Use relative pronouns: who, whom, whose, which, and that
Key Notes :
What are Relative Pronouns?
Relative pronouns are words that connect a clause or phrase to a noun or pronoun. They help to add extra information about a person, place, thing, or idea in a sentence. 🧩
Common Relative Pronouns 👉 who, whom, whose, which, that
1. “Who”
Used to refer to people (as the subject of the clause).
✅ Example: The girl who won the race is my friend. 👉 (“Who” refers to “the girl.”)
2. “Whom”
Used to refer to people (as the object of the clause).
✅ Example: The teacher whom we met was very kind. 👉 (“Whom” is the object of the verb “met.”) 💡 Tip: If you can replace it with “him/her,” use whom.
“Whose”
Shows possession (belonging).
✅ Example: The boy whose bag is missing is looking for it. 👉 (“Whose” shows that the bag belongs to the boy.)
“Which”
Refers to animals or things (not people).
✅ Example: The car which is parked outside is mine. 👉 (“Which” refers to “car.”)
“That”
Refers to people, animals, or things (used more generally).
✅ Example: The book that I borrowed was exciting. 👉 (“That” refers to “book.”)
Summary Table
Relative Pronoun
Refers To
Example Sentence
👩🎓 Who
People (subject)
The boy who called you is my cousin.
👨💼 Whom
People (object)
The lady whom I saw is our teacher.
🏠 Whose
Possession
The man whose car broke down needs help.
🐶 Which
Animals/Things
The dog which barked all night is tired.
🌍 That
People/Animals/Things
The movie that we watched was funny.
Remember!
✅ Who → subject (person) ✅ Whom → object (person) ✅ Whose → possession ✅ Which → things or animals ✅ That → general use for all
Examples for Practice
The student ___ won the prize is very smart.
The friend ___ you met yesterday is from Delhi.
The artist ___ paintings we saw is famous.
The bag ___ is on the table belongs to me.
The story ___ he told us was interesting.
(Answers 👉 1. who 2. whom 3. whose 4. which 5. that)
Fun Tip:
Use who/whom/whose for people 👩🏫, Use which/that for things or animals 🐾.
