A Person I Admire (H3)
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EN: Non-defining relative clauses (also called non-restrictive relative clauses) add extra, non-essential information about a noun. They are separated from the rest of the sentence by commas, and the relative pronoun 'which' is used for things or places (never 'that').
My car, which is ten years old, still runs perfectly.
EN: The verb 'lie' (meaning to be situated in a specified place) is often used to describe geographical locations. When describing a permanent state, it is used in the simple present tense.
EN: Non-defining relative clauses (also called non-restrictive relative clauses) are used to add extra, non-essential information about a noun. They are separated from the rest of the sentence by commas. The relative pronoun 'who' is used for people and cannot be replaced by 'that' in non-defining clauses.
My mother, who loves gardening, grows beautiful roses.
EN: The verb 'inspire' means to fill someone with the urge or ability to do or feel something, especially something creative. It is a transitive verb that takes a direct object (e.g., 'inspires me').
EN: In English-speaking academic culture, expressing how a specific teacher 'inspired' a student is a common and highly respectful way to show gratitude. It highlights the cultural value placed on mentorship and personal growth beyond just academic instruction.
EN: The structure 'preposition + relative pronoun' (in which) is used in formal English to introduce a relative clause. 'In which' functions as an adverbial of place, equivalent to 'where' in less formal contexts, referring back to the noun 'museum'.
This is the house in which he was born.
EN: The demonstrative pronoun 'this' is used as the subject to identify a specific thing nearby or just mentioned, followed by the linking verb 'is' and a subject complement ('the museum').
EN: Using 'preposition + which' (like 'in which', 'with whom') is highly characteristic of formal written English or educated speech. In casual daily conversation, native speakers are much more likely to say: 'This is the museum we met in.' or 'This is the museum where we met.'
EN: The relative pronoun 'whose' is used to show possession. It replaces possessive adjectives (like 'his', 'her', 'their') and introduces a relative clause that describes the noun before it (the antecedent). In this sentence, 'whose art' means 'his art' (the brother's art).
He is a writer whose books are read worldwide.
EN: Non-defining relative clauses (also called non-restrictive relative clauses) are used to add extra, non-essential information about a noun. They are separated from the rest of the sentence by commas. The relative pronoun 'which' is used for things, and it cannot be replaced by 'that' in non-defining clauses.
The movie, which we watched last night, was hilarious.
EN: The adjective 'deep' literally refers to physical distance from the top to the bottom. However, when describing books, movies, or thoughts, it is used metaphorically to mean profound, intellectually challenging, or emotionally significant.
His speech was short but deep.
EN: The preposition + relative pronoun structure ('with whom') is used in formal English. 'Whom' is the objective case of 'who' and is used after prepositions. The preposition 'with' is placed before 'whom' to introduce the relative clause modifying 'the friend'.
He is the colleague with whom I shared the office.
EN: The adverb of frequency 'often' is used to describe how regularly an action happens. In this relative clause, it is placed at the end of the clause ('travel often') for emphasis, though it can also appear before the main verb ('often travel').
EN: In modern spoken English, native speakers often prefer to end sentences with prepositions and use 'who' or 'that' instead of 'whom' (e.g., 'That is the friend I travel with often'). However, using 'with whom' remains highly valued in formal writing, academic contexts, and professional communication.
EN: Non-defining relative clauses (also called non-restrictive relative clauses) are used to add extra, non-essential information about a noun. They are separated from the rest of the sentence by commas. The relative adverb 'where' is used here to refer to a place ('Tainan').
Paris, where we met last year, is beautiful.
EN: The verb 'has' is the third-person singular form of 'have', agreeing with the singular proper noun subject 'Tainan'. The non-defining relative clause 'where I grew up' does not affect the subject-verb agreement of the main clause.
My school, which has many students, is very old.
EN: Tainan is the oldest city in Taiwan and was the capital for over 200 years during the Qing Dynasty. It is famous for its rich history, historic temples, traditional street food, and cultural heritage, making the phrase 'rich culture' highly appropriate.
EN: Non-defining relative clauses (using commas) provide extra, non-essential information about a noun. If removed, the sentence still makes complete sense. The relative pronoun 'whose' is used to show possession.
My uncle, whose car was stolen, bought a new one.
EN: The relative pronoun 'whose' replaces a possessive adjective (like 'his', 'her', 'their') and must be followed immediately by a noun ('works' in this sentence) without any article.
The girl, whose dog is barking, looks worried.
