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E9 G - Relative clauses for clear descriptions

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Einleitung

E9 G - Relative clauses for clear descriptions ist für Englisch als erste Fremdsprache, Klasse 9, G-Niveau, Baden-Württemberg. Der Kurs hilft Dir, Personen und Dinge klar zu beschreiben. Du arbeitest vor allem mit häufigen defining relative clauses mit who, which und that. Whose, non-defining relative clauses und contact clauses erkennst Du zunächst vor allem beim Lesen und Hören.

English first: A student who asks questions can learn more. A tool that gives clear information is useful. A bike which is easy to repair can last a long time.

Mini-Ziel: Du verstehst die Zusatzinformation und kannst selbst kurze, klare Beschreibungen bilden. Kommunikation ist wichtiger als perfekte Akzentfreiheit. Wir achten besonders auf drei Punkte: passendes Relativpronomen, klare Satzstellung und sinnvolle Kommas.

Media start: Look at the picture. Choose one person or thing. Say one short sentence: I can see a student who ... or I can see a thing that ...

I-can-Ziele

I can understand who or what a relative clause describes.
I can use who for people and which or that for things in common defining relative clauses.
I can ask for clarification: Which person do you mean? / Which thing do you mean?
I can improve a short sentence by adding useful information.
I can notice whose, commas in non-defining clauses and some contact clauses.
I can check whether my sentence is clear before I focus on small errors.

So arbeitest Du: English first → understand → respond → ask → hint → improve → use again

English first: Höre oder lies zuerst den englischen Beispielsatz.
Understand: Markiere das Nomen und die Information, die es genauer beschreibt.
Respond: Gib eine kurze Antwort oder wähle ein passendes Relativpronomen.
Ask: Frage nach, wenn etwas unklar ist: Which person? / Which thing?
Hint: Nutze bei Bedarf ein Satzgerüst.
Improve: Verbessere nur einen oder zwei wichtige Punkte.
Use again: Verwende das Muster in einem neuen Satz.

Vorwissen aktivieren

Du brauchst nur einfache Hauptsätze und häufige Wörter. Starte mit zwei Aussagen:

This is a student. The student helps others.

Verbinde sie:

This is a student who helps others.

Und mit einem Ding:

This is a website. The website gives useful information.

This is a website that gives useful information.

Mini-check: Is the noun a person or a thing? Das reicht oft für den ersten Schritt.

Medien-Einstieg: describe what you see

Use one frame:

I can see bikes that ...
A bike which ... is useful for ...
This is something that ...

Try again:

A student who uses a computer can ...
A computer that works well helps ...

Functional grammar: relative clauses help us identify and describe

A relative clause gives information about a noun. In this course, you mainly use defining relative clauses. The information tells us which person or thing you mean.

Person: The student who sits near the window is new.

Thing: The app which helps me organise homework is simple.

Thing: The app that helps me organise homework is simple.

who, which, that: Dein Kernwissen

Noun	Useful word	Example
person	who	A classmate who listens is helpful.
thing	which	A book which has short chapters is easier to read.
thing	that	A book that has short chapters is easier to read.

G-level focus: Nutze who für Personen. Nutze which oder that für Dinge. In defining relative clauses kann that auch für Personen stehen, aber who ist für Deine eigenen Personensätze meist die klarere Wahl.

Sentence pattern

A useful pattern is:

noun + who/which/that + verb + ...

a student + who + helps + others

a phone + that + works + well

Keep the relative clause close to the noun it describes.

whose: recognise possession

Whose shows possession or a close relation.

I know a student whose bike is broken.

For this course, you mainly need to recognise whose. You may use it when the pattern feels safe.

Receptive task: The applicant whose folder is on the table is ready. What belongs to the applicant? Answer with one noun.

Non-defining relative clauses: recognise extra information

Sometimes a relative clause only adds extra information. Then commas are important.

Mia, who lives near the school, walks to class.

The sentence still identifies Mia without the extra information. At G-level, first learn to notice the commas and understand the extra detail.

Important: In standard non-defining relative clauses, we normally use who or which, not that.

Contact clauses: recognise the missing relative pronoun

Sometimes the relative pronoun can be left out when it is the object.

The film that I watched was funny.

The film I watched was funny.

Both can be correct. But:

The student who helps me is kind.

