B1 Relative Clauses 17 min read 中等

省略关系代词（'that' 的快捷方式）

想让英语更丝滑？只要 that 在从句里当“宾语”，大胆把它删掉！记住 Noun + Subject + Verb 这个公式就够了。
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Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds

You can often delete 'that', 'who', or 'which' if they are the object of the following verb.

  • Drop it if a new subject follows: 'The movie (that) I saw' is perfect.
  • Keep it if it acts as the subject: 'The man who lives here' (cannot drop).
  • Keep it in non-defining clauses (extra info with commas): 'My car, which is blue, is old.'
Noun + [that/who/which] + Subject + Verb ➔ Noun + Subject + Verb

Overview

### Overview
When we speak or write English, sometimes we can shorten sentences to make them sound more natural and efficient. One way to do this is by removing certain words called relative pronouns, like that, which, and who, in specific situations. This is a very common technique used by native English speakers, especially in everyday conversations.
For example, instead of saying the book that I bought, a native speaker might just say the book I bought. This might seem a bit strange at first, especially if you're used to always including these words. But understanding when and how to drop these pronouns will make your English sound much more fluent and less formal, just like how we might shorten phrases in Chinese to make our conversations quicker.
Mastering this rule helps you connect ideas smoothly and efficiently, which is super important for clear communication.
### How This Grammar Works
Let's first think about what defining relative clauses do. These clauses give us essential information to identify *which* person or thing we are talking about. For instance, in the sentence The student that got the highest score got a scholarship, the part that got the highest score tells us *exactly which* student we mean – not just any student, but the one with the top score.
The word that here is a relative pronoun, acting as a bridge connecting the main idea (The student got a scholarship) with the specific detail (that student got the highest score).
Now, the key to dropping these pronouns lies in their job, or grammatical function, *inside* the relative clause. You can only drop a relative pronoun if it's acting as the object of the verb in that clause. Let's look at The book that I am reading is excellent.
Here, I is the subject doing the action, am reading is the verb, and that (which refers back to book) is what is being read – it’s the object. Because that is the object, we can remove it: The book I am reading is excellent. See?
The sentence is shorter, but we still know exactly which book we’re talking about. The meaning is clear because I is the subject and am reading is the verb, and the object is understood from the context.
On the other hand, you cannot drop the relative pronoun if it's the subject of the verb in its clause. Take The software that crashed needs fixing. In the clause that crashed, that (referring to software) is the one doing the crashing – it's the subject of the verb crashed.
If we try to remove that, we get The software crashed needs fixing. This sounds wrong, right? The verb crashed is left hanging without a subject.
In Chinese, we don't have this issue because our verbs don't change. But in English, the subject is crucial. So, the relative pronoun that here is essential because it’s the subject performing the action crashed, and we must keep it.
So, the main idea is: check the pronoun's role *inside* the relative clause. If it's the object, you can likely drop it. If it's the subject, you must keep it.
### Formation Pattern
The ability to 'drop' relative pronouns depends entirely on their grammatical role within the defining relative clause. This 'shortcut' is available when the relative pronoun (that, which, who) is followed by a subject and a verb within the relative clause. In these cases, the pronoun is understood to be the object of that verb.
Let's look at the two main patterns:
| Pattern (Full) | Example (Full) | Grammatical Role of Pronoun | Omission Possible? |
| :------------------------------------------------- | :------------------------------------------------- | :-------------------------- | :----------------- |
| Noun + that/which/who + Subject + Verb | The article that I read was insightful. | Object | Yes |
| Noun + that/which/who + Verb (Subject Pronoun) | The car that broke down is old. | Subject | No |
When the relative pronoun acts as the object, the structure simplifies like this:
Noun + Subject + Verb (+ Object/Complement)
Here are some examples:
  • Full sentence: The email that you sent was perfectly worded.
  • Inside the relative clause that you sent, you is the subject, sent is the verb. that is the object of sent (you sent *the email*). So, we can drop that.
