See free Year 5 relative clauses worked examples with clear strategies and answers, aligned to the England primary curriculum.
Model the thinking
Four worked examples
Try each question first, then compare the strategy and answer. The aim is to understand the method, not just copy the final result.
1
Identify
Find the relative clause: 'The bike, which was brand new, shone in the sun.'
How to think about it: Identify the sentence feature first, apply the rule only where it is needed, then reread the whole sentence aloud to check that the meaning and punctuation are clear.
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Answer: which was brand new
2
Pronoun
Choose a relative pronoun for a person: who / which.
How to think about it: Identify the sentence feature first, apply the rule only where it is needed, then reread the whole sentence aloud to check that the meaning and punctuation are clear.
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Answer: who
3
Add clause
Add a relative clause to 'The teacher smiled.'
How to think about it: Identify the sentence feature first, apply the rule only where it is needed, then reread the whole sentence aloud to check that the meaning and punctuation are clear.
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Answer: e.g. The teacher, who had heard the news, smiled.
4
Punctuation
Add commas where needed: 'My brother who lives in Leeds is visiting.'
How to think about it: Identify the sentence feature first, apply the rule only where it is needed, then reread the whole sentence aloud to check that the meaning and punctuation are clear.
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Answer: My brother, who lives in Leeds, is visiting. (assuming non-restrictive meaning)
Next step
Turn the explanation into practice
Use the printable for independent work, or return to the topic overview to choose another way to practise.