{"id":7857,"date":"2026-07-30T09:11:02","date_gmt":"2026-07-30T09:11:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/18kenglish.com\/relative-clauses-english-taiwan-2026\/"},"modified":"2026-07-30T09:13:05","modified_gmt":"2026-07-30T09:13:05","slug":"relative-clauses-english-taiwan-2026","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/18kenglish.com\/zh\/relative-clauses-english-taiwan-2026\/","title":{"rendered":"\u82f1\u6587\u95dc\u4fc2\u5b50\u53e5 | Relative Clauses: 10 Rules Every Taiwan Learner Needs (2026)"},"content":{"rendered":"
\nQuick Answer \/ \u5feb\u901f\u89e3\u7b54\uff1a<\/strong> A relative clause (\u95dc\u4fc2\u5b50\u53e5) is a group of words that begins with a relative pronoun \u2014 who, which, that, whose, or whom \u2014 and gives extra information about a noun. “The teacher who lives in Taipei<\/strong>” and “the book that changed my life<\/strong>” both contain relative clauses. There are two types: defining (no commas, essential information) and non-defining (with commas, bonus detail that can be removed without changing the sentence’s core meaning).\n<\/div>\n

Roughly 70 percent of GEPT and IELTS grammar test-takers in Taiwan report that relative clauses are among their biggest stumbling blocks \u2014 and based on the writing I see from adult learners here, that number is no surprise. The rules look simple on paper. But the moment a sentence has more than one clause, most people freeze and either drop the relative pronoun entirely or pick the wrong one. This guide breaks down the full system so you never have to guess again.<\/p>\n

\"Learning
Who, which, and that are the three most common relative pronouns in English<\/em><\/p>\n

\u4ec0\u9ebc\u662f\u95dc\u4fc2\u5b50\u53e5\uff1f[What Is a Relative Clause?]<\/h2>\n

A relative clause is a dependent clause \u2014 meaning it cannot stand alone as a sentence \u2014 that gives extra information about a noun in the main clause. It “relates” back to that noun using a relative pronoun (who, which, that, whose, whom) or a relative adverb (where, when, why).<\/p>\n

In Chinese, the equivalent structure puts the modifying information before the noun using \u7684 \u2014 for example, \u4f4f\u5728\u53f0\u5317\u7684\u8001\u5e2b (“the teacher who lives in Taipei”). English simply places the same information after the noun instead of before it. Once you see that parallel, the logic clicks into place.<\/p>\n

Every relative clause contains three elements:<\/p>\n

    \n
  • An antecedent<\/strong> \u2014 the noun being modified (e.g., “the teacher”)<\/li>\n
  • A relative pronoun or adverb<\/strong> \u2014 the link word that introduces the clause (who, which, that, whose, whom, where, when)<\/li>\n
  • A verb phrase<\/strong> \u2014 what the clause says about the antecedent (“lives in Taipei”)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

    The result: The teacher who lives in Taipei<\/strong> is my favourite.<\/em><\/p>\n

    Notice that the clause “who lives in Taipei” cannot stand on its own. It depends on the noun “teacher” to have any meaning. That dependency is the defining characteristic of every relative clause.<\/p>\n

    \"Student
    Defining and non-defining relative clauses follow different punctuation rules<\/em><\/p>\n

    \u95dc\u4fc2\u4ee3\u540d\u8a5e\u600e\u9ebc\u9078\uff1f[Which Relative Pronoun to Use]<\/h2>\n

    The single most important decision in any relative clause is which pronoun to use. The table below covers the cases that come up again and again in GEPT writing and IELTS essays:<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
    Pronoun<\/th>\nUse For<\/th>\nExample<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
    who<\/strong><\/td>\nPeople (subject of the clause)<\/td>\nThe student who passed<\/em> felt relieved.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    which<\/strong><\/td>\nThings and animals (never people)<\/td>\nThe report which I submitted<\/em> was approved.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    that<\/strong><\/td>\nPeople or things (defining clauses only)<\/td>\nThe exam that she prepared for<\/em> was straightforward.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    whose<\/strong><\/td>\nPossession (people or things)<\/td>\nThe colleague whose report was late<\/em> apologised.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    whom<\/strong><\/td>\nPeople (object of the clause \u2014 formal)<\/td>\nThe manager whom I contacted<\/em> replied quickly.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

    One point that catches nearly every intermediate learner: you cannot use “that” in non-defining relative clauses<\/strong> \u2014 the type that use commas. This rule appears in every grammar book, yet it is the most violated one in written exams. We cover exactly why in the next section.<\/p>\n