  • With dropped pronoun: The email you sent was perfectly worded.
  • Full sentence: I finally watched the movie which everyone recommended.
  • Inside which everyone recommended, everyone is the subject, recommended is the verb. which is the object of recommended (everyone recommended *the movie*). So, we can drop which.
  • With dropped pronoun: I finally watched the movie everyone recommended.
  • Full sentence: She's the colleague who I mentioned yesterday.
  • Inside who I mentioned, I is the subject, mentioned is the verb. who is the object of mentioned (I mentioned *the colleague*). So, we can drop who.
  • With dropped pronoun: She's the colleague I mentioned yesterday.
It's crucial to remember that if the relative pronoun is the subject, it cannot be dropped. The structure must remain:
Noun + that/which/who + Verb (+ Object/Complement)
For example:
  • Full sentence: The team that won the championship trained rigorously.
  • Inside that won the championship, that is the subject of won. It's the team that performed the action of winning.
  • Incorrect to drop: The team won the championship trained rigorously. This sentence is grammatically broken because won has no subject. It sounds like two separate sentences mashed together.
  • Full sentence: We need to fix the bug which appeared in the latest update.
  • Inside which appeared in the latest update, which is the subject of appeared. It's the bug that performed the action of appearing.
  • Incorrect to drop: We need to fix the bug appeared in the latest update. Again, appeared lacks a subject, making the sentence ungrammatical.
Dropping the pronoun makes the sentence more direct and concise. This style is very common in spoken English and informal writing, making communication flow more smoothly.
### When To Use It
Omitting relative pronouns is mainly about making your English sound more natural and efficient, especially in less formal situations. It’s like using shortcuts in daily life – why take a longer route if a shorter, clear one exists? This is very common in modern English communication.
Informal Spoken English: In everyday chats, dropping relative pronouns is super common. It makes sentences flow better and sound less stiff. Think about talking to friends or family.
  • Instead of: This is the report that I was talking about.
  • More natural: This is the report I was talking about. It feels more direct.
  • Instead of: Did you get the message that she sent?
  • More natural: Did you get the message she sent? The question feels quicker and more immediate.
Informal Written English: Text messages, posts on social media like WeChat Moments (朋友圈), casual emails, and handwritten notes often use this shortcut. It gives a relaxed, conversational tone.
  • Text message: The concert we went to was amazing! This is a typical way to share excitement with friends.
  • Social Media Post: Loving the new café my friend recommended. Short, sweet, and to the point, perfect for a caption.
Headlines and Technical Writing: When space is limited, like in newspaper headlines or instructions in a manual, dropping pronouns helps save words. The goal is to pack information tightly.
  • Headline: Company CEO fired over scandal. (Meaning: The CEO who was fired... or The CEO that was fired...) This packs more news into few words.
  • Instruction: Connect the cable you were provided. (Meaning: ... that you were provided) This is a clear, direct instruction in a manual.
Business Communication (Informal): While very formal business documents might keep the pronouns, casual internal emails or messages on platforms like DingTalk (钉钉) or WeChat often drop them for efficiency and a friendlier tone.
  • Email: Regarding the feedback I shared earlier... This sounds more collaborative than explicitly saying that I shared.
  • Chat: Let's discuss the issue you raised in the meeting. Directness is often best in quick team chats.
When to generally *avoid* dropping the pronoun: This shortcut is useful, but not always the best choice.
  • Highly Formal Writing: In academic papers, legal documents, or official reports, it's usually better to keep the relative pronoun. This adds a level of formality and ensures maximum clarity, which is important in serious contexts.
  • When Ambiguity Might Arise: If dropping the pronoun could possibly confuse the listener or reader about what you mean, it's always safer to include it. Clarity is more important than being concise. This is especially true if the sentence structure is already complicated.
  • Non-Defining Relative Clauses: This is a very important rule. You never drop relative pronouns in non-defining relative clauses. These clauses give extra information that isn't essential to identify the noun. They are always set off by commas. The pronoun is needed to clearly introduce this extra information.
