Non-defining rel. clauses

Article excerpt · target grammar marked

The United States, Canada, and Mexico, which are hosting the FIFA World Cup together for the first time in history, will welcome 48 national teams. Lionel Messi, who won the World Cup with Argentina in 2022, has suggested he may appear in 2026.

Grammar Reference · Non-defining rel. clauses

Who — for people

Use who for people. Messi, who won in 2022, may play in 2026. Commas are required.

Which — for things

Use which for things or ideas. The final, which takes place in July, will be in New Jersey.

Never use 'that'

Non-defining clauses never use that. The stadium, which seats 82,000... ✓ — the stadium, that... ✗

Commas are essential

Remove the clause — the sentence must still make sense. Vancouver will host matches. ✓ Commas signal extra info.

01Exercise 1 — Form · Write the Correct Form

Non-defining rel. clauses

1.Neymar, has won numerous trophies in Europe, hopes to play at his fourth World Cup.

2.Dallas, hosted matches in the 1994 World Cup, is one of the 2026 venues.

3.The group stage, now includes 12 groups of four teams, will last almost three weeks.

4.Vinicius Júnior, plays for Real Madrid, is expected to lead Brazil's attack.

5.Senegal, won the Africa Cup of Nations in 2022, will be a strong contender.

6.The referee, had previously officiated a World Cup final, was highly experienced.

02Exercise 2 — Transform

rewrite with the new structure

1.Morocco reached the semi-finals in 2022. Morocco will send nine African teams to 2026.

2.The MetLife Stadium seats over 82,000 people. The MetLife Stadium will host the final.

3.Lionel Messi won the World Cup in 2022. Lionel Messi may play in 2026.

4.Gianni Infantino has been FIFA president since 2016. Gianni Infantino supports the 48-team format.

5.The tournament runs for 39 days. The tournament is the longest in World Cup history.

6.Kylian Mbappé scored in the 2022 final. Kylian Mbappé will be 27 in 2026.

03Exercise 3 — About You

in your notebook

Personalise: complete five sentences about yourself using the target grammar.

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