car which he bought is blue.
The man (who) I saw yesterday was tall.
The man (who) I saw yesterday was tall.
I like the city where I was born.
I like the city where I was born.
She is the teacher who helps me.
She is the teacher who helps me.
My sister, who lives in Rome, is a lawyer.
My sister, who lives in Rome, is a lawyer.
The laptop that I use for work is broken.
The laptop that I use for work is broken.
London, which is the capital of the UK, is huge.
London, which is the capital of the UK, is huge.
The man whose car was stolen is very angry.
The man whose car was stolen is very angry.
The company, which was founded in 1920, is closing.
The company, which was founded in 1920, is closing.
He failed his driving test, which was a surprise.
He failed his driving test, which was a surprise.
The candidate for whom I voted didn't win.
The candidate for whom I voted didn't win.
Is that the reason why you were late?
Is that the reason why you were late?
The building, the roof of which was damaged, is old.
The building, the roof of which was damaged, is old.
Anyone wishing to leave early may do so.
Anyone wishing to leave early may do so.
The method by which they achieved this is unknown.
The method by which they achieved this is unknown.
The town, where many artists live, is very vibrant.
The town, where many artists live, is very vibrant.
The project, the success of which remains to be seen, is costly.
The project, the success of which remains to be seen, is costly.
He was late, as is often the case with him.
He was late, as is often the case with him.
Whosoever finds the key shall be rewarded.
Whosoever finds the key shall be rewarded.
The situation, albeit difficult, is not hopeless.
The situation, albeit difficult, is not hopeless.
Facile à confondre
Learners often use them interchangeably in all contexts.
Learners aren't sure when to use the object form 'whom'.
Both describe nouns but use different structures.
Erreurs courantes
The man which lives here.
The man who lives here.
I like the book what you gave me.
I like the book that you gave me.
The girl she lives next door is nice.
The girl who lives next door is nice.
I saw the man who he is a doctor.
I saw the man who is a doctor.
The house that I live is small.
The house where I live is small.
This is the man who's car is red.
This is the man whose car is red.
The movie who I saw was good.
The movie that I saw was good.
My mother, that is 50, is a nurse.
My mother, who is 50, is a nurse.
Paris which is in France is beautiful.
Paris, which is in France, is beautiful.
The man, who I met him, was nice.
The man, who I met, was nice.
The car, that's engine is broken, is mine.
The car, whose engine is broken, is mine.
Structures de phrases
The ___ who ___ is ___.
___, which is ___, is ___.
The ___ (that) I ___ was ___.
The person whose ___ is ___.
Real World Usage
My bestie, who is literally the cutest, just graduated!
I am looking for a role that allows me to use my coding skills.
The suspect, who was arrested late last night, is being questioned.
Did you find the keys I lost?
The theory, which was first proposed in 1990, remains controversial.
Take the train that goes toward the city center.
L'astuce du "doigt qui pointe"
CELUI-LÀ !, c'est une clause définissante. Pas besoin de virgules. The bag that I want is blue.
Évite "That" avec les virgules
that après une virgule. C'est comme porter des chaussettes avec des sandales – possible, mais personne n'approuvera. My brother, who is a doctor, lives in London.
La formalité compte
that presque tout le temps pour les clauses définissantes. Which est plus pour tes rédactions super sérieuses. This is the phone that I bought yesterday.
Smart Tips
Always use a non-defining clause with commas. Proper nouns are already specific, so any extra info is just 'extra'.
Use 'whom' after prepositions like 'to', 'with', or 'for'.
Check if there is another subject immediately after it. If there is, you can usually delete it.
Use ', which' at the end of the sentence.
Prononciation
The Comma Pause
In non-defining clauses, there is a slight drop in pitch and a brief pause where the commas are.
Relative Pronoun Reduction
In fast speech, 'that' is often pronounced with a schwa /ðət/.
Non-defining Parenthetical
My car, (which is red), is fast.
The pitch goes down for the clause and back up for the main verb.
Mémorise-le
Moyen mnémotechnique
Defining is 'Determining' (no commas needed), Non-defining is 'Needless' (needs commas).
