Relative Pronouns
You may know what a pronoun is. It is a word that we use instead of a noun to avoid the repetition of the noun. The word “Relative” means a thing having a relation to another thing. It means relative pronouns replace nouns and relate the whole clause or sentence to the noun (antecedent).
Definition of a Relative Pronoun
Relative pronouns are words that we use to join two clauses or sentences. A relative pronoun creates a relative clause (adjective clause) and relates it to the noun previously mentioned.
- I met a person who was the prime minister of Pakistan.
In
this example, the word “who” is a relative pronoun. It has been used instead of
the noun “man”. It has joined the two clauses or sentences.
A
relative pronoun creates an adjective clause to modify a noun that is mentioned
previously. If you look at the above example, the clause (who was working in
his fields) gives more information about the noun “man”.
Examples of Relative Pronouns
A
common list of relative pronouns includes who, whose, whom, which, and that.
Here are some examples showing you how the relative pronouns are being used.
- Ali is a person who always supported me financially.
- I met one of your fried whose car has been stolen.
- Are you the person whom I called yesterday?
- She has called me to the park which is so far away from here.
- Don’t beat around the bush; come to the point that is crucial to be discussed.
List of Relative Pronouns
Who,
whose, whom, which, and that are the most common relative pronouns. Some
sources also add the words “where, when, why, and what” to the list of relative
pronouns when these words modify the nouns they follow.
Who
We
use who as a relative pronoun to introduce a relative clause and connect it to
the main clause. The relative pronoun “who” refers to people. Sometimes, it
also refers to animals. Remember that we often use “who” with collective human
nouns like a committee.
- There are many students who work hard.
(There
are many students. The students work hard.)
- I like a dog who does not bark at me.
(I
like a dog. The dog does not bark at me.)
Whose
We
use “whose” as a relative pronoun to introduce a relative clause and connect it
to the main clause. “Whose” as a relative pronoun shows possession. It replaces
a possessive noun. We can use it for things, too.
- I met the man whose book is with you.
(I
met the man. The man’s book is with you.)
- This is my car whose keys are lost.
(This
is my car. The car’s keys are lost.)
Whom
“Whom”
is one of the relative pronouns that we use to introduce a relative clause and
connect it to the main clause. It replaces the noun that is the object of a
verb.
- This is the girl whom I took to the bus station.
(This
is the girl. I took the girl to the bus station.)
- All the students whom you fined yesterday have paid the fine.
(All
the students paid the fine. You fined the students yesterday.)
Which
It
is a relative pronoun that we use to introduce a relative clause. The relative
pronoun “which” refers to things or animals. It can be used as a subject and
object.
- Give me the book which I bought yesterday.
(Give
me the book. I bought the book yesterday.)
- Take care of the gift which is very expensive.
(Take
care of the gift. The gift is very expensive.)
That
We
use the relative pronoun “that” to introduce a relative clause. It is used for
both people and things. Americans prefer using “that” instead of “which” in a
restrictive clause. We can use it as a subject and object.
- I contacted the person that called me for an interview.
(I
contacted the person. The person called me for an interview.)
- You should manage everything that is necessary for the event.
(You
should manage everything. Everything is necessary for the event.)
Key Points about Relative Pronouns
A
relative pronoun immediately follows an antecedent (a word or noun instead of
which a pronoun is used).
- The park that is behind your office is the best point to meet.
We
use a comma before a relative pronoun when the relative clause is a non-restrictive
adjective clause.
- The man whom I gave a penny was a millionaire.
- Ali’s friend, whom I gave a penny, was a millionaire.
A
lot of people insist on using “that” instead of “which” when it introduces a
restrictive adjective clause.
- The window which is broken must be repaired.
- The window that is broken must be repaired.
Both sentences are correct, but more people prefer using the second one. Remember that we don’t use the relative pronoun “that” introducing a non-restrictive adjective clause.
- My room, that is cooler than yours, is big enough. (incorrect)
- My room, which is cooler than yours, is big enough. (correct)
We
can start a relative clause with a preposition when we use “whom” or “which” as
an object of the preposition. We can also use a preposition with “who”. In
formal style, a preposition is used before a relative pronoun. You can also use
the preposition at the end of the clause in informal style.
- The room in which he studies is very small.
In
informal English, we can omit a relative pronoun when it is used as an object
of the verb in a restrictive adjective clause.
- The video that I edited is amazing.
- The video I edited is amazing.
- The students whom I taught this year were genius.
- The students I taught this year were genius.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can we sometimes leave out the relative pronouns?
The answer
is yes when a relative pronoun is used as an object of the verb in a restrictive
adjective clause.
Do we include the words “when, where, and why” in relative pronouns?
A
common list of relative pronouns consists of “who, whose, who, which, and
that”. According to some sources, they are considered relative pronouns when
they modify nouns mentioned previously.
Do we use a comma before a relative pronoun?
Not
always. When a relative pronoun heads a non-restrictive adjective clause, we
use a comma before the relative pronoun.
Do we have any difference between restrictive and non-restrictive clauses?
A
restrictive or defining clause gives necessary information about the noun while
a non-restrictive clause gives additional information about the noun.
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