  • Example: My brother, who lives in Berlin, is visiting next week. (This tells us extra info about my brother.)
  • Incorrect: My brother, lives in Berlin, is visiting next week. This is grammatically wrong and confusing.
Knowing when to use this shortcut and when to avoid it will help you communicate effectively and appropriately in different situations.
### Common Mistakes
Many learners find it tricky to drop relative pronouns correctly. The most common mistake happens when they try to drop a pronoun that is actually the subject of the verb in the relative clause. This is a direct result of how Chinese grammar works, where verbs don't change and subjects aren't always explicitly stated in the same way.
Mistake 1: Dropping a Subject Relative Pronoun
  • Error Pattern: Removing that, which, or who when it's the one doing the action (the subject) in the relative clause. This is a big problem because English verbs usually need a subject.
  • Why it's wrong: In Chinese, we might say 这本书很好看 (Zhè běn shū hěn hǎokàn - This book is very good-looking/interesting). The verb 好看 (hǎokàn) doesn't need a separate subject like 'it is'. But in English, if you say The book is interesting, 'is' needs a subject. Similarly, in a relative clause, if the pronoun is the subject, removing it leaves the verb without a subject, breaking the sentence structure. This makes the sentence sound abrupt and hard to understand.
  • Incorrect Example: I spoke to the engineer designed the new system.
  • Analysis: Here, designed is the verb in the relative clause. Who designed the system? The engineer. So, the missing word should be the subject (who or that). Without it, designed has no subject. It's like saying 我见了工程师设计了新系统 (Wǒ jiànle gōngchéngshī shèjìle xīn xìtǒng) – the 设计了 (shèjìle) part feels incomplete without explicitly linking it back to the engineer as the doer.
  • Correct Form: I spoke to the engineer who designed the new system. or I spoke to the engineer that designed the new system. The pronoun clearly acts as the subject.
  • Incorrect Example: The software provides real-time data is very expensive.
  • Analysis: provides is the verb. What provides the data? The software. So, the missing word (which or that) should be the subject. If you drop it, the sentence becomes 软件提供实时数据很贵 (Ruǎnjiàn tígōng shíshí shùjù hěn guì). In English, this structure is wrong because provides needs a subject. The relative pronoun is essential to connect The software to the action provides.
  • Correct Form: The software that provides real-time data is very expensive. or The software which provides real-time data is very expensive.
Mistake 2: Confusing Subject-Verb-Object Order within the Clause
  • Error Pattern: Sometimes, learners get confused about the word order inside the relative clause. They might see Subject + Verb and think they can drop the pronoun, even if the pronoun isn't the subject.
  • Why it's wrong: This often happens when the relative pronoun is followed by a verb *without* an explicit subject, like in The car that broke down. Here, that is the subject of broke down. If a learner incorrectly thinks broke down is the object, they might try to drop that. This is a misunderstanding of the clause's internal structure.
  • Incorrect Example: I need to find a solution works for everyone.
  • Analysis: The intended meaning is I need to find a solution that works for everyone. Here, that is the subject of works. The verb works describes the solution. A learner might incorrectly analyze this as solution (object) + works (verb) and try to drop that, resulting in I need to find a solution works for everyone, which is wrong.
  • Correct Form: I need to find a solution that works for everyone. or I need to find a solution which works for everyone. (Note: that or which cannot be dropped here because they are subjects.)
Mistake 3: Dropping Pronouns in Non-Defining Clauses
  • Error Pattern: Omitting relative pronouns in clauses that are set off by commas.
  • Why it's wrong: Non-defining clauses provide extra, non-essential information. They are grammatically distinct from defining clauses, which identify the noun. In Chinese, we might use a comma and then add extra information, like 这本书，我昨天买的，很有意思 (Zhè běn shū, wǒ zuótiān mǎi de, hěn yǒuyìsi - This book, I bought yesterday, is very interesting). The part 我昨天买的 (wǒ zuótiān mǎi de) is extra info. However, in English, non-defining clauses *always* require the relative pronoun (or a different structure) and are separated by commas. Dropping it breaks this rule.
  • Incorrect Example: My neighbor, has a dog, is very friendly.
