Relative clauses with où and dont

Relative clauses with où and dont: progressive explanation, topic-specific examples, guided exercises and a corrected assessment.

Duration: 25 minPrerequisites: relative-qui-quePass mark: 80%

1. Objective

By the end, you will recognise and use “Relative clauses with où and dont” correctly.

2. Discover

Compare: La ville où j’habite…; Le jour où nous partons…; Le livre dont je parle…; La personne dont j’ai besoin…. Which clue helps you recognise où / dont?

3. Understand

To understand “Relative clauses with où and dont”, start from the examples rather than an abstract definition. Notice how the groups connect. Meaning comes from their relationship, not only from isolated words.

La ville où j’habite…Le jour où nous partons…Le livre dont je parle…La personne dont j’ai besoin…Le café où nous nous retrouvons…Le sujet dont il se souvient…

Watch out

First identify the relation between the ideas: cause, consequence, contrast, condition, time… Choose the connector from the meaning, not the other way around.

4. Guided practice

5. Independent practice

6. Write / speak

Create two personal examples with “Relative clauses with où and dont”: one close to the model and one from your own day.

7. Check your learning

8. Remember

For où / dont, identify the context first, then the form carrying the useful information. Always check your answer in a complete sentence.

Download worksheet (PDF)

9. Now I can…

I can recognise “Relative clauses with où and dont” in a new example.
I can justify my choice and create an example.