TOEIC Decision Point

TOEIC Part 5: Relative Clauses Without Getting Lost

If you pause in the middle of a TOEIC sentence and think, “Who is doing what to whom?”, you may be looking at a describing block.

TOEIC often adds extra information after a business word. That extra information may begin with who, which, that, or whose.

The manager who approved the proposal is on vacation.

We need a printer that can handle high-volume output.

The trap is not just the word itself. The real question is: What word is being described, and what role is missing after it?

Core TOEIC rule: Find the word being described first. Then check whether the next part describes a person, a thing, ownership, or a missing object.

The 7-second choice

Do not translate the whole sentence first. Use the word before the blank as your anchor.

Person signal

The employee ___ speaks French will attend.

Answer: who / that

Thing signal

The printer ___ was installed yesterday is broken.

Answer: which / that

Ownership signal

The client ___ contract was renewed called today.

Answer: whose

Object signal

The report ___ we submitted was approved.

Answer: that / no word

First, find the word being described

In TOEIC, the describing part usually sits directly after the word it describes.

The employee who speaks French will attend the meeting.

Who speaks French describes the employee.

The equipment that was delivered yesterday is still in storage.

That was delivered yesterday describes the equipment.

The client whose contract was renewed sent a thank-you note.

Whose contract shows ownership connected to the client.

Who, which, that, and whose

TOEIC usually gives a clear signal before the blank.

who: people — the manager who approved the plan, the employee who speaks French

which: things — the software which was updated, the building which was renovated

that: people or things in essential descriptions — the report that we submitted, the employee that handled the request

whose: ownership — the client whose contract was renewed, the company whose products were recalled

Essential description or extra information

TOEIC often uses essential descriptions without commas. These tell us which person or thing the sentence means.

The employee who speaks French will attend the meeting.

This tells us which employee.

I bought a phone that has excellent battery life.

This tells us which kind of phone.

Extra information is often placed between commas. It adds detail, but the main person or thing is already clear.

Mr. Takeda, who has worked here for 20 years, is retiring next month.

The name is already specific. The comma part adds extra information.

The building, which was constructed in 1985, is still in use today.

The comma part adds background information.

TOEIC tip: Essential descriptions without commas appear often in Part 5. Master those first.

Subject role or object role

A fast way to avoid confusion is to check whether the describing part already has a subject.

The woman who leads the project is away today.

Who leads the project. Who is doing the action.

The report that we submitted was approved.

We submitted the report. “We” is already there, so that points back to the report.

This matters because TOEIC sometimes removes the connecting word when the meaning is still clear.

When the connecting word can disappear

If the describing part already has a subject, TOEIC may use a shorter form.

The equipment we ordered has arrived.

This means: The equipment that we ordered has arrived.

The candidate we interviewed was impressive.

This means: The candidate who we interviewed was impressive.

Fast check: If there is already a subject after the blank, the missing word may be acting as the object — and sometimes TOEIC can omit it.

Watch it in TOEIC business sentences

The applicant who submitted the form early will be contacted first.

Applicant = person. Who fits.

The software that was installed last week has improved processing speed.

Software = thing. That fits.

The supplier whose proposal was accepted will visit our office next Monday.

Proposal belongs to the supplier. Whose fits.

The invoice we received yesterday has already been processed.

We received the invoice. The connecting word is omitted.

Quick TOEIC check

Choose the best answer. First find the word being described.

1. The employee ___ speaks French will assist the visitors.
2. The report ___ we submitted yesterday was approved.
3. The client ___ contract was renewed sent a thank-you message.
4. We need a printer ___ can handle high-volume output.
5. The building, ___ was constructed in 1985, is still in use.
6. The equipment ___ we ordered has arrived.

Fast-reader mistake

Fast readers often choose who, which, or that by sound. That is risky. TOEIC usually gives the answer through the word before the blank and the structure after the blank.

Do not ask only: Which word sounds natural?