  • Analysis: The clause has a dog is extra information about My neighbor. It should be a non-defining clause. The relative pronoun who is missing, and the comma usage is incorrect for a defining clause.
  • Correct Form: My neighbor, who has a dog, is very friendly.
Be mindful of these common pitfalls, especially the subject vs. object distinction and the rule for non-defining clauses. Checking the pronoun's role within its clause is the key.
### Contrast With Similar Patterns
Understanding when to drop relative pronouns also means knowing when *not* to, especially when comparing defining and non-defining clauses, or when the pronoun is a subject.
Defining vs. Non-Defining Relative Clauses
This is the most crucial distinction. Defining clauses identify *which* noun we're talking about, and they can sometimes have dropped pronouns (if the pronoun is an object). Non-defining clauses give *extra* information about a noun that is already clearly identified, and they *never* allow pronoun dropping.
| Feature | Defining Relative Clause | Non-Defining Relative Clause |
| :---------------------- | :------------------------------------------------------- | :--------------------------------------------------------------- |
| Purpose | Identifies/specifies the noun | Provides extra, non-essential information |
| Commas | No commas around the clause | Always uses commas to separate from main clause |
| Pronoun Drop (Object) | Possible (The book I read...) | Impossible (My friend, who lives in Paris...) |
| Pronoun Drop (Subject)| Impossible (The man who called...) | Impossible (My father, who is a doctor...) |
| Example (Object) | This is the car (that) I bought. | My new car, which I bought last week, is red. (Cannot drop which) |
| Example (Subject) | The person who answered the phone was polite. | My teacher, who is very patient, helped me a lot. (Cannot drop who) |
Subject Pronoun vs. Object Pronoun
This is the core rule for dropping pronouns within defining clauses.
| Pronoun Role | Can it be dropped? | Pattern Example | Full Sentence Example | Dropped Sentence Example |
| :----------- | :----------------- | :--------------------------------------------- | :-------------------------------------------------- | :--------------------------------------------------- |
| Subject | No | Noun + who/that/which + Verb | The dog that barked all night kept me awake. | The dog barked all night kept me awake. (Incorrect!) |
| Object | Yes | Noun + Subject + who/that/which + Verb | The dog (that) I adopted is very friendly. | The dog I adopted is very friendly. (Correct!) |
Think of it this way: If the pronoun is the one *doing* the action (subject), keep it. If the pronoun is the one *receiving* the action (object), and it's in a defining clause, you can often drop it to sound more natural.
### Quick FAQ
Q1: Can I drop that, which, or who in *any* relative clause?
A1: No. You can only drop them in defining relative clauses (clauses that identify the noun and have no commas around them), and *only* when the pronoun is the object of the verb within that clause. You can *never* drop them if they are the subject, or if they are in a non-defining clause (the ones with commas).
Q2: How do I know if the relative pronoun is a subject or an object?
A2: Look at the words immediately following the relative pronoun within the clause. If you see a subject and then a verb (e.g., that you sent), the pronoun is likely the object. If you see just a verb immediately after the pronoun (e.g., that crashed), the pronoun is likely the subject.
You can test this by trying to replace the pronoun with he/she/it/they (for subject) or him/her/it/them (for object) in your mind. If he/she/it/they fits, it's a subject and cannot be dropped. If him/her/it/them fits, it's an object and *can* be dropped (in defining clauses).
Q3: Is it okay to always keep the relative pronoun, even if I could drop it?
A3: Yes, it's grammatically correct to always keep the relative pronoun. Keeping it often makes sentences sound slightly more formal and explicit. However, if your goal is to sound more like a native speaker in everyday conversations or informal writing, learning to drop them in the correct situations will significantly improve your fluency and naturalness.
Native speakers use this 'shortcut' very frequently.
Q4: What about relative adverbs like where or when? Can they be dropped?
A4: Generally, no. Relative adverbs like where, when, and why (e.g., the place where I live, the day when we met) usually cannot be dropped in the same way as that, which, or who. While there are some complex sentence structures where they might be omitted in very informal speech, it's much safer and more standard to keep them.
For B1 learners, focus on dropping that, which, and who first.

