Use relative pronouns: who, whom, whose, which, and that
Key Notes :
Relative Pronouns Overview
- Definition: Relative pronouns introduce relative clauses, providing more information about a noun in the sentence. They help connect ideas and add details.
Types of Relative Pronouns
- Who:
- Refers to people.
- Used as the subject of a clause.
- Example: “The teacher who teaches math is helpful.”
- Whom:
- Refers to people.
- Used as the object of a verb or preposition.
- Example: “The student whom I spoke to is absent.”
- Note: “Whom” is less commonly used in everyday conversation; “who” is often used instead.
- Whose:
- Indicates possession.
- Can refer to both people and things.
- Example: “The girl whose book was lost is my friend.”
- Which:
- Refers to things or animals.
- Used in non-restrictive clauses (providing additional information) and restrictive clauses (essential information).
- Example: “The book, which is on the table, is mine.” (non-restrictive)
- Example: “The car which is parked outside is red.” (restrictive)
- That:
- Refers to people, things, or animals.
- Used in restrictive clauses (essential information).
- Example: “The movie that I watched was exciting.”
Key Points
- Use “who” and “whom” for people; “who” is for the subject, and “whom” is for the object.
- Use “whose” to show ownership or relationships.
- Use “which” for non-human references and for additional details.
- Use “that” for essential information about the noun being referred to.
- Punctuation:
- Non-restrictive clauses are set off by commas (e.g., “The dog, which is brown, is barking.”).
- Restrictive clauses do not require commas (e.g., “The dog that is barking belongs to my neighbor.”).
Practice Exercises
- Identify the correct relative pronoun to complete the sentence:
- “The author ____ wrote this book is famous.”
- “The car ____ I bought last year is blue.”
- Rewrite sentences to include relative pronouns:
- “I met a woman. She is a doctor.” → “I met a woman who is a doctor.”
Let’s practice!🖊️