EN: The structure 'preposition + relative pronoun' (in this case, 'with which') is used in formal English to introduce a relative clause. The preposition 'with' is placed before 'which' instead of at the end of the clause ('which we fixed it with'). 'Which' refers back to the antecedent 'the tool'.
This is the pen with which he wrote the letter.
EN: The verb 'fix' means to repair something. It is a transitive verb that requires a direct object, which in this sentence is the pronoun 'it' referring to a previously mentioned object.
I need to fix the broken chair.
EN: Using 'preposition + which' (like 'with which', 'in which') is highly formal and more common in written English or professional contexts. In casual spoken English, native speakers are much more likely to say: 'This is the tool we fixed it with' or 'This is the tool that we used to fix it'.
EN: Non-defining relative clauses (also called non-restrictive relative clauses) are used to add extra, non-essential information about a noun. They are separated from the rest of the sentence by commas. The relative pronoun 'who' is used for people and cannot be replaced by 'that' in non-defining clauses.
My brother, who lives in New York, is a chef.
EN: The adverb 'still' is used to describe an action or situation that continues to happen or exist, especially when this is surprising or unexpected. It usually goes before the main verb, but after the auxiliary verb or the verb 'be'.
Although it was raining, they still played soccer.
EN: Non-defining relative clauses (also called non-restrictive relative clauses) are used to add extra, non-essential information about a noun. They are separated from the rest of the sentence by commas. The relative pronoun 'which' is used for things or animals, and it cannot be replaced by 'that' in non-defining clauses.
The book, which I bought yesterday, is very interesting.
EN: The adverb 'nearby' can function as an adverb meaning 'not far away' or 'close by'. It often modifies verbs of motion or position, describing where an action occurs.
My grandparents live nearby.
EN: The prepositional relative clause structure 'preposition + whom' is used in formal English. The preposition (on) is placed before the relative pronoun (whom) which refers to a person (someone). In this structure, 'whom' cannot be replaced by 'who' or 'that', and cannot be omitted.
She is the colleague with whom I worked on the project.
EN: The phrasal verb 'rely on' means to trust or depend on someone. When used in a relative clause with the preposition brought forward, 'on' moves to the position before 'whom', leaving 'rely' at the end of the clause.
They need a leader on whom they can rely during difficult times.
EN: The relative pronoun 'whom' is used as the object of a verb or preposition in a relative clause. In formal English, 'whom' is used instead of 'who' when referring to the object of the action (here, 'I deeply admire [him]'). The comma before 'whom' indicates a non-defining (non-restrictive) relative clause, which adds extra, non-essential information about the grandfather.
She married a doctor, whom she met at a conference.
EN: The verb 'want' is followed by an infinitive ('to' + base verb) to express a desire or intention. In this sentence, 'want to tell' indicates the speaker's immediate intention to share information.
They want to travel around the world next year.
EN: Non-defining relative clauses (using 'which') add extra, non-essential information about a noun. They are separated from the main clause by a comma, and 'that' cannot be used as a replacement.
The hotel, which was built in 1920, has a beautiful garden.
EN: The phrasal verb 'grow up' means to gradually become an adult. In this sentence, it is used in the simple past tense ('grew up') to describe a completed action in the past.
She grew up in Tokyo but now lives in London.
EN: In English literature and storytelling, describing a town as 'sitting among green hills' evokes a classic, picturesque image of rural life, often associated with peace, simplicity, and a close connection to nature.
EN: Non-defining relative clauses with 'whose' are used to add extra, non-essential information about a noun's possession. They are separated from the main clause by commas. 'Whose' functions as a possessive relative pronoun.
My neighbor, whose dog barks all night, is actually very friendly.
EN: The verb 'teach' is followed by an object and an infinitive (teach someone to do something) to express instructing or training someone to perform an action.
She taught her children to respect others.
EN: The structure 'preposition + relative pronoun' (in which) is used in formal English to introduce a relative clause. 'In which' functions as an adverbial of place, equivalent to 'where', modifying the noun 'school'.
The house in which I lived was built in 1920.
EN: The past simple tense ('studied', 'had') is used to describe completed actions and states in the past, establishing a historical context for the narrative.
EN: The transition phrase 'Despite this' is used to show contrast, meaning 'in spite of what has just been mentioned'. It is followed by a comma and a main clause.
Despite this, she decided to continue her research.
EN: The non-defining relative clause introduced by ', which' is used here to refer back to the entire preceding clause ('he became a teacher') rather than just the noun 'teacher'.