When to Drop vs. When to Keep

Type Relative Pronoun Role Rule Example
Defining
Object
Can Drop
The car (that) I bought.
Defining
Subject
Must Keep
The car that hit me.
Non-Defining
Object
Must Keep
My car, which I bought last year, is red.
Non-Defining
Subject
Must Keep
My car, which was expensive, is red.

Meanings

In English, relative pronouns (who, whom, which, that) can be omitted in defining relative clauses when they function as the object of the clause, making the sentence more concise and natural in speech.

1

Object Omission

Dropping the pronoun when it represents the person or thing receiving the action in the relative clause.

“The person (who) I met was nice.”

“The book (which) she wrote is a bestseller.”

2

Prepositional Omission

Dropping the pronoun when it is the object of a preposition, usually moving the preposition to the end of the clause.

“The house (that) we live in is small.”

“The girl (who) I was talking to is my sister.”

3

Formal Retention

Keeping the pronoun to sound more precise, professional, or academic.

“The individuals whom we interviewed were highly qualified.”

“The data that the study produced is significant.”

Reference Table

Reference table for 省略关系代词（'that' 的快捷方式）
关系代词的角色 完整句子 (带 pronoun) 地道写法 (dropped pronoun) 能省吗？
动词宾语
The car that I bought is red.
The car I bought is red.
可以
动词宾语
The friend whom I met is kind.
The friend I met is kind.
可以 (针对 whom)
动词宾语
The book which you recommended was great.
The book you recommended was great.
可以
动词主语
The dog that barked is friendly.
🚫 错误：The dog barked is friendly.
不可以
动词主语
The person who called me was polite.
🚫 错误：The person called me was polite.
不可以
动词主语
The train which arrived late caused delays.
🚫 错误：The train arrived late caused delays.
不可以

正式程度

正式
Is this the document to which you were referring?

Is this the document to which you were referring? (Workplace/Office)

中性
Is this the document that you were talking about?

Is this the document that you were talking about? (Workplace/Office)

非正式
Is this the document you were talking about?

Is this the document you were talking about? (Workplace/Office)

俚语
This the one you meant?

This the one you meant? (Workplace/Office)

省略关系代词

省略关系代词 (that, which, who)

何时省略 (作宾语)

  • 我读的书 The book (that) I read.
  • 你见的朋友 The friend (whom/that) you met.
  • 我们看的电影 The movie (that/which) we watched.

何时不能省 (作主语)

  • 乱叫的狗 The dog (that) barked all night.
  • 打电话的人 The person (who) called me.
  • 崩溃的软件 The app (which) crashed.

为什么有用

  • 听起来自然 Mimics native speaker patterns.
  • 简洁明了 Shorter, more direct sentences.
  • 非正式场合 Common in everyday speech, texts.

关系代词：主语 vs. 宾语

关系代词作 主语
8点出发的巴士 'that' is the subject of 'leaves'.
讲解的老师 'who' is the subject of 'explained'.
引起担心的报告 'which' is the subject of 'caused'.
关系代词作 宾语
我8点坐的巴士 'I' is the subject of 'take'.
我遇到的老师 'I' is the subject of 'met'.
他们读的报告 'they' is the subject of 'read'.

我能省掉 'That' 吗？

1

这个 'that' 是在限制性定语从句中吗（没有逗号）？

YES
进入下一步。
NO
🚫 不行，不能省！
2

'that' 后面紧跟着的是另一个主语吗（如 I, you, 某个名词）？

YES
✅ 可以，大胆省掉它！
NO
🚫 不行，不能省！（that 是从句的主语）

省略 'That' 的场景

🗣️

日常非正式

  • • 手机短信
  • • 随意的聊天
  • • 社交媒体配文
  • • 游戏聊天
📺

媒体内容

  • • 电影/电视字幕
  • • 博客文章
  • • 播客脚本
  • • 歌词
💼

职场（有时）

  • • 非正式邮件
  • • 项目讨论
  • • 会议简要记录
  • • 技术文档
免费注册阅读完整解释

按水平分级的例句

1

The book I have is red.

The book (that) I have is red.

2

The man I see is tall.

The man (who) I see is tall.

3

The apple you eat is sweet.

The apple (that) you eat is sweet.

4

The car he drives is fast.

The car (that) he drives is fast.

1

The phone I bought yesterday is broken.

The phone (that) I bought...

2

Is this the song you like?

Is this the song (that) you like?

3

The people we met were very friendly.

The people (who) we met...

4

I lost the pen you gave me.

I lost the pen (that) you gave me.

1

The hotel we stayed at was beautiful.

The hotel (that) we stayed at...

2

The reason I called is to ask for help.

The reason (why/that) I called...

3

The doctor I talked to was very helpful.

The doctor (who) I talked to...

4

Everything you said is true.

Everything (that) you said...

1

The challenges we face are significant.

The challenges (that) we face...

