English

CLAUSES – LINKING WORDS

Exercise 1. Fill in “where, whose, who, which, why or when”
Having visited a few countries (1.)______ the climate is different to yours, you will appreciate how
important it is to plan carefully before travelling. Not planning well enough is the reason (2.) ______some
holidays can go wrong. A holiday (3.) ______involves a lot of walking, for example, means you need to go
at a time (4.) ______it is neither too hot nor too cold. It also means you need to plan to go with someone (5.)
______enjoys walking and (6.) ______stamina is equal to yours. A travel companion (7.) ______likes the
same things as you is ideal, but it’s very difficult to meet someone (8.) ______likes and dislikes are exactly
the same as yours. In any case, you need to decide on a holiday (9.) ______suits both of you and a country
(10.) ______climate is not uncomfortable for either of you.
Exercise 2. Fill in the relative pronoun adding commas where necessary. Write (D) for defining, (ND)
for non-defining and whether the relative pronoun can be omitted or not.
1. That’s the man who/that I was talking about.
D
omitted
2. Her school ________ is very old is closing down.
3. Have you seen the pencil ________I bought yesterday?
4. Ann, ________contract expires next week, is looking for another job.
5. This house, ________he inherited from his parents is worth a fortune.
6. The company ________I set up last year is expanding.
7. She is the singer ________latest record reached the top of the charts.
8. I’ve never met anyone before ________was quite so rule.
9. This jumper ________my grandmother knitted for me is too small.
10. The necklace ________I bought in Egypt is very old.
11. They are the friends ________invited us to their daughter’s wedding.
12. The documentary ________I saw last night was very informative.
13. Elephants ________are hunted for ivory are becoming extinct.
14. The girl ________speaks four languages is in my class.

15. This is the hospital ________was built in 1920.
16. The police are looking for a man ________car was found abandoned in
Newcastle last night.
17. That man ________name is Bill stole my purse.
18. She is a person ________I shall always be grateful to.
19. He’s the man ________she’s going to marry.
20. This book ________is about Vietnam is fascinating.
21. I know few people ________are as considered as she is.
22. His group ________is touring Europe is called “Blunt”.
23. The woman ________dog was stolen is offering a reward.
24. I met a really interesting man ________name I have since forgotten.
25. She’s the girl ________I’m sharing my flat with.
26. My team ________won the cup are going to tour America.
27. “Macbeth” is a play ________was written by Shakespeare.
Exercise 3. Complete the sentences using the words in bold. Use two to five words.
1. He lost his passport, which was silly of him. (lose)
→ It was _________________________________ his passport.
2. That’s the hotel we are staying in. (where)
→That’s _________________________________staying.
3. That woman complained to the manager. (who)
→That’s _________________________________to the manager.
4. We met several people from Portsmouth, but one of them knew Dr Irons. (whom)
→We met several people from Portsmouth _________________________________Dr Irons.
5. The car we rented was very unreliable. (which)
→We _________________________________very unreliable.
6. Clare Spender is the author; her book became a bestseller overnight. (whose)
→ Clare Spender is ___________________________________ a bestseller overnight.
7. We bought a kilo of apples; some of them were bruised. (which)
→We bought a kilo of apples, ___________________________________bruised.
8. August is the month when most people take their holidays. (which)

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→ August ___________________________________most people take their holidays.
9. She has a class of twenty students; half of them are of Canadian origin. (whom)
→She has a class of twenty students, ___________________________________are of Canadian origin.
10. Sue tried on some shoes but none of them fitted. (which)
→Sue tried on some shoes, ___________________________________fitted.
11. At the film festival we saw many people; some were famous actors. (whom)
→At the film festival we saw many people, _________________________________famous actors.
Exercise 4. Underline the appropriate time phase and put the verbs into the correct tense.

New research offers proof that global warming is a direct consequence of man’s activity on earth and
not a result of some unidentified natural phenomenon. (1.After/As soon as) noting climate changes on a
computer, researchers, (2. show)__________ that the Earth’s average temperature has risen by 0.7 0C (3.
before/since) the Industrial Revolution. (4. While/As soon as) the results were published, climate changes
once again (5. become) __________headline news. Other research predicts that (6. by/by the time) the end
of the century average rainfall will be 30% higher than today as a result of a warmer climate. Air pollution is
blamed for the sharp rise in the Earth’s temperature and (7. until/whenever) strict laws (8. be/introduced)
__________, the problem will continue to get worse. Something needs to be done (9.the moment/before) it
(10.be) __________too late. (11. When/Whenever) E.U. countries (12. meet) __________last month, they
agreed to cut down on pollution levels. (13. Just as/Once) clean sources of power (14. be/developed)
__________, we will have taken the first steps towards stopping global warming.
Exercise 5. Fill in so, such or such a(n).
Mandy was getting (1.)___________ bored one afternoon that she decided to go shopping. She
always took (2.) _________pleasure in buying things for herself that she would often spend lots of money in

just one day. She set out feeling really excited. After two hours she had bought (3.) _________many things
that she could hardly carry them. The shops were closing and there was (4.) _________lot of traffic in the
streets that she couldn’t find a taxi. She started feeling frustrated as the parcels and bags she was carrying
were getting in everyone’s way. She was (5.) _________anxious to get back home that she decided to take
the underground. She took (6.) _________long time to find her purse among her things that people waiting
behind her in the queue started muttering. When she finally found it, there was (7.) _________little money
in it that she didn’t have enough to buy a ticket. Mandy was (8.) _________embarrassed that she just wanted
to disappear. She left the station and was in (9.) _________desperate state that she didn’t know what to do.
“I’ve spent (10.) _________much money,” she thought, “that I’ve made a fool of myself in front of
complete strangers.” Mandy eventually got home with all her shopping after getting a lift in pizza delivery
van!

