Final answer:
An animate relative clause refers to something that is alive or has the ability to move, while an inanimate relative clause refers to something that is not alive or does not have the ability to move.
Step-by-step explanation:
Animate and inanimate relative clauses are different types of relative clauses that provide additional information about a noun in a sentence. An animate relative clause refers to something that is alive or has the ability to move, such as a person or an animal. For example, in the sentence 'The girl who won the race is my friend,' the relative clause 'who won the race' describes the girl, who is animate.
In contrast, an inanimate relative clause refers to something that is not alive or does not have the ability to move, such as an object or an idea. For example, in the sentence 'The book that I bought yesterday is very interesting,' the relative clause 'that I bought yesterday' describes the book, which is inanimate.
The main difference between animate and inanimate relative clauses is the type of noun they describe. Animate relative clauses describe nouns that are alive or have the ability to move, while inanimate relative clauses describe nouns that are not alive or do not have the ability to move.