Relative pronouns are a vital part of the English language. They are used to introduce a subordinate clause, which gives extra information about a noun or pronoun in the main clause. In this article, we will provide a brief and accurate introduction to the five most common relative pronouns in English: who, whom, whose, that, and which. We will provide examples of each pronoun and explain when to use them.
Who
The relative pronoun “who” is used to refer to people. It can be used as a subject or an object pronoun. “Who” is used when the relative pronoun refers to the subject of the subordinate clause, while “whom” is used when the relative pronoun refers to the object of the subordinate clause. Here are some examples of how to use “who” correctly:
The woman who lives next door is a doctor. (The relative pronoun “who” refers to the subject of the subordinate clause, which is “woman.”)
The boy, who I saw at the store, was with his mother. (The relative pronoun “who” refers to the subject of the subordinate clause, which is “boy.”)
The man who I spoke to yesterday was very helpful. (The relative pronoun “who” refers to the object of the subordinate clause, which is “man.”)
Whom
The relative pronoun “whom” is also used to refer to people. As mentioned earlier, it is used when the relative pronoun refers to the object of the subordinate clause. Here are some examples of how to use “whom” correctly:
The woman whom I spoke to yesterday was very friendly. (The relative pronoun “whom” refers to the object of the subordinate clause, which is “woman.”)
The boy whom the teacher scolded was very upset. (The relative pronoun “whom” refers to the object of the subordinate clause, which is “boy.”)
The man whom I saw at the store was wearing a blue shirt. (The relative pronoun “whom” refers to the object of the subordinate clause, which is “man.”)
Whose
The relative pronoun “whose” is used to indicate possession. It is used to refer to both people and things. Here are some examples of how to use “whose” correctly:
The girl, whose father is a doctor, wants to be a nurse. (The relative pronoun “whose” refers to the possession of the father of the girl.)
The car, whose tires are flat, needs to be repaired. (The relative pronoun “whose” refers to the possession of the tires of the car.)
The dog, whose barking woke me up, is very noisy. (The relative pronoun “whose” refers to the possession of the barking of the dog.)
That
The relative pronoun “that” is used to refer to people or things. It is commonly used in both formal and informal writing. Here are some examples of how to use “that” correctly:
The book that I’m reading is very interesting. (The relative pronoun “that” refers to the book.)
The woman that I saw yesterday was walking her dog. (The relative pronoun “that” refers to the woman.)
The computer that I bought last week is already broken. (The relative pronoun “that” refers to the computer.)
Which
The relative pronoun “which” is also used to refer to things. It is often used when there is a non-restrictive clause, which means that the information in the subordinate clause is not necessary to identify the noun or pronoun in the main clause. Here are some examples of how to use “which”
Examples of How to Use “Which” Correctly:
The car, which is parked in the driveway, needs to be washed. (The relative pronoun “which” refers to the car, and the subordinate clause is non-restrictive because it is not necessary to identify which car needs to be washed.)
The cake, which my grandmother made, was delicious. (The relative pronoun “which” refers to the cake, and the subordinate clause is non-restrictive because it is not necessary to identify which cake was delicious.)
The movie, which I watched last night, was very long. (The relative pronoun “which” refers to the movie, and the subordinate clause is non-restrictive because it is not necessary to identify which movie was very long.)
Conclusion
In conclusion, relative pronouns are essential in the English language because they help us to provide extra information about a noun or pronoun in a sentence. The five most common relative pronouns in English are who, whom, whose, that, and which. It is important to know when to use each pronoun correctly to ensure that your writing is clear and understandable. Remember, “who” is used for people as a subject or object pronoun, “whom” is used for people as an object pronoun, “whose” is used to indicate possession, “that” is used for both people and things, and “which” is used for things and is often used in non-restrictive clauses.
Originally posted 2023-07-17 17:23:07.