He passed the exam, which made his parents very proud.
EN: The structure 'preposition + whom' is used in formal English to introduce a relative clause. The preposition (here, 'with') is placed before the relative pronoun 'whom' (which acts as the object of the preposition) rather than being left at the end of the clause.
The colleague with whom I shared the office has moved to another branch.
EN: The subject of the main clause is 'The students' (plural), which is modified by the relative clause 'with whom he worked'. Therefore, the main verb 'remember' must agree with the plural subject and remain in its base form.
EN: Non-defining relative clauses with 'where' are used to add extra, non-essential information about a place. Unlike defining relative clauses, they are separated by a comma and 'where' cannot be replaced by 'that'.
We visited the old library, where we found some rare books.
EN: The past simple tense is used here to describe completed actions in the past ('kept', 'grew'). It establishes a narrative about the subject's past habits or lifestyle.
EN: Non-defining relative clauses (using 'which') add extra, non-essential information about a noun. They are separated by commas, and 'that' cannot be used as a replacement.
My car, which I bought last year, is already breaking down.
EN: The phrase 'be full of' is used to describe a container or space that holds a large amount of something, or a situation filled with a particular quality.
The room was full of laughter.
EN: This sentence uses a non-defining relative clause with a preposition ('to') preceding the relative pronoun ('whom'). In formal English, when a pronoun is the object of a preposition in a relative clause, the preposition is placed before 'whom'. The non-defining clause (separated by commas) adds extra information about 'Many people' without restricting their identity.
The clients, with whom we negotiated yesterday, were very satisfied.
EN: The adverb 'never' is placed before the main verb 'forgot' in the past simple tense to emphasize a permanent state of remembering. 'Forgot' is the past tense of 'forget', and 'him' is the direct object.
She never forgot the advice her teacher gave her.
EN: Non-defining relative clauses (using 'which') are used to add extra, non-essential information about a noun. They are separated from the rest of the sentence by commas. In this sentence, ', which no one can steal,' provides additional information about 'knowledge'.
My car, which I bought last year, has already broken down.
EN: Noun clauses introduced by 'that' function as the object of a verb (here, 'believed'). The word 'that' is a conjunction that connects the main verb to the statement being believed.
She believes that honesty is the best policy.
EN: Non-defining relative clauses with 'whose': Used to provide extra, non-essential information about a person's possessions or qualities. It is separated by commas, and 'whose' acts as a possessive relative pronoun.
My teacher, whose advice I always value, has written a new book.
EN: Noun clause with 'who I am': A nominal clause acting as the direct object of the verb 'shaped'. It uses statement word order (subject + verb) rather than question word order.
Her experiences made her who she is today.
EN: The adjective phrase 'be proud to + verb' is used to express a feeling of deep pleasure or satisfaction as a result of one's own achievements, qualities, or associations.
She is proud to represent her country in the Olympics.
EN: The relative clause 'that values learning' uses the relative pronoun 'that' as the subject of the clause to describe the noun 'family'. In this context, 'value' is a verb meaning to consider something to be important.
We want to build a society that values equality.
EN: In many cultures, expressing pride in one's family background and upbringing is a common way to share personal values. Highlighting 'learning' or education as a core family value reflects a widespread respect for personal growth and academic achievement.
EN: The sentence contains a relative clause 'you admire most' (with the relative pronoun 'whom' or 'that' omitted) modifying the noun 'person'. In English, when the relative pronoun acts as the object of the relative clause, it can be omitted.
This is the book I love most.
EN: The word 'most' is used here as an adverb meaning 'to the greatest extent' or 'extremely', modifying the verb 'admire'.
What do you like most about this city?
EN: In English-speaking cultures, asking about role models or people one admires is a common icebreaker or deep conversation starter. Addressing the listener by their first name ('Emma') at the end of the question adds a personal, friendly, and engaging touch to the dialogue.
EN: Non-defining relative clauses (using 'who') provide extra, non-essential information about a person. They are separated from the main clause by commas, and the relative pronoun 'who' cannot be replaced by 'that'.
My brother, who lives in New York, is a doctor.
EN: The verb 'run' can mean to manage, operate, or conduct a business or organization (such as a clinic, shop, or company).
She runs a small bakery in the city center.
EN: The relative adverb 'where' is used to introduce an adjective clause (relative clause) that modifies a noun of place (in this case, 'the town'). It functions as an adverbial of place within the clause, meaning 'in/at which'.