Here, do not remove who: it is the subject of helps.

For this course, contact clauses are mainly a reading and listening skill. You do not need to force them into your own texts.

Visual grammar map

Use the image only as an optional map: one part names the person or thing; another part gives more information about it. You do not need the technical labels.

Listening and Viewing

Watch first without transcript or subtitles if possible. Listen for who, which and that. Do not try to understand every word.

First viewing: Write only three words you hear.

Second viewing: Pause after a clear example. Say the whole example with the speaker.

Third viewing: Use subtitles or transcript only now, if available. Find one sentence about a person and one about a thing.

Listening support

Before you listen, choose a target:

Level 1: Hear the relative word.
Level 2: Hear the noun that it describes.
Level 3: Say the full idea in your own short sentence.

If the video is too fast, replay a short part. One clear sentence is enough.

Receptive extension: defining and non-defining

This video contains both types. Your job is not to learn every detail. Listen for the contrast: needed information or extra information.

After the first listening, choose: The commas show extra information. – yes or no?

Optional viewing: pauses and commas

Focus only on one idea: non-defining clauses sound like an extra comment and are marked with commas in writing.

Reading: a school project team

Read once for the main idea. Do not translate every word.

Project Team

Lea is a student who likes practical tasks. She works with Ben, who enjoys drawing. They are building a small box that can hold school materials. The box, which is made from reused cardboard, is light. They use a website that gives simple design ideas. The teacher whose room has the tools checks the plan. The final model they show to the class is simple but useful.

Understand

Who likes practical tasks?
What can hold school materials?
Which relative clause gives only extra information?
Find one clause with whose.
Find one contact clause where the relative pronoun is missing.

Hint 1: Look for who, which, that and whose.

Hint 2: Look for commas around extra information.

Hint 3: In The final model they show ..., a relative word could be added before they.

Kontextwortschatz

Learn words in useful chunks, not as long translation lists.

Chunk	Simple meaning or use
a person who ...	describe a person
a thing that ...	describe an object or idea
a tool which ...	say what a tool does
a classmate whose ...	show possession
extra information	detail that is not needed to identify the noun
clear description	enough information to know what you mean
to check a plan	look at a plan carefully
to improve a sentence	make a sentence clearer or more accurate

Use new words in short sentences. One good sentence is better than a long list.

Pronunciation and Fluency

Your goal is clear speech, not accent-free speech.

Read in thought groups:

The student / who helps me / sits over there.

My bike, / which is quite old, / still works well.

Try three steps:

Read slowly and clearly.
Read again with a natural pause at commas.
Read once more without stopping after who, which or that.

Recording is optional. Keep recordings private unless you choose to share them. Do not upload recordings without a clear reason and permission.

Speaking: clear descriptions

Choose one person or object in the image. Do not identify real people. Use only visible, non-sensitive details.

Level 1 frame: I mean the person who ...

Level 2 frame: I mean the thing that ... because ...

Level 3 frame: I mean the person who ... and the thing that ...

Partner response: Do you mean the person who ...?

Ask for clarification: Which person do you mean? Which thing do you mean?

Writing: from short to clear

Start with two short sentences:

We need a tool. The tool can cut cardboard.

Improve:

We need a tool that can cut cardboard.

Now write a short text of about 70–100 words about a fictional school project, hobby club or work-experience situation. Use:

two defining relative clauses with who
two defining relative clauses with which or that
one extra form only if you feel ready: whose, a non-defining clause or a contact clause

Keep fictional names and application details. Do not use private social-media data, real phone numbers, addresses or other personal data.

Choose a short text type:

E-mail: I am looking for a project that ...
Report: We used a tool that ...
Opinion: I prefer tasks that ... because ...
Work text: I would like a workplace where ... and I work well with people who ...

Useful writing frame

Our project is about ... We need people who ... We use tools that ... One person who ... is ... The result is something that ...

Upgrade hint: Replace one repeated noun with a relative clause.

Before: We use a camera. The camera is easy to carry.

After: We use a camera that is easy to carry.

Mediation: explain the important point

Situation: Eine neue Austauschschülerin versteht die deutsche Info Für die Projektwoche werden Schülerinnen und Schüler gesucht, die gern organisieren. Benötigt werden Geräte, die leicht zu transportieren sind.

