Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs: Restrictive Relative Clauses

This is one of my favorite animated movies ever. The original idea for the movie is fantastic and it carries a noble, enriching message. I used it to practice restrictive relative clauses.


I. Match the machines Flint Lockwood invented with what they can or can't do.


1. Spray-on shoes

2. Remote control television

3. Hair un-balder

4. Flying car

5. Monkey thought translator

6. Ratbirds

7. A machine



( ) It translate thoughts

( ) it turns water into food

( ) It can't fly

( ) they can fly

( ) it can walk

( ) they don't get off

( ) it grows too much hair


II. Now combine both parts, using restrictive relative clauses. Start the sentences with the given sentence:

He invented...

Ex: 1. He invented spray-on shoes that don't get off.

2 ....................................................

3 ....................................................

4 ....................................................

5 ....................................................

6 ....................................................

7 .....................................................



III. Work in small groups. Think about 3 perfect inventions. Then write a relative clause saying what it can do.

Ex: We are going to invent a machine that can do the homework for us.

Answer key:

5, 7, 4, 6, 2, 1, 3


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The Beach: Prepositions in a Relative Clause

Although many people didn't like this movie, I appreciated it. The plot is original and the circumstances the characters have to face can be very intriguing. The setting is beautiful Thailand, so we can always enjoy the landscape and photography. I took advantage of the dialogs in the scene to practice writing relative clauses with prepositions. It made the class much more interesting, since this grammar point is unattractive to most of the students. I hope you like it.


A.Rewrite the clauses below, using who, whom, which, where or that. Pay attention to the position of the preposition. Remember that when a relative pronoun is the object of a preposition, the preposition appears in the beginning of the clause in formal English. In informal English, the preposition usually appears in the end. Write both formal and informal versions of your answers.

1. Keaty only cared about cricket and Christianity.


The only thing ...


2. There were the Swedes, Christo, Sten and Karl. They only care about fishing and skiing.


The two things ...


3. The cook worries about rinsing his hands with soap and water because of the smell of fish.


One thing ...


4. Tourists are interested in visiting the beaches in Thailand.


One thing ...


5. Etienne is good at soccer.


One sport ...


6. He didn't like Bugs. He has disagreements with this person.


One person...


Answer Key:


1.
F - the only thing about which Keaty ...

I - The only thing which Keaty cared about was ...


2.
F - The two things about which the Swedes cared were ...

I - The two things which the Swedes cared about were ...

3.
F - The is one thing about which the cook worries is...

I - The one thing which the cook worries about is ...


4.
F - One thing in which tourists are interested is ...

I - One thing which tourists are interested in is ...


5.
F - One sport at which Etienne is good is ...

I _ One sport which Etienne is good at is ...


6.
F - One person with whom he has disagreements is ...

I - One person whom (who) he has disagreements with is ...

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American Beauty: Restrictive x Unrestrictive Relative Clauses

This is probably the best scene of this controversial movie. It is perfect to practice relative clauses, both defining and non-defining clauses. For the blog, I left the sententence out of order, but the correct matching has the same colors.




A. Watch the segment and match the two activities the same character(s) is (are) performing.

1. A man was shot
2. A couple was hugging each other on their bed
3. A beautiful blonde girl was putting on makeup in the bathroom
4. Carolyn was carrying a gun in the rain
5. A man had blood stains on his white shirt
6. Jenny was his beloved daughter



She heard a gunshot
They were surprised by the loud sound of a gunshot
She hid the gun inside her closet
He took off his wet shirt as soon as he got home
His whole life flashed in front of his eyes
She used to wear fairy clothes when she was a child



B. Combine both sentences by writing either restrictive or unrestrictive relative clauses. Mind punctuation.



C. Check which sentences you can leave the relative pronoun out.



Ex: 1 . The man whose life flashed in front of his eyes was shot.



Answer Key:

Correct matching:
3
2
4
5
1
6
Ex: 1 . The man whose life flashed in front of his eyes was shot.

2. The couple who was surprised by the loud gunshot was hugging each other on their bed.
3. The beautiful blonde who heard the gun shot was putting on some makeup in the bathroom.
4. Carolyn, who hid he gun in the closet, was carrying it in the rain.
5. The man who had blood stains on his shirt took it off as soon as he got home.
6. Jenny, who used to wear fairy clothes when she was a child, was his beloved daughter.




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Hotel for Dogs: Unrestrictive Relative Clauses

This movie is great, especially for those who like dogs. This scene is excellent for the students to practice unrestrictive relative clauses. The alternatives are in the correct order for the sake of preparation, but they are mixed up on the worksheet.


