The Grammar Lab: Relative Clauses

Lesson 11: Relative Clauses

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Essential vs. Extra

ឃ្លាអនុប្រយោគ: កំណត់ន័យ ច្បាស់លាស់ និង មិនកំណត់ន័យ

A Relative Clause adds information about a noun. The most important rule is about Commas.

Defining (Essential): Tells us which one. No commas. (គ្មានក្បៀស)
Non-Defining (Extra): Just adds detail. Needs commas. (មានក្បៀស)

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Defining Clauses 📌

ឃ្លាកំណត់ន័យ (Essential Info - No Commas)

The man who called is my dad. (Which man? The one who called) បុរសដែលបានទូរស័ព្ទមក គឺជាប៉ារបស់ខ្ញុំ។

The car that hit me was red. (Which car? The one that hit me) ឡានដែលបុកខ្ញុំនោះ ពណ៌ក្រហម។

The book which I bought is lost. (Which book? The one I bought) សៀវភៅដែលខ្ញុំបានទិញនោះ បាត់ហើយ។

I met a girl whose father is rich. (Which girl? The one with a rich father) ខ្ញុំបានជួបក្មេងស្រីម្នាក់ដែលប៉ារបស់នាងជាអ្នកមាន។

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Non-Defining Clauses ➕

ឃ្លាមិនកំណត់ន័យ (Extra Info - Use Commas)

My dad, who called, is angry. (We already know it is dad. The calling is extra info) ប៉ារបស់ខ្ញុំ ដែលបានទូរស័ព្ទមកនោះ កំពុងតែខឹង។

Paris, which is big, is nice. (Everyone knows Paris. Being big is extra info) ទីក្រុងប៉ារីស ដែលមានទំហំធំនោះ ពិតជាស្រស់ស្អាតណាស់។

Mr. Smith, whose son I know, is here. (We know Mr. Smith. The son is extra info) លោក ស្ម៊ីត ដែលខ្ញុំស្គាល់កូនប្រុសគាត់នោះ គឺនៅទីនេះ។

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Meaning Check 🔄

សាកល្បងអត្ថន័យ (ចុចលើកាតដើម្បីមើលភាពខុសគ្នា)

Click the cards to see how commas completely change the meaning.

My brother who lives in USA...No Commas

My brother, who lives in USA,...With Commas

The players who were tired...No Commas

The players, who were tired,...With Commas

The "That" Trap!

You CANNOT use "That" immediately after a comma!

(អ្នកមិនអាចប្រើពាក្យ "That" នៅពីក្រោយសញ្ញាក្បៀស (,) ជាដាច់ខាត!)

"My book, that is old, is broken."
ខុស! (Wrong!) ❌

"My book, which is old, is broken."
ត្រឹមត្រូវ! (Correct!) ✅

Quick Check ⚡

ការត្រួតពិនិត្យរហ័ស

Grammar Rule

London, ___ is in England, is big.

(ទីក្រុងឡុងដ៍ ដែលស្ថិតនៅក្នុងប្រទេសអង់គ្លេស មានទំហំធំ។)

Pronoun Choice

The man ___ stole my bag ran away.

(បុរសដែលបានលួចកាបូបរបស់ខ្ញុំ បានរត់គេចខ្លួនបាត់ហើយ។)

LITERAL TRAP! ❌

Choose the correct punctuation:

(តើការដាក់សញ្ញាវណ្ណយុត្តិមួយណាដែលត្រឹមត្រូវ?)

Meaning Match

"The players, who were tired, stopped." This means:

(តើប្រយោគនេះមានន័យដូចម្តេច?)

Pronoun Choice

I bought a car ___ is very fast.

(ខ្ញុំបានទិញឡានមួយដែលលឿនខ្លាំង។)

Mission 🎯

អនុវត្តផ្ទាល់!

Write a Defining Clause ✍️ (សរសេរប្រយោគមួយដែលប្រើប្រាស់ឃ្លាកំណត់ន័យ (គ្មានក្បៀស) ដោយប្រើពាក្យ 'that' ឬ 'who'។)

Mission 🎯

អនុវត្តផ្ទាល់!

Write a Non-Defining Clause ✍️ (សរសេរប្រយោគមួយដែលប្រើប្រាស់ឃ្លាមិនកំណត់ន័យ (មានក្បៀស) ដោយប្រើពាក្យ 'which'។)

Mission 🎯

អនុវត្តផ្ទាល់!

Voice Record 🎤 (ថតសំឡេងខ្លួនឯងអានប្រយោគ "Paris, which is big, is nice." ដោយផ្អាកបន្តិចនៅត្រង់ក្បៀសនីមួយៗ។)

Video Lesson

មេរៀនជាវីដេអូ

Ask a Question 🙋‍♂️

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Recent Questions

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Vireak 2 hours ago

Can I use "Which" for people?

Reply 👍 8

SP

Sopheak Pich Teacher 1 hour ago

No, never! We use "Which" ONLY for things and animals. For people, you must use "Who", "Whom", or "That" (if it is a defining clause without commas). 🚫

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Nita 5 hours ago

When speaking, how do people know if I am using commas or not?

Reply 👍 5

SP

Sopheak Pich Teacher 4 hours ago

Great question! When we speak a non-defining clause (with commas), we usually pause slightly before and after the clause. We also drop our voice pitch slightly for the extra info. 🗣️

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Ratha 8 hours ago

What is the difference between Who and Whom?

Reply 👍 12

SP

Sopheak Pich Teacher 7 hours ago

"Who" is the subject (doing the action), like "He". "Whom" is the object (receiving the action), like "Him". So: The man WHO called (He called). The man WHOM I called (I called him). 📖