2

The candidate I voted for didn't win.

The candidate (whom) I voted for...

3

The apartment they're looking at is too expensive.

The apartment (that) they're looking at...

4

The advice she's giving you is quite sound.

The advice (that) she's giving you...

1

The assumptions the author makes are questionable.

The assumptions (that) the author makes...

2

The speed with which he works is impressive.

Note: Cannot drop 'which' here because the preposition is at the front.

3

The ease I felt during the presentation surprised me.

The ease (that) I felt...

4

The level of detail the report provides is sufficient.

The level of detail (that) the report provides...

1

The sheer audacity the plan required was its undoing.

The audacity (that) the plan required...

2

Any concerns you might have should be addressed now.

Any concerns (that) you might have...

3

The nuanced approach the team took saved the project.

The approach (that) the team took...

4

The very fabric the universe is made of remains a mystery.

The fabric (that) the universe is made of...

容易混淆

Dropping Relative Pronouns (the 'that' shortcut) 对比 Subject vs Object Relative Pronouns

Learners often try to drop the pronoun even when it's the subject of the clause.

Dropping Relative Pronouns (the 'that' shortcut) 对比 That as a Conjunction

Learners confuse 'that' in 'I know that he is coming' with 'that' in 'The book that I bought'.

Dropping Relative Pronouns (the 'that' shortcut) 对比 Non-defining Clauses

Learners try to drop pronouns in clauses with commas.

常见错误

✗

The girl lives here is my friend.

✓

The girl who lives here is my friend.

You cannot drop 'who' when it is the subject (followed by a verb).
✗

The book I like it.

✓

The book I like.

Don't add 'it' at the end; the relative pronoun (even if dropped) already represents the book.
✗

I see man I know.

✓

I see the man I know.

Dropping the pronoun doesn't mean you can drop the article 'the'.
✗

The car that I bought it is blue.

✓

The car I bought is blue.

Redundant pronoun 'it' is a very common error.
✗

The man I talked is nice.

✓

The man I talked to is nice.

If you drop the pronoun, you must keep the preposition.
✗

This is the house which we live.

✓

This is the house we live in.

Missing preposition 'in'.
✗

The movie was good I saw.

✓

The movie I saw was good.

Word order error; the relative clause must follow the noun it describes.
✗

My mother, I love, is a teacher.

✓

My mother, whom I love, is a teacher.

You cannot drop pronouns in non-defining clauses (with commas).
✗

The reason why I'm here for is...

✓

The reason I'm here is...

Using 'why' and 'for' together is redundant.
✗

The person who I gave the book is gone.

✓

The person I gave the book to is gone.

Missing the indirect object preposition.
✗

The speed I drove at was safe.

✓

The speed at which I drove was safe.

In very formal C1 writing, dropping the pronoun and stranding the preposition can be seen as too informal.
✗

The way in that he spoke was odd.

✓

The way he spoke was odd.

Incorrect combination of 'in' and 'that'.

句型

The ___ I ___ is ___.

Is this the ___ you ___?

I've never seen the ___ she ___.

The ___ we're ___ is ___.

Real World Usage

Texting a friend constant

The link I sent you is dead.

Job Interview very common

The skills I developed at Google are relevant here.

Ordering Food common

Is this the pizza I ordered?

Academic Essay occasional

The data that the researchers collected was flawed.

Social Media Caption constant

Best day I've had in a while!

Legal Contract rare

The property which the tenant occupies...

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💡

寻找隐藏的主语

看看 that 后面是不是紧跟着 I, you, he 等代词？如果是，that 就能省：
The cake you made is delicious.
⚠️

别丢掉“执行者”

如果 that 后面直接跟着一个动词，说明它是主语，绝对不能省：
The man that lives next door is nice.
🎯

多听地道表达

看美剧时你会发现，老外在口语里几乎都会省掉 that：
The place I live is very quiet.
🌍

听起来更像本地人

省略关系代词是摆脱“学生腔”的关键。它能让你的表达更简洁、更高效： "He's the guy I told you about."

Smart Tips

This is a 99% signal that you can drop the relative pronoun.

The gift that I bought you. → The gift I bought you.

Keep the 'that'. It makes your writing look more organized and professional.

The report I sent yesterday... → The report that I sent yesterday...

