Relative Pronouns
Sometimes, we want to provide additional information about a person or a thing without having to make a separate, new sentence.
For example, we have two sentences:
- I saw the man.
- The man stole your bag.
Instead of saying them separately, we can combine them into one flowing sentence using Relative Pronouns: I saw the man who stole your bag.
What are Relative Pronouns?
Relative Pronouns are pronouns used to connect a modifying clause or phrase to a noun (or pronoun) that has already been mentioned.
The 5 Main Relative Pronouns
The use of Relative Pronouns highly depends on what is being described (whether it’s a human, animal, thing, or possession) and its position in the sentence (as a subject or object).
| Pronoun | Used For | Function in Sentence |
|---|---|---|
| Who | Humans | Subject |
| Whom | Humans | Object |
| Whose | Humans / Things | Possession |
| Which | Animals / Things | Subject / Object |
| That | Humans / Animals / Things | Subject / Object |
Let’s discuss them one by one in detail:
1. Who (For Humans - Subject)
Used when the person being described is the doer (subject) of the action.
- The girl who is wearing a red dress is my sister. (The girl is the subject who is wearing).
2. Whom (For Humans - Object)
Used when the person being described is the receiver of the action (object). In casual everyday conversation, whom is often replaced by who, but whom is the most grammatically correct form in writing.
- The man whom I met yesterday is a doctor. (The man is the object, I am the one who met him).
- The person to whom you should speak is Mr. Smith. (Often falls after prepositions like to, for, with).
3. Whose (For Possession)
Used to show that something belongs to the preceding noun. It can be used for humans, animals, and inanimate objects. It translates roughly to whose or of which.
- I know the boy whose bicycle was stolen.
- That is the dog whose leg is broken.
4. Which (For Animals and Things)
Specifically used ONLY for animals and inanimate objects, both as a subject and an object.
- The car which is parked outside belongs to me. (Subject).
- I read the book which you recommended. (Object).
5. That (The Most Flexible)
The word that is a catch-all relative pronoun. It can be used to replace who (humans), which (things / animals), and can act as both subject and object.
- The girl that is wearing a red dress is my sister. (Correct - replacing who).
- The car that is parked outside belongs to me. (Correct - replacing which).
Important Exception for That: Even though it is highly flexible, that CANNOT be used after a comma (in a Non-defining Relative Clause).
- Incorrect: My father, that is 60 years old, still runs every morning.
- Correct: My father, who is 60 years old, still runs every morning.