Do not translate every word. Give the useful message in simple English:

They need students who like organising. They need equipment that is easy to carry.

Then ask: Do you need more information?

Help levels

Help 1 – choose: person → who; thing → which/that.

Help 2 – frame: This is a ___ who/that/which ___.

Help 3 – word bank: helps, works, carries, explains, organises, needs, likes, uses.

Help 4 – model: A volunteer who explains the task can help the group.

Use only as much help as you need.

Feedback: meaning first, then accuracy

Give feedback in this order:

Meaning: Is the description clear?
Relative word: person or thing?
Sentence link: Does the clause stand next to the noun?
Commas: Only check this carefully when the clause is extra information.
One improvement: Change one important point, then read the sentence again.

Useful peer feedback: I understand who/what you mean. Try who here because it is a person. Can you put the relative clause closer to the noun?

Fehleranalyse

Find the central problem. Do not correct everything at once.

Sentence	Focus	Better version
The girl which helps us is new.	person	The girl who helps us is new.
The phone who works well is cheap.	thing	The phone that works well is cheap.
The book that I read it was short.	double object	The book that I read was short.
My bike, that is old, still works.	non-defining clause	My bike, which is old, still works.
The student helps me is kind.	missing subject relative pronoun	The student who helps me is kind.

After correction, use the same pattern in a new sentence.

Transfer: use the grammar for real communication

Imagine a fictional work-experience interview. Describe what kind of person or workplace you mean:

I would like a workplace that ...

I learn well with people who ...

I need a task that ...

Do not use real application data. Keep names, companies and contact details fictional.

Can-do-Check

Choose: yes, with help or not yet.

I can ...	yes	with help	not yet
understand who or what a relative clause describes	☐	☐	☐
use who for people	☐	☐	☐
use which or that for things	☐	☐	☐
notice whose and explain the possession	☐	☐	☐
notice commas in non-defining clauses	☐	☐	☐
understand a simple contact clause in context	☐	☐	☐
ask for clarification and improve one sentence	☐	☐	☐

Responsible use of media and AI

Use public or school-approved media. Do not publish private recordings or personal data without permission. If you use an AI tool, check facts, sources and feedback. Keep your own draft so that your learning remains visible. Do not send private profiles, application data or recordings to external AI services without a clear school-approved reason.

The Commons images in this course are embedded from Wikimedia Commons; check the file page for the exact licence and attribution. The YouTube videos are external embeds and remain subject to the platform and rights-holder conditions.

Interaktive Aufgaben

Quiz: Teste Dein Wissen

Which relative word is the best choice for a person in this course? (who) (!which) (!what) (!where)

Complete: This is a tool ___ cuts cardboard. (that) (!who) (!whose) (!when)

Complete: The student ___ helps me is in Class 9. (who) (!which) (!where) (!when)

Which sentence has a defining relative clause? (The book that I need is on the table.) (!My book, which is blue, is on the table.) (!The book is on the table.) (!I need the book.)

What does whose usually show? (possession) (!time) (!place) (!a question)

Which sentence uses commas for extra information? (Mia, who lives nearby, walks to school.) (!The student who lives nearby walks to school.) (!The student that walks is nearby.) (!Mia walks to school who lives nearby.)

Which sentence can be a correct contact clause? (The film I watched was funny.) (!The student helps me is kind.) (!The bike works well is new.) (!The teacher explains is helpful.)

Complete: A phone ___ works well is useful. (which) (!who) (!whose) (!when)

Which sentence is clearest and correct? (The classmate who explains the task is helpful.) (!The classmate which explains the task is helpful.) (!The classmate who the task explains is helpful.) (!The classmate explains who the task is helpful.)

What should you check first in a description? (Is the meaning clear?) (!Is every sentence very long?) (!Is the accent perfect?) (!Is every clause non-defining?)

Memory

who	people
which	things
that	common defining clause
whose	possession
commas	extra information
contact clause	omitted object pronoun

Drag and Drop

Ordne die richtigen Begriffe zu.	Funktion
who	person
which	thing
that	defining description
whose	possession
commas	extra information

Kreuzworträtsel

people	Who beschreibt im Grundmuster vor allem welche Gruppe?
things	Which und that beschreiben in unseren Kernbeispielen meist was?
commas	Welches Satzzeichen-Paar markiert häufig extra information?
whose	Welches Relativwort zeigt Besitz oder Zugehörigkeit?
defining	Wie heißt der häufige Relativsatztyp mit notwendiger Information?
contact	Wie heißt ein Relativsatz, in dem das Objekt-Relativpronomen fehlen kann?

