English Practice exercises: relative clauses with ‘that’ - P5-03W

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Exercise 1: Right or wrong?

 Put a tick (ü) – right, or (x) – wrong, for each of these sentences. If in doubt, consult E5-03W

 

1.      We decided to hire a man had both IT and communication skills.

 

2.      We decided to hire a man Christina had worked with in her previous company.

 

3.      We decided to hire Tom Higgins, that Christina had worked with in her previous company.

 

4.      We decided to hire a man that had both IT and communication skills.

 

5.      Tom Higgins, that Christina had worked with in her previous company, was our choice for the job.

 

6.      We hired Tom Higgins, which I wasn’t very pleased with, as I would have preferred the woman we interviewed last.

 

7.      I get very depressed around November, that seems to be quite common and even has a name: SAD – seasonal affective disorder.

 

8.      Christina, who pushed to get Tom Higgins hired, is very ambitious.

 

9.      ‘Anyhow, all the people who I phoned were out, so then I thought….’

 

10. Tom Higgins, we took on last month, is proving a real asset to the company.

 

Exercise 2

 

Insert the relative pronoun into the sentence. If it cannot be inserted, leave it, cross it out and insert who or which if needed. If it could be inserted but could also be left out, insert it with brackets around it.

Examples:

who

I don’t like Tom Higgins, the company took on last month

I don’t like Tom Higgins, who the company took on last month.

that

We’ve just installed a state-of-the-art computer system, is the responsibility of the new man, Tom Higgins.

We’ve just installed a state-of-the-art computer system, which is the responsibility of the new man, Tom Higgins.

which

So he told me some story I didn’t believe a word of.

So he told me some story (which) I didn’t believe a word of.

 

Now try these:

 

11. which

The dentist said that my teeth were fine, surprised me because I’d been expecting some dental problems.

 

12. that

The dog, was sitting outside the shop whining, seemed to have been abandoned.

 

13. who

Do you know Paul Litchfield, used to be Mayor until he lost his seat at the last local elections?

 

14. which

In this job, getting a pay rise this year is about the only thing I’m sure of.

 

15. which

He’s bought a new house, has the most amazing view.

 

16. that

His mother died when he was very young, I think has had a great effect on his life.

 

17. that

My son has a male teacher, is really strict and frightens the children.

 

18. who

We’re going to visit my cousin, lives on a houseboat on the Grand Union Canal.

 

19. that

This is a song I remember from my childhood

 

20. that

The ex-president of Mexico, once wrote a very successful political novel, has died aged 91