5 exercises — choose between which, that, who, and where, and decide when commas are required, in precise technical documentation.
0 / 5 completed
1 / 5
A doc describes one specific endpoint among many. Which sentence uses a correct defining (restrictive) relative clause?
Defining clauses identify, and take no commas: A defining (restrictive) relative clause specifies which endpoint we mean, so it is essential and is not set off by commas. Both that and which are acceptable in defining clauses (American style often prefers that; British style allows either), but option A wrongly adds commas around that. Option C uses what, which cannot introduce a relative clause modifying a noun. Option D has only one comma, leaving the punctuation unbalanced.
2 / 5
There is only one API gateway, and you want to add extra, non-essential information about it. Which sentence is correct?
Non-defining clauses add extra info, with commas and "which": Because there is only one gateway, the clause merely adds detail rather than identifying which gateway — this is a non-defining (non-restrictive) clause. It must be enclosed in commas and must use which (or who for people), never that. Option A omits the commas, turning it into a defining clause that wrongly implies several gateways. Option C has unbalanced commas. Option D incorrectly uses that in a non-defining clause.
3 / 5
You are describing the engineer responsible for a service. Which relative pronoun is correct?
"Who" for people as the subject: When the relative pronoun refers to a person and is the subject of the clause (the engineer performs the owning), use who. Which is for things, not people. What cannot introduce a relative clause modifying a noun. Whom is the object form and would only be correct if the person were the object of the verb (e.g. the engineer whom we consulted) — here the engineer is the subject, so who is required.
4 / 5
In which sentence can the relative pronoun be correctly omitted (a contact/zero relative clause)?
Omitting the relative pronoun when it is the object: The relative pronoun may be dropped only when it is the object of the relative clause. In option B, that is the object of edited (we edited the file), so it can be omitted: The config file we edited broke the deployment. In options A, C, and D the relative pronoun is the subject of its clause (that caused, which crashed, which throws), so it cannot be removed without leaving the clause without a subject.
5 / 5
You want to describe the data centre location of a deployment. Which relative adverb correctly introduces the clause?
"Where" as a relative adverb for places: When the relative clause refers to a place and replaces a prepositional phrase (in the region), the relative adverb where is the clean choice: the region where the service is deployed. Option A drops the necessary preposition in after which. Option C uses who, which is for people. Option D commits a double-reference error by keeping both which … in and the resumptive pronoun it.