Try to put the noun at the end of the clause. If it fits, it's an object! (e.g., 'The book I read' -> 'I read the book' - Works!)

The man who lives here (Lives here the man? No.) → The man I saw (I saw the man. Yes!)

Native speakers almost ALWAYS drop 'that' after these words.

Everything that you need is here. → Everything you need is here.

发音

the BOOK I BOUGHT

Rhythm and Stress

When the pronoun is dropped, the stress falls more heavily on the noun and the following subject, creating a faster, more rhythmic 'da-DA da-DA' sound.

the book tha' I bought

Glottal Stop

In some British dialects, if 'that' is kept, the 't' might be replaced by a glottal stop, but dropping it entirely is often preferred for flow.

Rising-Falling

The cake ↗ I made ↘ was good.

Standard declarative statement with a dropped pronoun.

记住它

记忆技巧

If a Noun or Pronoun is next in line, dropping 'that' is totally fine!

视觉联想

Imagine a bridge (the word 'that') connecting two islands. If the islands are close enough to touch (Noun + Pronoun), you can remove the bridge and just step across.

Rhyme

When 'that' is the object, don't be a fool, dropping it out is the golden rule.

Story

A busy businessman is running to a meeting. He doesn't have time for extra words. He says 'The report I wrote' instead of 'The report that I wrote' because he is in a hurry. He only keeps 'who' when he talks about 'The man who hired me' because without 'who', the sentence falls apart.

Word Web

thatwhowhichwhomdefiningobjectomissioncontact clause

挑战

Look at the last 5 text messages you sent. Could you have dropped a 'that' or 'who' in any of them? Rewrite them in your head.

文化笔记

Americans are very likely to drop 'that' in almost all informal and semi-formal speech. Keeping it can sometimes sound slightly 'stiff' or overly emphatic.

While also common, some formal British registers still prefer keeping 'that' or 'which' in written correspondence more than American English does.

In scientific papers globally, keeping the relative pronoun is preferred to ensure there is no ambiguity about what the subject of the sentence is.

In Old English, relative clauses were often formed with the indeclinable particle 'þe'. Over time, 'that' (from the demonstrative 'þæt') took over.

对话开场白

“

What's the best movie you've seen this year?

“

Tell me about a person you admire.

“

Is there a place you've always wanted to visit?

“

What's the most difficult thing you've ever done?

日记主题

Write about a gift you received that you will never forget.
Describe a mistake you made and what you learned from it.
Discuss a book you read recently that changed your perspective.
Reflect on a piece of advice you were given that you didn't follow.

常见错误

Incorrect

正确

Incorrect

正确

Incorrect

正确

Incorrect

正确

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Test Yourself

选择最佳选项补全句子，如果可以省掉 that 请选择空选项。

This is the gift ___ my friend gave me.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer:
这里 'my friend' 是 'gave' 的主语，所以 'that' 是宾语，可以完全省掉，听起来更自然。
找出并修正句子中的错误。

The person stole my wallet ran away.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: The person who stole my wallet ran away.
'The person' 是 'stole' 的主语。当关系代词作主语时，绝对不能省略。
哪一个句子正确地使用或省略了关系代词？

Choose the correct sentence:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: The food that tastes good is often unhealthy.
在这个句子里，'that' 是 'tastes good' 的主语，所以必须保留。不能省略主语关系代词。
将句子翻译成英语。

Translate into English: 'El coche que compré está en el garaje.'

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: ["The car I bought is in the garage.","The car that I bought is in the garage."]
'I' 是 'bought' 的主语，所以 'that' 是宾语，可以省略。这在口语中非常常见。

Score: /4

练习题

8 exercises
Can you drop the relative pronoun in this sentence? 多项选择

The man who I saw yesterday is a doctor.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Yes, you can drop 'who'.
'Who' is the object because 'I' (a pronoun) follows it.
Correct the error in this sentence. Error Correction

Find and fix the mistake:

The car I bought it is very fast.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: The car I bought is very fast.
You must remove the redundant pronoun 'it'.
Fill in the blank with 'who' or leave it empty (Ø) if possible.

