GRAMMARC1Relative Clauses Italian learner editionEdizione per studenti italiani

C1 Relative Clauses & Reduced ClausesC1 Relative Clauses & Reduced Clauses

Learn how to make advanced sentences more precise, elegant and C1-level using defining and non-defining relative clauses, which for whole clauses, preposition + which/whom and reduced relative clauses.Impara a rendere le frasi più precise, eleganti e da livello C1 usando relative clauses defining/non-defining, which riferito a tutta la frase, preposition + which/whom e relative clauses ridotte.

which caused…students applying…the report written by…in whichwhosehaving been invited

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If the student is logged in, these fields can be auto-filled by the platform. Otherwise, the student can complete them manually.Se lo studente ha effettuato l’accesso, questi campi possono essere compilati automaticamente dalla piattaforma. Altrimenti può completarli manualmente.

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1. See it in context1. Guarda la forma nel contesto

“The students who applied early received priority, which surprised several candidates. The course, which was designed for advanced learners, includes tasks aimed at improving accuracy and feedback from tutors whose experience is exam-focused.” “The students who applied early received priority, which surprised several candidates. The course, which was designed for advanced learners, includes tasks aimed at improving accuracy and feedback from tutors whose experience is exam-focused.”
Meaning in simple ItalianSignificato in italiano semplice

who applied early = che hanno fatto domanda presto.

which surprised several candidates = cosa che ha sorpreso diversi candidati.

aimed at improving accuracy = che sono pensati per migliorare la precisione.

whose experience is exam-focused = la cui esperienza è focalizzata sugli esami.

2. The complete C1 map2. La mappa completa C1

Core idea:Idea centrale:

Relative clauses add information. Reduced relative clauses make that information more concise and sophisticated. At C1, the key skill is choosing the right form for clarity, elegance and control.Le relative clauses aggiungono informazioni. Le relative ridotte rendono l’informazione più concisa e sofisticata. A livello C1, la competenza importante è scegliere la forma giusta per chiarezza, eleganza e controllo.

Defining relative clausesRelative clauses defining

person/thing + who/which/that

Students who practise consistently make faster progress.

The course that I chose was intensive.

Italian trap: Non mettere virgole quando l’informazione è necessaria: The students who passed, non The students, who passed, se parli solo di alcuni studenti.

Non-defining relative clausesRelative clauses non-defining

extra information with commas

My teacher, who has worked in London, gave me useful advice.

The exam, which lasts four hours, is demanding.

Italian trap: Nelle non-defining clauses non usare that: di’ which/who, non My course, that….

Which for whole clausesWhich riferito all’intera frase

sentence + , which + result/comment

She missed the deadline, which caused serious problems.

He answered confidently, which impressed the panel.

Italian trap: In italiano diciamo “cosa che”. In inglese formale usa spesso , which….

Preposition + which/whomPreposition + which/whom

in which / to whom / with whom

The context in which the policy was introduced matters.

The professor to whom I spoke was very helpful.

Italian trap: È più formale di who I spoke to. Usalo nel writing C1 quando serve un tono più accademico.

Reduced active clausesRelative ridotte attive

who/which + verb → -ing

Students who attend regularly… → Students attending regularly…

People living in large cities often…

Italian trap: Usa -ing quando il significato è attivo: gli studenti fanno l’azione.

Reduced passive clausesRelative ridotte passive

which is/was + past participle → past participle

The report written by the committee is detailed.

The tasks designed for C1 learners are challenging.

Italian trap: Usa il participio passato quando il significato è passivo: il report è stato scritto da qualcuno.
C1 forms to remember:Forme C1 da ricordare:
  • who/which/that for essential information: The book that I bought…
  • , who/which, for extra information: My tutor, who is very experienced,…
  • , which for the whole previous idea: He improved rapidly, which boosted his confidence.
  • noun + -ing for active reductions: candidates applying late…
  • noun + past participle for passive reductions: documents submitted after the deadline…

3. Italian brain vs English brain3. Cervello italiano vs cervello inglese

Italian students often use too many long clauses or translate “che” too automatically. C1 English needs clearer clause control.Gli studenti italiani spesso usano troppe frasi lunghe o traducono “che” in automatico. L’inglese C1 richiede più controllo delle subordinate.

ItalianoWeak / literal EnglishNatural C1 English
Il corso, che dura tre mesi, è intensivo.The course, that lasts three months, is intensive.The course, which lasts three months, is intensive.
Gli studenti che hanno fatto domanda presto…The students, who applied early…The students who applied early…
La decisione ha creato problemi, cosa che…The decision created problems, that…The decision created problems, which…
Le attività che sono pensate per il C1…The activities that are designed for C1…The activities designed for C1 learners…
Le persone che vivono nelle grandi città…The people who they live in large cities…People living in large cities…

4. How to use relative clauses in real context4. Come usare le relative clauses nel contesto reale

These structures are useful in essays, reports, formal emails, exam answers and sophisticated speaking.Queste strutture sono utili in essay, report, email formali, risposte d’esame e speaking avanzato.

Essay writing
policies which affect young people, factors that influence success, consequences which are often overlooked
Formal reports
data collected from participants, feedback provided by clients, proposals aimed at reducing costs
Speaking C1
people living in urban areas, decisions made by governments, situations in which pressure increases
Natural C1 mini-example:
The proposal, which was initially criticised by several members of staff, introduced a new assessment system designed to give students clearer feedback.

5. Common mistakes5. Errori comuni

❌ My teacher, that helped me, is from London.

Do not use that in non-defining relative clauses.Non usare that nelle relative non-defining.

✅ My teacher, who helped me, is from London.
❌ The students, who passed the test, received a certificate.

