Understanding how sentences connect and expand is one of the most powerful skills you can develop in English. Relative clauses and relative pronouns allow you to combine ideas, sound more natural, and build more sophisticated sentences. Before getting into those concepts, though, it is essential to understand what a clause actually is and why not all clauses work the same way.
What is a clause and why does it matter?
A clause is a grammatical unit that contains two essential elements: a subject (someone or something doing the action) and a verb (the action itself) [0:30]. If you have those two pieces, you have a clause. However, not every clause carries the same weight in a sentence.
Consider these two examples:
- You can play video games.
- After you finish your homework.
The first one makes complete sense on its own. The second one feels incomplete — something is missing [1:15]. This difference is what separates the two main types of clauses in English.
What is the difference between dependent and independent clauses?
An independent clause is a clause that makes sense by itself. It expresses a complete idea and can stand alone as a sentence [2:05]. For example: You can play video games. That idea needs nothing else.
A dependent clause, on the other hand, requires additional information to make sense. After you finish your homework leaves you wondering: what happens after that? You need to attach it to an independent clause, such as: You can play with your friends after you finish your homework [2:30].
One important distinction to remember: independent clauses can also be called sentences, but dependent clauses cannot be considered sentences on their own [3:00].
How do you combine two independent clauses?
Imagine you have two complete ideas:
- John is an English teacher.
- He works at Platzi.
Both are independent clauses — they make perfect sense separately [3:30]. But when you want to combine them into a single, more natural sentence, you can use a relative pronoun: John is an English teacher who works at Platzi [4:05].
The word who in this sentence is the relative pronoun. It replaces the subject of the second clause ("he" or "John") so you do not have to repeat it. Because John is a person, the correct relative pronoun here is who [5:00]. Other relative pronouns exist for different situations, but who is the go-to choice when referring to people.
What is a relative clause and when do you use relative pronouns?
The second part of the combined sentence — who works at Platzi — is no longer an independent clause. It becomes a relative clause because it is connected to a relative pronoun and depends on the main clause for meaning [5:30].
Relative pronouns serve three purposes [6:00]:
- Connect clauses. They join two ideas into one fluid sentence.
- Give additional information. They let you expand on the subject without starting a brand-new sentence.
- Replace the subject. They prevent repetition of a name or personal pronoun.
Knowing this terminology is not just academic. When you look up grammar rules in a dictionary or search engine and it tells you to use an "independent clause" after a certain structure, you will understand exactly what that means [5:50].
Can you tell if a clause is dependent or independent?
Practice is the best way to internalize these differences. Try classifying these four clauses [7:00]:
- Before you go to school. — Dependent clause. It needs more context to form a complete idea.
- She always eats cereal for breakfast. — Independent clause. It expresses a whole idea on its own.
- If we finish on time. — Dependent clause. There is a condition that requires a result.
- I can call you later. — Independent clause. No additional information is needed.
Notice a pattern: dependent clauses often begin with words like before, after, if, or when — signals that something else must follow [8:05].
The best way to strengthen this skill is to write your own examples. Create different groups of words and analyze whether they are dependent or independent. Once you can make that distinction confidently, combining ideas with relative pronouns will feel completely natural. Share your examples and practice sentences so others can learn alongside you.