The woman ___ lives next door is a pilot.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: who
You must keep 'who' because it is the subject (followed by the verb 'lives').
Combine these two sentences without using 'that', 'who', or 'which'. Sentence Transformation

I liked the movie. You recommended it.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: I liked the movie you recommended.
The object 'it' is replaced by the (dropped) relative pronoun.
Match the sentence to its formality level. Match Pairs

1. The man I saw. 2. The man whom I saw. 3. The man that I saw.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: 1-Informal, 2-Formal, 3-Neutral
Dropping is informal/neutral; 'whom' is strictly formal.
Is this rule true or false? True False Rule

You can drop the relative pronoun in a non-defining relative clause (with commas).

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: False
Non-defining clauses always require a relative pronoun.
Complete the dialogue naturally. Dialogue Completion

A: Is this the book you were looking for? B: Yes, it's the one ___.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: I lost
'I lost' is the most natural way to complete the contact clause.
In which sentence can you drop the pronoun? Grammar Sorting

A: The girl who is singing. B: The song she is singing.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Only B
In A, 'who' is the subject. In B, 'that' (dropped) is the object.

Score: /8

Practice Bank

12 exercises
补全句子，如果可能的话请省略 'that'。 填空

The concert ___ we saw last night was incredible.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer:
用最自然的选项补全句子，如果语法正确请尝试省略 'that'。 填空

This is the phone ___ has the best camera.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: that
识别并修正语法错误。 Error Correction

The email arrived this morning contained important news.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: The email that arrived this morning contained important news.
选择语法正确的句子。 多项选择

哪句话是正确的？

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: The person I called answered immediately.
使用 'that' 省略技巧翻译句子。 翻译

翻译成英语：'El problema que resolvimos era muy complejo.'

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: ["The problem we solved was very complex.","The problem that we solved was very complex."]
排列单词组成正确句子，尽可能省略 'that'。 Sentence Reorder

将这些单词排列成句：

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: The movie I watched last night was amazing.
将定语从句与其是否可以省略 'that' 进行匹配。 Match Pairs

匹配从句：

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: matched
填入最合适的选项，如果可能请省略。 填空

She's the only student ___ understood the complex theory.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: who
修正句子中的错误。 Error Correction

The solution proposed by the team was innovative.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: The solution that was proposed by the team was innovative.
挑选关系代词使用正确的句子。 多项选择

选择正确的句子：

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: This is the project I'm working on.
使用省略技巧翻译成英语。 翻译

翻译：'La información que necesito está en ese documento.'

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: ["The information I need is in that document.","The information that I need is in that document."]
重新排列单词，如果可能请省略 'that'。 Sentence Reorder

单词排序：

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: This is the cake my mom made.

Score: /12

常见问题 (8)

No. You can only drop it in defining relative clauses when it is the object. You cannot drop it if it's the subject or in a non-defining clause.

Never! Keeping the pronoun is always grammatically correct. Dropping it is just a way to sound more natural and less formal.

Yes, if 'who' is the object (e.g., 'The man I met'), you can drop it. However, many people prefer to keep 'who' more often than 'that'.

No. You can never drop 'whose' because it shows possession and the sentence would lose its meaning without it.

For writing, it's often better to keep it to show clear structure. For the speaking test, dropping it can help you sound more fluent and natural.

The preposition moves to the end of the relative clause. For example: 'The house (that) I live in'.

English tends toward 'economy of language'. If a word doesn't add new meaning and the sentence is clear without it, we usually remove it.

You can often drop 'when' (The day I met you), but dropping 'where' is much rarer and usually requires adding a preposition (The place I live in).

Scaffolded Practice

1

1

2

2

3

3

4

4

Mastery Progress

Needs Practice

Improving

Strong

Mastered

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In Other Languages

Spanish low

que

Spanish never allows the omission of the relative pronoun.

French low

que / qui

French relative pronouns are strictly mandatory.

German none

der / die / das

German pronouns are inflected and mandatory.

Japanese moderate

Attributive form

Japanese uses word order instead of pronouns to link ideas.

Arabic partial

aladhi (الذي)

Omission depends on the definiteness of the noun, not its role as subject/object.

Chinese low

de (的)

Chinese uses a post-positional linker rather than a relative pronoun.

Learning Path

Prerequisites

Previous
不要省略主语：关系代词 (who, which, that)

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