Ask instead: What word is being described, and what is missing in the describing part?

Why this mistake returns under pressure

These sentences become difficult when test-takers try to translate from left to right. The sentence feels long, and the main message gets buried.

The safer TOEIC move is to mark the described word first. Then treat the following part as extra information attached to that word.

One-second tool: Person = who. Thing = which / that. Ownership = whose. Already has a subject after it = possible object role or omission.

Final takeaway

Relative clause questions are not just about memorising who, which, that, and whose. They are about seeing what word is being described.

Find the anchor

Which person, thing, or company is being described?

Check the role

Is the connecting word doing the action, receiving the action, or showing ownership?

Watch commas

No commas usually means essential identification. Commas often add extra information.

Move faster

Do not translate the whole sentence before finding the described word.

In TOEIC Part 5, find the described word, check the missing role, then choose the connecting word.

Use sentence confusion as a diagnostic

If relative clauses make sentences feel long or unclear, the issue may not be the vocabulary. It may be that you are not anchoring the describing part to the correct word quickly enough.

The TOEIC Learning Block Diagnostic helps you notice whether your main issue is speed, overthinking, translation, passive listening, memorisation, or burnout.

Take the TOEIC Learning Block Diagnostic Find a TOEIC study plan

Continue reading

For more TOEIC Part 5 sentence-structure and nearby-signal traps, continue with these related decision pages.

A / An / The: one item, specific item, or general meaning? Verb Tense: time signals decide the answer Back to top TOEIC Strategy Library TOEIC Learning Block Diagnostic TOEIC Plan Finder
🧾 Hidden FAQ – Relative Clauses (EN) What is a relative clause in simple terms? A relative clause adds information about a noun using words like who, which, or that. It makes sentences more precise. What's the difference between who and that? Use "who" for people and "that" for things. For example, “the employee who helped” and “the report that we submitted.” Can I use 'that' for people in TOEIC? Yes, TOEIC accepts “that” for people in defining relative clauses: The manager that hired me is retiring. When do I use commas with relative clauses? Only use commas in non-defining clauses. If the clause gives extra (non-essential) information, add commas. Can I drop the word “that” in a sentence? Yes, if “that” is the object of the clause. Example: The printer (that) we ordered is broken. What is the difference between who and whom? “Who” is the subject, and “whom” is the object. TOEIC prefers “who” unless testing formal grammar. Is 'whose' only for people? No, "whose" shows possession and can be used for things too: a company whose profits increased. What’s a defining relative clause? A clause that identifies which person or thing you mean. It’s necessary for understanding the sentence. What’s a non-defining relative clause? A clause that adds extra information and is not essential. It's set off by commas. Can I use 'which' for people? No. Use "who" or "whom" for people. “Which” is only for things or ideas. Do I always need to include the relative pronoun? No. If it’s the object of the clause, you can usually omit it. TOEIC tests this often. Why is the clause placed directly after the noun? Because it modifies that noun. Misplacing the clause causes confusion and can make the sentence grammatically incorrect. How do I know if it’s the subject or object? Check if there’s already a subject and verb in the clause. If yes, the pronoun is the object. Is it okay to use 'that' in non-defining clauses? No. “That” cannot be used in non-defining (comma-separated) relative clauses. What happens if I remove a necessary relative clause? The meaning becomes unclear. You may not know which person or thing is being talked about. How does TOEIC test relative clauses? TOEIC tests grammar structure, word omission, subject-verb agreement, and meaning clarity — especially in Part 5. What’s the trickiest part of relative clauses? Knowing when to use (or drop) the pronoun, and identifying subject vs. object roles under time pressure. Can I start a sentence with a relative clause? Not normally. Relative clauses follow the noun they describe. What if the noun has adjectives too? Place the relative clause after the entire noun phrase. Example: The highly skilled engineer who fixed the system. Are relative clauses common in business English? Yes — especially in emails, reports, and TOEIC-style announcements or instructions.