A. Talk about the following questions:

1. Do you have a pet? (Does anyone in you family have a pet?) Talk about it.

2. What are the advantages and disadvantages of having a pet at home?

3. What’s your opinion about hotels for pets?

4. Is it fair for people to spend so much money on their dogs with so many homeless people around the world?


B. Write the initials of the dog’s name in the parentheses next to the characteristics that describe that (those) dog (s).


M - Madison

C - Chelsea

VS - Viola and Sebastian

CRH - Coco, Rocky and Harley

GL- Georgia and Lenny

B - Bernie Wilkins


(B)
( ) He’s responsible for the kids.
He’s from social service.


( M)
( ) She was found hiding in the backyard
The family moved away.

(C)
( ) She lost her leg in an accident.
The owner didn’t pay the bill and abandoned her.

(CRH)
( ) They were found living together in the woods near a dump.
They were stray dogs

(G)
( ) They were the first two residents of the hotel
They were the last ones to be announced.

(VS)
( ) They are twins
They were together since they were puppies


Now combine both columns by wiriting relative clauses. Mind punctuation.

1. ……………………………

2. ……………………………

3. ……………………………

4. ……………………………

5. ……………………………

6. ……………………………




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Answer Key:

B.

B, M, C, CRH, GL, VS

C.

1. Madison, whose family..., was found...
2. Chelsea, whose owners..., was found...
3. Viola and Sebastian, who have been together..., are twins.
4. Coco, Rocky and Harley, who were found..., are stray dogs.
5. Georgia and Lenny, who were the first..., were the last...
6. Bernie, who is responsible..., is from social service.



How to prepare your own video activity:

- Select a scene in which the characters are described.
- Write at least two descriptions so that students can identify who they are describing.
- Students match the descritiond with the characters.
- Students connect both descriptions with a relative clause.

Definitely, Maybe: Restrictive Relative Clauses

This is the opening titles scene of this really nice romantic comedy. Ask your students to pay attention to what people are doing during the main character's (Will's) walk from his office to his daughter's school. Because there are several characters performing different activities, it is great for the students to practice the use of relative (restrictive) clauses.

Definitely Maybe: 3’28


I. Match the two activities the same character(s) is (are) performing.

(1) A man sells fruit for a living on the street.

(2) A man was wearing very big earphones.

(3) An elegant woman was walking her dog.

(4) Many children and parents were arguing.

(5) A girl was shouting madly at her mother.



(1) He was reading a magazine.

( ) He prevented Will from being run over by a truck.

( ) She was wearing a fur coat.

( ) They were talking about the sexual education class.

( ) She thought her mother had lied to her.

The sentences are in the order of the correct matching. Mind mixing up the sentences before you prepare the students' exercise sheets:

How to prepare your own video activity:

- Select a scene in which a lot of peole are performing different actions at the same time.

- Have students match 2 activities (or the character's physical characteristics or clothing, for example) the same character is performing.

- Have them write restrictive relative clauses combining both sentences.








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Miss Congeniality: Unrestrictive Relative Clauses

This segment will provide the students with a fun opportunity to practice relative clauses. The segment is funny and the language used is easy.

Watch the video segment. Write in parentheses the abbreviation of the state the candidate represents according to the information provided during the pageant in the movie segment.

RI - Miss Rhode Island

CA - Miss California

NE - Miss Nebraska

NJ - Miss New Jersey

TX - Miss Texas

NY - Miss New York

(CA) She is a music major.
(CA)She likes opera, reggae and the Beach Boys

(RI ) She is a Science major.
(RI ) Her field is nuclear fission.

(NE) She is a Theater major.
(NE)She helps run a drama program for underprivileged children.

( ) She hopes to become a pediatrician.
( ) She likes taking long luxurious bubble baths.

( ) She is a Psychology major.

( ) She loves Mexican food.

( ) She told the audience she was a lesbian.

( ) She was removed from the stage.

( ) She believes America is like a big ship.
( ) She became Miss United States.

( ) She realized that the participants are smart, terrific people.
( ) She used to consider the Miss United States pageant outdated.

( ) She was wearing a pink dress.
( ) She became the 4th runner-up.

Now rewrite the pair of sentences above using relative clauses. Start the sentences with "Miss... "

Ex: Miss California, who is a Music major, likes opera, reggae and the Beach Boys.

Miss Rhode Island, whose field is nuclear fission, is a Science major.

Miss Nebraska, who runs a program for underprivileged children, is a Theater major.

How to develop your own activity:


- Choose a scene in which there are several characters clearly shown.


- Write down pairs of pieces of information about each of the characters.


- The students connect both sentences using relative clauses.








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