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Exercise 6. Complete the sentences using the word in bold. Use two to five words.
1. The team were so good that we couldn’t beat them. (such)
→ They were _________________________________we couldn’t beat them.
2. It was such a boring film that we left in the middle. (so)
→It was _________________________________we left in the middle.
3. No one knows why they are emigrating. (for)
→No one knows _________________________________emigrating.
4. Our car broke down so we were very late. (consequently)
→Our car broke down _________________________________very late.
5. She was so insistent that we couldn’t ignore her. (too)
→She was _________________________________ignore.

6. They couldn’t go to the post office because of a snowstorm. (as)
→They couldn’t go to the post office _________________________________snowstorm.
7. She had a very bad night’s sleep, so she was exhausted. (result)
→She had a very bad night’s sleep _________________________________she was exhausted.
8. Do you know the reason for her leaving her job? (why)
→ Do _________________________________her job?
9. The coffee was so strong that I couldn’t drink it. (such)
→ It _________________________________that I couldn’t drink it.
10. He was such a skillful player that he seldom lost a game. (so)
→ He was _________________________________he seldom lost a game.
11. He didn’t get the job because he was inexperienced. (to)
→He didn’t get the job _________________________________experience.
Exercise 7. Complete the sentences using the words in bold. Use two to five words.
1. She gave us a lift, which was kind of her. (of)
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→ It was ________________________________ us a lift.
2. That’s the college my son got his degree from. (where)
→That’s ________________________________got his degree.
3. I bought several dictionaries but none of them are really up to date. (which)
→I bought ________________________________are really up to date.
4. This is Emma Thompson; her husband is an Oscar nominee. (whose)
→This is Emma Thompson, ________________________________nominee.
5. The reason for his resignation is strictly personal. (why)
→The reason ________________________________strictly personal.

6. It was such an appalling even that we’d rather forget about it. (so)
→It was ________________________________we’d rather forget about it.
7. It was so late that I couldn’t get to the meeting. (too)
→It was ________________________________get to the meeting.
8. He forgot to post his application so he didn’t get called for an interview. (result)
→ He forgot to post his application _________________________he didn’t get called for an interview.
9. He came into his inheritance and immediately after he bought a Ferrari. (soon)
→He bought a Ferrari ________________________________into his inheritance.
10. The children were so polite that everyone took to them. (such)
→They were ________________________________everyone took to them.
11. When he got the phone call, he left the house immediately. (moment)
→He left the house ________________________________the phone call.
12. The last time I saw Peter was 14 February. (since)
→ I ________________________________14 February.
13. Careless drivers should be punished. (carelessly)
→People ________________________________should be punished.
14. One of the five students he interviewed was Spanish. (whom)
→ He interviewed ________________________________was Spanish.
Exercise 8. Complete the sentences using the words in bold. Use two to five words.
1. I didn’t tell her the bad news. I didn’t want to upset her. (avoid)
→ I didn’t tell her the bad news_____________________________ her.
2. Mary wrote out a shopping list. She didn’t want to forget anything. (that)
→Mary wrote out a shopping list _____________________________forget anything.
3. Paul trained hard every day. He wanted to be the best. (as)
→Paul trained hard every day _____________________________the best.
4. Lee gave up her job. She planned to continue her education. (view)
→Lee gave up her job _____________________________her education.
5. She turned the oven down. She didn’t want to burn the cakes. (might)
→She turned the oven down _____________________________burn the cakes.
6. He was saving all his money. He intended to buy a house. (aim)

→He was saving all his money _____________________________a house.
7. Peter left the office early. He wanted to be at the cinema on time. (in)
→Peter left the office early _____________________________at the cinema on time.
8. This is a pencil sharpener. You use it to sharpen pencils. (for)
→This is a pencil sharpener. It is used _____________________________pencils.
9. I’ll bring a pack of cards. We might want to play later. (case)
→I’ll bring a pack of cards _____________________________play later.
10. We didn’t want to get stuck in a traffic jam so we bypassed the city centre. (avoid)
→We bypassed the city centre _____________________________in a traffic jam.
11. Before we went to Africa we had injections so we wouldn’t get malaria. (prevent)
→Before we went to Africa we had injections _____________________________malaria.
12. He’s taking his camera on holiday. He might want to take some photos of the wildlife. (case)
→He’s taking his camera on holiday _________________________to take some photos of the wildlife.
13. Peter goes to night school. He wants to learn French. (order)
→Peter goes to night school _____________________________French.
14. If you want him to remember to phone the bank, leave a note on his desk. (that)
→Leave a note on his desk _____________________________to phone the bank.
15. She tries her best. She wants to stand out in her field. (as)
→She tried her best _____________________________in her field.

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