Relative Clauses Worksheet for 12-Year-Olds | English & Language Arts

Instructions

Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to become a Grammar Detective! You will use relative clauses to connect clues, build detailed profiles, and make your writing more descriptive. Follow the steps to solve the case.

1. Read the explanation and complete the matching activity in Part 1.
2. Combine the clues to build stronger sentences in Part 2.
3. Use the table in Part 3 to create detailed suspect profiles.
4. Write your own detective report in Part 4.
5. For an extra challenge, tackle the unsolved mystery in the Challenge Section.
6. Check your work using the Answer Key at the end.

Part 1: Your Detective Toolkit (The Relative Pronouns)

A relative clause is a part of a sentence that adds extra information about a noun. It often starts with a relative pronoun.

• who - for people
• which/that - for things or animals
• where - for places
• whose - for possession (showing who owns something)

Activity: Match the pronoun to its job. Draw a line connecting the pronoun to its correct description.

1. who
2. which
3. where

4. whose

   a. Used to talk about a place. b. Used to show that something belongs to someone. c. Used to talk about a person. d. Used to talk about a thing or an animal.

Part 2: Combining the Clues

A good detective combines small clues into one clear statement. Combine each pair of sentences below into a single sentence using a relative clause. Use the pronoun in parentheses.

Example: The witness saw the car. The car was speeding away. (which)

Answer: The witness saw the car which was speeding away.

1. The librarian found the missing book. She is very helpful. (who)

   ---

2. I visited the museum. The famous painting was stolen from there. (where)

   ---

3. The detective questioned the man. The man's dog was barking all night. (whose)

   ---

4. This is the phone. It was left at the crime scene. (that)

   ---

5. We are looking for the girl. Her backpack is bright pink. (whose)

   ---

Part 3: Building the Suspect Profiles

Detectives need detailed files. Combine the two facts about each suspect to create one detailed profile description using a relative clause.

Part 4: Write Your Own Field Report

Now it's your turn to be the lead detective. Write three of your own sentences describing a person, a place, and a thing you know well. Each sentence must include a relative clause.

1. (Describe a person)

   ---

2. (Describe a place)

   ---

3. (Describe a thing)

   ---

Challenge Section: The Unsolved Mystery

This detective's report is choppy and hard to read. Rewrite the paragraph below to make it smoother and more professional. You must combine sentences and use at least two relative clauses.

Original Report:

The getaway car was a blue sedan. It had a large dent on the passenger side. The car was found near the old warehouse. The warehouse has been abandoned for years. A witness saw the driver. The driver's hat was pulled down low.

Your Revised Report:

Answer Key

Part 1: Your Detective Toolkit

1. who → c. Used to talk about a person.
2. which → d. Used to talk about a thing or an animal.
3. where → a. Used to talk about a place.
4. whose → b. Used to show that something belongs to someone.

Part 2: Combining the Clues

1. The librarian, who is very helpful, found the missing book.
2. I visited the museum where the famous painting was stolen.
3. The detective questioned the man whose dog was barking all night.
4. This is the phone that was left at the crime scene.
5. We are looking for the girl whose backpack is bright pink.

Part 3: Building the Suspect Profiles

1. The artist, whose studio is downtown, painted the portrait.
2. We found a key which/that unlocks the secret door.
3. The cafe, where the spies meet every Tuesday, serves great coffee.
4. The boy whose father is the lead detective found the first clue.
5. This is the laptop whose screen was cracked.

Part 4: Write Your Own Field Report Answers will vary. Examples below:

1. My friend, who lives next door, is great at soccer.
2. The park where we play has a huge slide.
3. I have a video game that is my absolute favorite.

Challenge Section: The Unsolved Mystery Answers will vary but should be similar to this example:

The getaway car was a blue sedan which had a large dent on the passenger side. The car was found near the old warehouse, where it had been abandoned for years. A witness saw the driver, whose hat was pulled down low.