Grammar: B1 - ✨ Grammar Essentials: 🧩 Parts of Speech & 🏗️ Sentence Structure - Lesson 4: Defining Relative Clauses with "where" (for places)

✨ Lesson 4: Defining Relative Clauses with "where" (for places)

We have learned to use 'who' for people and 'which' for things. Today, we will learn a special word to give essential information about a place¹ or location²: the relative adverb³ where.

How to Build the Sentence

We use 'where' to join two sentences when the second sentence describes an activity that happens *at* the place mentioned in the first sentence. It replaces words and phrases like 'there' or 'at that place'.

Let's combine two sentences:

1. "That is the restaurant." + "We ate dinner there."
2. We replace the location word (there) with where and move it to the front of the clause.
3. We join the two parts.

That is the restaurant where we ate dinner.

More Examples

• This is the guesthouse. I am staying there.
  → This is the guesthouse where I am staying.
• Pub Street is a famous area. Many people have fun there.
  → Pub Street is a famous area where many people have fun.
• Do you know a shop? I can buy a SIM card there.
  → Do you know a shop where I can buy a SIM card?

'which' vs. 'where' - A Common Confusion
This can be tricky. Use 'which' (or 'that') when the place is the subject/object of the verb. Use 'where' when the place is the location of an action.

• The hotel, which is on Sivutha Boulevard, is very nice. ('The hotel' is the subject of 'is'.)
• The hotel where we stayed was very nice. ('We' is the subject of 'stayed'. 'where' tells us the location of the staying.)

🧠 Practice Quiz: Choose the Correct Word

Complete the sentences with 'who', 'which', or 'where'.

1. A cafe is a place ______ people drink coffee.
   → where
2. The tuk-tuk driver ______ took us to the temple was very friendly.
   → who
3. The hotel ______ has the rooftop pool is very expensive.
   → which (or that)
4. Is this the spot ______ we can see the best sunrise?
   → where

📝 Homework: Describe a Place

Write two sentences describing places you know in Siem Reap. Use a defining relative clause with 'where' in each sentence.

Example: The Old Market is a place where you can buy many interesting souvenirs.

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1: ___________________________________

2: ___________________________________

Vocabulary Glossary

1. Place: (Noun) - កន្លែង (kanlaeng) - A particular position, point, or area. ↩
2. Location: (Noun) - ទីតាំង (ti'tang) - A particular place or position. ↩
3. Relative Adverb: (Noun) - កិរិយាវិសេសភ្ជាប់ (kĕ're'ya'vĭ'seh phchoăp) - A word (like where, when, why) that introduces a relative clause and refers to a place, time, or reason. ↩