LearningApps

Lückentext

Offene Aufgaben

Leicht

Picture description: Wähle ein Commons-Bild aus diesem Kurs und schreibe drei kurze Sätze mit who, which oder that.
Join two sentences: Verbinde fünf Paare einfacher Sätze zu defining relative clauses.
Error detective: Erfinde drei typische Fehler und verbessere jeweils nur den wichtigsten Punkt.
Speaking cards: Erstelle sechs kleine Karten mit Satzanfängen wie a person who ... oder a thing that ... und übe sie mit einem Partner.

Standard

Fictional interview: Schreibe fünf Fragen und fünf kurze Antworten für ein fiktives Praktikumsinterview. Nutze mindestens drei relative clauses.
Guided mediation: Erkläre eine kurze deutsche Schulinfo auf Englisch und nutze zwei klare relative clauses statt einer Vollübersetzung.
Mini presentation: Sprich 60–90 Sekunden über ein Projekt, das Du interessant findest. Nutze mindestens vier defining relative clauses.
Peer feedback: Tauscht zwei kurze Texte aus. Markiert nur meaning, relative word und clause position. Überarbeitet danach den eigenen Text.

Schwer

Text revision: Überarbeite einen 100-Wörter-Text so, dass Wiederholungen durch passende relative clauses reduziert werden, ohne den Text unnötig kompliziert zu machen.
Listening reconstruction: Höre einen kurzen Abschnitt aus einem eingebetteten Video zweimal und rekonstruiere zwei relative-clause examples aus Stichwörtern.
School and work register: Schreibe zwei Versionen derselben Beschreibung: eine lockere Nachricht und eine kurze formelle Projekt- oder Praktikumsbeschreibung.
New context: Erstelle ein fiktives Profil für einen Club, ein Projektteam oder einen Praktikumsplatz. Nutze defining clauses sicher und markiere eine Stelle, an der Du whose, eine non-defining clause oder eine contact clause nur rezeptiv erklärst.

Lernkontrolle

Identify and clarify: Du bekommst zwei ähnliche Personen- oder Objektbeschreibungen. Formuliere relative clauses, mit denen eindeutig wird, welche Person oder welches Objekt gemeint ist.
Improve a text: Überarbeite einen kurzen Text mit vielen Wiederholungen. Entscheide selbst, an welchen Stellen relative clauses die Verständlichkeit verbessern.
Explain a correction: Wähle aus fünf fehlerhaften Sätzen drei aus, verbessere sie und begründe die Änderung in einfachem Deutsch oder Englisch.
Listening and viewing transfer: Höre einen neuen kurzen Clip. Notiere die Hauptinformation und erkläre, welche Person oder Sache durch eine relative clause genauer beschrieben wird.
Mediation transfer: Gib die wichtigsten Informationen einer kurzen deutschen Projektbeschreibung auf Englisch weiter. Nutze relative clauses nur dort, wo sie die Aussage klarer machen.
Clarification dialogue: Führe einen kurzen Dialog, in dem Du mindestens einmal nachfragst und eine Beschreibung danach genauer formulierst.

Lernnachweis

Für einen Lernnachweis ist wichtig:

Du kannst Personen und Dinge mit häufigen defining relative clauses klar beschreiben.
Du nutzt who für Personen und which oder that für Dinge überwiegend passend.
Du verstehst whose, einfache non-defining clauses und contact clauses im Kontext.
Du kannst bei Unklarheit nachfragen und eine Aussage verbessern.
Du kannst kurze Hör-, Lese-, Sprech- und Schreibaufgaben zum Thema bewältigen.
Du prüfst Medien, KI-Fakten, Quellen und Feedback kritisch und schützt private Daten.
Dein eigener Ausgangstext und Deine Überarbeitung bleiben erkennbar.

OERs zum Thema

Folgekurs

Wenn die Kernformen sicher sind, arbeite weiter mit Relative clauses in longer texts. Dort kannst Du längere Beschreibungen, E-Mails und kurze Berichte verbinden und non-defining relative clauses gezielter nutzen.

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