The library where we study closes at nine.
EN: The passive voice 'was born' is used to express the event of someone's birth. In English, 'born' is a past participle, and it always requires a form of the verb 'be' (usually in the past tense 'was/were' for past events).
He was born in a small village.
EN: The relative pronoun 'whose' is used to show possession. It replaces possessive adjectives (like 'his', 'her', 'their') and connects a relative clause to a noun (the antecedent). In this sentence, 'whose' refers to 'the writer' and indicates that the stories belong to that writer.
She is the artist whose paintings are displayed in the gallery.
EN: The verb 'move' in this context means to evoke a strong emotional reaction, such as sadness, sympathy, or gratitude. It is a transitive verb that directly takes an object (in this case, 'me').
The beautiful music moved the audience to tears.
EN: The structure 'preposition + relative pronoun' (in this case, 'with which') is used in formal English to introduce a relative clause. The preposition 'with' is placed before 'which' instead of at the end of the sentence ('which I took the photo with'). 'Which' refers back to the inanimate noun 'the camera'.
This is the pen with which he wrote the letter.
EN: The verb phrase 'take a photo' (or 'take the photo') is the standard collocation in English meaning to capture an image using a camera. The preposition 'with' is used to indicate the instrument or tool (the camera) used to perform this action.
She took a beautiful photo of the sunset.
EN: Non-defining relative clauses (also called non-restrictive relative clauses) are used to add extra, non-essential information about a noun. They are separated from the rest of the sentence by commas. The relative pronoun 'who' is used for people and cannot be replaced by 'that' in non-defining clauses.
My uncle, who lives in New York, is a doctor.
EN: The adverb 'still' is used to describe an action or situation that continues to happen or exist, especially when this is surprising or unexpected. It is typically placed before the main verb, but after the auxiliary verb or verb 'to be'.
Although it was late, they still continued working.
EN: In English-speaking academic and professional cultures, keeping in touch with retired teachers or mentors via email is a common and respected way to maintain professional networks and show ongoing appreciation.
EN: Non-defining relative clauses (using 'which') add extra, non-essential information about a noun. They are separated from the main sentence by commas. If removed, the sentence still makes complete sense.
The book, which I bought yesterday, is very interesting.
EN: The past simple tense is used here ('opened') to describe a completed action that happened at a specific time in the past ('last year').
The museum opened last month.
EN: The structure 'preposition + whom' is used in formal English. The preposition (here, 'on') is placed before the relative pronoun 'whom' (which refers to a person, 'a friend') to introduce an adjective clause. In casual English, the preposition is usually placed at the end of the clause (e.g., 'who/whom I can rely on').
She is the colleague with whom I worked on the project.
EN: The phrasal verb 'rely on' means to trust or depend on someone or something. When used in a relative clause with a preposition placed forward, 'on' moves to the front of the relative pronoun 'whom'.
We need a leader on whom we can depend during hard times.
EN: In modern spoken English, the pronoun 'whom' is increasingly rare, often replaced by 'who' or omitted entirely (e.g., 'He is a friend I can rely on'). However, using 'on whom' remains highly valued in formal writing, academic contexts, and professional speeches as a sign of precise grammar.
EN: Non-defining relative clauses with 'where' are used to add extra, non-essential information about a place. They are separated from the main clause by commas. Unlike defining relative clauses, the relative pronoun 'where' cannot be replaced by 'that' in this structure.
The park, where we had our first picnic, is beautiful.
EN: The simple present tense is used here to express a regular schedule or timetable (closes at nine). When a singular noun (the library) is the subject, the verb takes the third-person singular ending '-s' or '-es'.
The train departs at eight.
EN: The relative pronoun 'whose' is used to show possession. It replaces a possessive adjective (like 'their') and introduces a relative clause that describes the noun before it ('People'). In this sentence, 'whose hearts are kind' is a defining relative clause modifying 'People'.
That is the writer whose stories moved me.
EN: Subject-Verb Agreement with Relative Clauses: When a relative clause modifies a plural subject ('People'), the main verb of the sentence ('change') must also agree with the plural subject, not the singular noun inside the relative clause.
Students whose homework is finished can leave early.
Key vocabulary words with IPA pronunciation, definitions, example sentences, and interactive quizzes.
Phrases with type tags, bilingual definitions, usage notes, and example sentences.
To gradually become an adult.
To put a lot of effort and energy into a task or goal.
To influence and form someone's character, beliefs, or personality over time.