Association visuelle
Imagine a defining clause as a wedding ring—it's essential and stays on the finger. Imagine a non-defining clause as a bracelet—it's extra, and you can take it off (the commas are the clasps).
Rhyme
If it's extra, use a comma. If it's needed, save the drama.
Story
A detective is looking for 'the man who stole the diamond' (Defining). Once he catches him, he says, 'This man, who is wearing a red hat, is the thief' (Non-defining).
Word Web
Défi
Look at 5 objects in your room. Write one defining and one non-defining sentence for each.
Notes culturelles
British speakers are slightly more likely to use 'which' in defining clauses than American speakers, who strictly prefer 'that'.
Using 'whom' is almost exclusively reserved for formal writing or very formal speeches. Using it in casual conversation can sound pretentious.
In some dialects, 'that' is used for people more frequently than 'who' in informal speech.
Relative pronouns in English evolved from demonstrative and interrogative pronouns in Old English ('se', 'seo', 'þæt').
Amorces de conversation
Tell me about a person who has influenced your life.
Describe your hometown, which I've never visited.
What's a movie that you've seen more than three times?
Think of a famous person whom you admire.
Sujets d'écriture
Erreurs courantes
Test Yourself
Choose the correct sentence:
Tokyo, ___ is the capital of Japan, is a huge city.
Find and fix the mistake:
Mr. Smith that is my teacher is very kind.
Score: /3
Exercices pratiques
8 exercisesMy brother, ___ lives in Spain, is visiting next week.
The woman ___ car was stolen called the police.
Find and fix the mistake:
The laptop, that I bought yesterday, is very fast.
I have a friend. He speaks five languages.
Match types
The cake that I ate was delicious.
The man who lives here is nice.
This is the park ___ we first met.
Score: /8
Practice Bank
10 exercisesThe phone ___ I bought yesterday is broken.
Which one is right?
Paris / is / which / beautiful / I / visited / , / ,
The girl which lives next door is nice.
Kucing yang sedang tidur itu milikku.
Match the items:
My mother, ___ is 60, still runs marathons.
Which sentence identifies a specific thing?
The man who is standing there is my uncle.
The company, ___ headquarters are in London, is hiring.
Score: /10
FAQ (8)
Use a comma if the information is 'extra'. If the sentence still makes sense without it, add commas. If the info is needed to know which noun you mean, no commas.
In defining clauses, yes (e.g., 'The man that I saw'). In non-defining clauses, no—you must use 'who'.
'Who' is for subjects (the person doing the action). 'Whom' is for objects (the person receiving the action). 'Whom' is mostly used in formal writing.
No. You can only drop it in defining clauses when it is the object of the sentence (e.g., 'The book I read'). You cannot drop it if it is the subject (e.g., 'The book that is on the table').
In defining clauses, 'which' can sound slightly more formal than 'that', especially in British English. In non-defining clauses, 'which' is the only option for things.
Yes! It is perfectly natural to say 'The car whose engine is broken' instead of the more clunky 'The car the engine of which is broken'.
This is a standard rule of English grammar. 'That' is considered a restrictive pronoun, meaning its job is to limit or define. Non-defining clauses don't limit, so 'that' doesn't fit.
It might change the meaning! 'My brother who is a doctor' implies you have multiple brothers and you're talking about the doctor one. 'My brother, who is a doctor,' implies you have one brother and he happens to be a doctor.
Scaffolded Practice
1
2
3
4
Mastery Progress
Needs Practice
Improving
Strong
Mastered
In Other Languages
que / quien / el cual
English distinguishes between 'that' and 'which' based on commas; Spanish uses 'que' for both.
qui / que / lequel
French relative pronouns are determined by grammatical function (subject/object), not by the 'essentialness' of the info.
der / die / das
German requires commas for every relative clause, whereas English only uses them for non-defining ones.
Pre-nominal modifiers
Japanese uses word order (clause + noun) instead of pronouns (noun + who/which).
al-ladhi (الذي)
Arabic requires a pronoun like 'him' or 'it' inside the clause (e.g., 'the man who I saw him').
de (的)
Chinese places the description before the noun, while English places it after.
Learning Path
Prerequisites
Learn These First
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