Level 10 – Step 07 : Relative Adverbs the day when / the reason why (I remember the day when we met. Do you know the reason why she left?)
/Level 10 – Step 07 : Relative Adverbs the day when / the reason why (I remember the day when we met. Do you know the reason why she left?)
🚪 Let’s Begin
/🚪 Let’s Begin
🦉Professor Owl: Today we will learn about relative adverbs like when and why that help join two ideas into one clear sentence.
/🦉Professor Owl: Today we will learn about relative adverbs like when and why that help join two ideas into one clear sentence.
🐧Igupen: Are they different from relative pronouns like who or which?
/🐧Igupen: Are they different from relative pronouns like who or which?
🦉Professor Owl: Yes.
/🦉Professor Owl: Yes.
Relative adverbs tell us about time, place, or reason — for example, the day when, the place where, the reason why.
/Relative adverbs tell us about time, place, or reason — for example, the day when, the place where, the reason why.
Listen to the examples and try to hear the small connecting words.
/Listen to the examples and try to hear the small connecting words.
📚 Lesson
/📚 Lesson
What are relative adverbs?
/What are relative adverbs?
Relative adverbs (when, where, why) join a main idea with information about time, place, or reason.
/Relative adverbs (when, where, why) join a main idea with information about time, place, or reason.
We often use phrases like the day when, the time when, the place where, the reason why.
/We often use phrases like the day when, the time when, the place where, the reason why.
How they work (easy rules)
/How they work (easy rules)
Use when to give time: the day when / the moment when → I remember the day when we met.
/Use when to give time: the day when / the moment when → I remember the day when we met.
Use where to give place: the place where / the room where → The park is the place where we play.
/Use where to give place: the place where / the room where → The park is the place where we play.
Use why to give a reason: the reason why / the reason that → Do you know the reason why she left?
/Use why to give a reason: the reason why / the reason that → Do you know the reason why she left?
Short form vs full clause
/Short form vs full clause
Sometimes the relative adverb can be omitted in casual speech when the meaning is clear, but including it is safe for learners: I remember the day (when) we met — both are possible, but “when” makes the time connection explicit.
/Sometimes the relative adverb can be omitted in casual speech when the meaning is clear, but including it is safe for learners: I remember the day (when) we met — both are possible, but “when” makes the time connection explicit.
For reasons, both why and that can be used: the reason why she left / the reason that she left.
/For reasons, both why and that can be used: the reason why she left / the reason that she left.
Word order and clarity
/Word order and clarity
The relative adverb begins the clause that gives extra information and follows the noun it describes.
/The relative adverb begins the clause that gives extra information and follows the noun it describes.
Keep the extra clause next to the noun it describes to avoid confusion.
/Keep the extra clause next to the noun it describes to avoid confusion.
🦉Professor Owl’s one-point tip
/🦉Professor Owl’s one-point tip
Find the noun you want to describe (day, place, reason).
/Find the noun you want to describe (day, place, reason).
Ask the question — When? Where? Why? — and use when/where/why to add the extra clause.
/Ask the question — When? Where? Why? — and use when/where/why to add the extra clause.
Quick checks inside the lesson
/Quick checks inside the lesson
I remember the day when we met.
/I remember the day when we met.
When did we meet? On that day.
/When did we meet? On that day.
The library is the place where I study.
/The library is the place where I study.
Where do I study? At the library.
/Where do I study? At the library.
Do you know the reason why she left?
/Do you know the reason why she left?
Why did she leave? Because of that reason.
/Why did she leave? Because of that reason.
🌼 Sample Sentences
/🌼 Sample Sentences
No.01 I remember the day when we met.
/No.01 I remember the day when we met.
No.02 That is the place where I lost my keys.
/No.02 That is the place where I lost my keys.
No.03 Do you know the reason why she left?
/No.03 Do you know the reason why she left?
No.04 The year when he was born was 2008.
/No.04 The year when he was born was 2008.
No.05 This is the moment when everything changed.
/No.05 This is the moment when everything changed.
No.06 The house where I grew up is small.