This means all the students passed. If only some students passed, remove the commas.Così significa che tutti gli studenti hanno passato. Se solo alcuni hanno passato, togli le virgole.

✅ The students who passed the test received a certificate.
❌ The report writing by the team was useful.

For passive reductions, use the past participle.Per le relative ridotte passive, usa il participio passato.

✅ The report written by the team was useful.
❌ People lived in big cities often feel stressed.

For active reductions, use -ing.Per le relative ridotte attive, usa -ing.

✅ People living in big cities often feel stressed.

6. Concept Check Questions6. Domande di controllo del concetto

These questions check meaning before grammar practice.Queste domande controllano il significato prima della pratica grammaticale.

1. In “Students who pass the exam receive a certificate”, is “who pass the exam” essential?In “Students who pass the exam receive a certificate”, “who pass the exam” è essenziale?
2. Which punctuation is typical in non-defining relative clauses?Quale punteggiatura è tipica nelle non-defining relative clauses?
3. In “He arrived late, which annoyed everyone”, what does “which” refer to?In “He arrived late, which annoyed everyone”, a cosa si riferisce “which”?
4. “The report written by the manager” means…“The report written by the manager” significa…

7. Quick Check — choose the correct form7. Quick Check — scegli la forma corretta

1. My tutor, _____ has prepared hundreds of students, gave me useful feedback.
2. Candidates _____ late may not receive a place.
3. The exercises _____ for C1 learners are more demanding.
4. The deadline was moved forward, _____ created confusion.
5. Students _____ attendance is below 80% may need extra support.

8. Challenge Check — meaning and naturalness8. Challenge Check — significato e naturalezza

1. Choose the sentence that means only some students received certificates.Scegli la frase che significa che solo alcuni studenti hanno ricevuto i certificati.
2. Best formal sentence:Migliore frase formale:
3. Choose the natural reduced clause.Scegli la relativa ridotta naturale.
4. Best sentence for “cosa che ha aumentato la pressione”:Migliore frase per “cosa che ha aumentato la pressione”:
5. Choose the correct reduced passive clause.Scegli la relativa ridotta passiva corretta.

9. Write it in English9. Scrivi in inglese

Translate the Italian sentence into natural C1 English. Use relative clauses or reduced relative clauses.Traduci la frase in inglese naturale C1. Usa relative clauses o relative clauses ridotte.

1. Gli studenti che hanno fatto domanda in anticipo hanno ricevuto un posto.
2. Il corso, che dura tre mesi, è molto intensivo.
3. La scadenza è stata anticipata, cosa che ha creato confusione.
4. Le attività pensate per studenti C1 sono più complesse.
5. Le persone che vivono nelle grandi città spesso pagano affitti più alti.

10. Cambridge-style transformations and correction10. Trasformazioni stile Cambridge e correzione

Rewrite the sentence using a relative clause or reduced relative clause.Riscrivi la frase usando una relative clause o una relative clause ridotta.

1. Reduce or combine the sentence:

The report was written by the committee. It was extremely detailed.

2. Combine using a relative clause:

The students attend regularly. They usually improve quickly.

3. Combine naturally:

The policy was introduced last year. It affected thousands of families.

4. Use comma + which:

The manager changed the schedule. This annoyed the whole team.

5. Rewrite using “in which”:

The city was the place. I spent most of my childhood there.

11. Mini dialogue practice11. Mini dialogo pratico

Choose the most natural C1 reply.Scegli la risposta C1 più naturale.

A: “Which course did you choose?”

12. Guided writing task12. Writing guidato

Write a short formal paragraph about an educational or professional programme. Include defining, non-defining and reduced relative clauses.Scrivi un breve paragrafo formale su un programma didattico o professionale. Includi defining, non-defining e reduced relative clauses.

relative pronoun: who/which/that
non-defining clause with commas
which referring to a whole clause
whose
preposition + which/whom
reduced active clause
reduced passive clause
C1 formal adjective
linking device
Capital letters + punctuation + 55+ words
Model answer:

The programme, which was designed for advanced learners, includes practical tasks aimed at improving both accuracy and fluency. Students who complete the weekly assignments receive individual feedback from tutors whose experience is exam-focused. Furthermore, the materials provided after each lesson allow learners to review the areas in which they made mistakes, which makes the learning process more targeted and effective.

13. How to use this grammar in real life13. Come usare questa grammatica nella vita reale

Relative clauses help you sound more precise, less repetitive and more mature in C1 speaking and writing.Le relative clauses ti aiutano a sembrare più preciso, meno ripetitivo e più maturo nello speaking e writing C1.

Use it in writingUsala nel writing

Use relative clauses to combine information elegantly and avoid short, repetitive sentences.Usa le relative clauses per combinare informazioni in modo elegante ed evitare frasi brevi e ripetitive.

Example:
The policy, which was introduced during a period of economic uncertainty, affected families living in urban areas.

Use it in speakingUsala nello speaking

Use reduced clauses to make your spoken answers more fluent and sophisticated without sounding artificial.Usa le relative ridotte per rendere le risposte orali più fluide e sofisticate senza sembrare artificiale.

Example:
People working from home often value flexibility, which can improve motivation.
Want a lasting method to really learn English?Vuoi un metodo duraturo per imparare davvero l’inglese?

Book a consultation with us and we will help you understand the best path for your level, objectives and timetable.Prenota un colloquio con noi: ti aiuteremo a capire il percorso più adatto al tuo livello, ai tuoi obiettivi e ai tuoi tempi.

Book a consultationPrenota un colloquio

14. Final score and report14. Punteggio finale e report

Check the score, identify weak areas and download or save the result.Controlla il punteggio, identifica le aree deboli e scarica o salva il risultato.

Your resultIl tuo risultato

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