Relative Clauses
Find and correct the mistake:
“The book who I borrowed from you was excellent.”
The book which / that I borrowed from you was excellent.
Choose the correct conjunction:
“I’ll call you tomorrow ____ I have time.”
A) unless B) if C) although D) while
B) if
An Australian says, “She’ll be right.” What does this reveal about Australian attitudes?
It means “Don’t worry, it’ll be fine.” It reflects Australians’ relaxed, optimistic attitude and dislike of fuss
This English scientist developed the theory of gravity after observing an apple fall from a tree. Who was he?
Isaac Newton
Which city lies on two continents, Europe and Asia, separated by the Bosphorus Strait?
Istanbul
Is this clause defining or non-defining, and why?
“My uncle, who taught me to drive, lives in Perth now.”
Non-defining — the commas show extra, non-essential information about the uncle.
Find and correct the mistake:
“She enjoyed the trip, despite she felt seasick.”
She enjoyed the trip, despite feeling seasick.
(Note: “despite” + noun/gerund, not a full clause.)
People often think Sydney is the capital of Australia. What is the real capital, and why was it chosen?
Canberra — chosen as a compromise between Sydney and Melbourne, the two rival cities.
The Berlin Wall fell in 1989. Why is this event historically significant?
It symbolised the end of the Cold War and the division between East and West Germany.
Which river flows through Paris and is famous for its historical and cultural significance?
The Seine
Join these sentences into one using an appropriate relative clause:
“The conference was cancelled. It was going to take place in Sydney.”
The conference that was going to take place in Sydney was cancelled.
OR
The conference, which was going to take place in Sydney, was cancelled.
Combine these sentences using a suitable conjunction:
“He’s very sociable. His brother prefers to be alone.”
He’s very sociable, whereas his brother prefers to be alone.
(Alternatively: “while his brother prefers to be alone.”)
Australians often joke about dangerous animals, but which of these is actually more dangerous to humans?
A) Sharks B) Kangaroos C) Spiders D) Box jellyfish
D) Box jellyfish
(Extremely venomous — far more dangerous than most other Australian animals.)
Who was the British monarch during World War II?
King George VI
Which desert is the largest cold desert in the world?
The Gobi Desert
Reduce the relative clause correctly:
“Anyone who wants to participate should sign up by Friday.”
Anyone wanting to participate should sign up by Friday.
Rewrite using even though without changing the meaning:
“He failed the test because he didn’t study.”
He failed the test even though he had studied.
(Push students to notice the contrast in logic and tense — a typical error area at this level.)
What date is Australia Day celebrated, and why is it controversial?
January 26th — the date the First Fleet arrived in 1788. It’s controversial because many Indigenous Australians see it as “Invasion Day.”
In 1347, a pandemic began in Europe that killed millions of people and drastically changed European society. What is the name of this pandemic?
The Black Death/ Bubonic Plague
Madagascar is located off the coast of which African country?
Mozambique
Explain the difference in meaning and punctuation between these two sentences:
The teachers who arrived early prepared the classroom.
The teachers, who arrived early, prepared the classroom.
Sentence 1 (defining): Only the teachers who arrived early prepared the classroom (others didn’t).
Sentence 2 (non-defining): All the teachers arrived early; the commas show added, non-essential information.
Explain the difference in meaning between these two sentences:
“Although he was late, he didn’t apologise.”
“In spite of being late, he didn’t apologise.”
Both express contrast, but (1) links two clauses, while (2) uses a prepositional phrase. “Although” introduces a clause; “in spite of” introduces a noun or gerund. Grammatically different, meaning almost the same.
Australia is officially multicultural, but what major policy in the 20th century restricted non-European immigration until the 1970s?
The White Australia Policy — it limited immigration mainly to Europeans and was dismantled between the 1950s and 1970s.
Which ancient civilisation is credited with inventing the wheel?
The Sumerians
Which mountain range is less well-known than the Andes or Himalayas but stretches across Morocco, Algeria, and Tunisia in North Africa?
The Atlas Mountains