/No.06 The house where I grew up is small.
No.07 Tell me the reason why you cried.
/No.07 Tell me the reason why you cried.
No.08 The stadium is the place where the final was held.
/No.08 The stadium is the place where the final was held.
No.09 I’ll never forget the night when we watched the stars.
/No.09 I’ll never forget the night when we watched the stars.
No.10 She explained the reason why the experiment failed.
/No.10 She explained the reason why the experiment failed.
🎓 Practice exercises
/🎓 Practice exercises
Note: Think first, then check the answers.
/Note: Think first, then check the answers.
Q1: Choose the correct word: I remember the day ___ we moved to this town. (when / where / why)
/Q1: Choose the correct word: I remember the day ___ we moved to this town. (when / where / why)
Q2: Fill in the blank: This is the room ___ the meeting will take place. (when / where / why)
/Q2: Fill in the blank: This is the room ___ the meeting will take place. (when / where / why)
Q3: Choose the correct word: Can you tell me the reason ___ he left early? (when / where / why)
/Q3: Choose the correct word: Can you tell me the reason ___ he left early? (when / where / why)
Q4: True or False: Use where to give the time of an event.
/Q4: True or False: Use where to give the time of an event.
Q5: Rewrite using a relative adverb: The park. We play at the park every Sunday. → The park ___ we play every Sunday.
/Q5: Rewrite using a relative adverb: The park. We play at the park every Sunday. → The park ___ we play every Sunday.
Q6: Fill in the blank: The moment ___ she smiled, I felt happy. (when / where / why)
/Q6: Fill in the blank: The moment ___ she smiled, I felt happy. (when / where / why)
Q7: Identify the relative adverb in this sentence: The school where Tom studies is new.
/Q7: Identify the relative adverb in this sentence: The school where Tom studies is new.
Q8: Choose the correct sentence: A) Tell me the reason that she left. B) Tell me the reason when she left.
/Q8: Choose the correct sentence: A) Tell me the reason that she left. B) Tell me the reason when she left.
Q9: Fill in the blank: The year ___ the festival began was 1999. (when / where / why)
/Q9: Fill in the blank: The year ___ the festival began was 1999. (when / where / why)
Q10: Correct the sentence if needed: I don’t know the place when they met.
/Q10: Correct the sentence if needed: I don’t know the place when they met.
◆ Answers
/◆ Answers
A1: when → I remember the day when we moved to this town.
/A1: when → I remember the day when we moved to this town.
A2: where → This is the room where the meeting will take place.
/A2: where → This is the room where the meeting will take place.
A3: why → Can you tell me the reason why he left early?
/A3: why → Can you tell me the reason why he left early?
A4: False → Use when for time, where for place, why for reason.
/A4: False → Use when for time, where for place, why for reason.
A5: where → The park where we play every Sunday.
/A5: where → The park where we play every Sunday.
A6: when → The moment when she smiled, I felt happy.
/A6: when → The moment when she smiled, I felt happy.
A7: where → The school where Tom studies is new.
/A7: where → The school where Tom studies is new.
A8: A is correct → Tell me the reason that she left.
/A8: A is correct → Tell me the reason that she left.
A9: when → The year when the festival began was 1999.
/A9: when → The year when the festival began was 1999.
A10: Correction: I don’t know the place where they met.
/A10: Correction: I don’t know the place where they met.
🦉 Closing
/🦉 Closing
🦉Professor Owl: Well done.
/🦉Professor Owl: Well done.
Remember to ask When? Where? or Why? about the noun you want to describe, and then use the right relative adverb.
/Remember to ask When? Where? or Why? about the noun you want to describe, and then use the right relative adverb.
🐧Igupen: I will try asking the question first, then add the clause with when, where, or why.
/🐧Igupen: I will try asking the question first, then add the clause with when, where, or why.
🦉Professor Owl: Excellent.
/🦉Professor Owl: Excellent.
Write five sentences: two with when, two with where, and one with why.
/Write five sentences: two with when, two with where, and one with why.
Practice aloud and the connections will become natural.
/Practice aloud and the connections will become natural.
