Grammar
Pronouns: Relatives and reciprocal pronouns

1st Part
Personal and object pronouns

2nd Part
Demonstratives pronouns
for timing and feelings

3rd Part
Demonstratives pronouns
to show something

4rd Part
Possessive Pronouns

5rd Part
Relative pronouns

6rd Part
Reciprocal pronouns

Grammar in use

  • Topic: Relative pronouns
  • Skills : Grammar

Use

What is a relative pronoun?

main clauserelative pronounrelative clause
My mother always bakes cakeswhichare delicious.

A relative pronoun refers to a person or thing mentioned before. It introduces a relative clause. There are 5 relative pronouns.

Relative PronounUsed forFunctionExample
whopeoplesubjectThe woman who called is a friend.
whompeopleobjectThe woman whom I called is a friend.
whosepeoplepossessionThe man whose car is here is my brother.
whichthingssubject
or object
The car which is coming is Ben’s car.
The car which Ben drives is new.
thatpeople
or things
subject
or object
The woman that called is a friend.
The car that Ben drives is new.


Language Tips on Relative Pronouns

“Sometimes we use “who‟ for the object in the sentence, instead of „whom‟. It is more formal to use “whom‟.

Examples:
The woman whom I called is a friend. (formal)
The woman who I called is a friend. (less formal)

Sometimes, when the relative pronoun is the object in the sentence, we do not say it.

Example:
The woman I called is a friend.

Answer the following questions