Relative Pronouns: Definition, Rules & Useful Examples

Sharing is caring!

Relative pronouns are an essential part of the English language. They connect a dependent clause (a relative clause) to a main clause and provide more information about a noun or pronoun called the antecedent. The most common relative pronouns are who, whom, whose, which, and that.

Relative pronouns are used to introduce a relative clause, which adds extra or essential information about the noun being discussed. For example:

The book that she borrowed from the library was overdue.

In this sentence, that connects the relative clause “that she borrowed from the library” to the noun “book.” The clause tells us which book is being discussed.

Understanding how to use relative pronouns correctly is essential for effective communication. When used properly, they make sentences clearer, more precise, and more natural.

Definition of Relative Pronouns

A relative pronoun is a pronoun used to introduce a relative (adjective) clause. This clause modifies a noun or pronoun in the main clause by giving more information about it.

The most commonly used relative pronouns in English are:

• who
• whom
• whose
• which
• that

They refer back to a noun that has already been mentioned and connect the relative clause to the main clause.

Relative pronouns can function as:

• Subject of the relative clause
• Object of the relative clause
• Possessive determiner

Examples:

• The girl who won the race is my friend. (subject)
• The book which I borrowed is due tomorrow. (object)
• The man whose car was stolen reported it to the police. (possession)

Relative pronouns help create more complex and informative sentences.

List of Relative Pronouns

The main relative pronouns in English are:

• Who: refers to people (usually as subject).
• Whom: refers to people (object form, more formal).
• Whose: shows possession (for people and sometimes things).
• Which: refers to animals or things.
• That: refers to people, animals, or things (mainly in restrictive clauses).

Example:

The woman who came to the door left flowers for you.

In informal English, the relative pronoun can sometimes be omitted when it functions as an object:

The book (that) I bought yesterday is very useful.

Relative Pronouns vs. Relative Adverbs

It is important not to confuse relative pronouns with relative adverbs.

Relative pronouns: who, whom, whose, which, that

Relative adverbs: where, when, why

Relative adverbs introduce clauses that describe:

• Place: The house where I was born.
• Time: The day when we met.
• Reason: The reason why she left.

They are not pronouns because they do not replace a noun. Instead, they modify the clause in terms of place, time, or reason.

Examples of Relative Pronouns

Subject Relative Pronouns

• The man who is wearing a green shirt is my brother.
• The car that is parked outside belongs to my neighbor.
• The movie which won the award was excellent.

Object Relative Pronouns

• The woman whom I met at the party is a doctor.
• The pen that I borrowed is on the desk.
• The cake which I baked yesterday turned out well.

Possessive Relative Pronouns

• The dog whose tail is wagging is very friendly.
• The company whose products are popular is expanding.

Free (Compound) Relative Pronouns

Words like whoever, whomever, whatever, and whichever introduce what are called free relative clauses. These clauses function as noun phrases rather than modifying a noun.

• Whoever comes first will get a prize.
• Choose whichever you prefer.
• I will support whatever you decide.

Restrictive vs. Nonrestrictive Clauses

Restrictive (Essential) Clauses

Restrictive clauses give essential information. Without them, the meaning changes. They are not separated by commas.

• The man who is wearing a green shirt is my brother.
• The book that I read last night was interesting.

In restrictive clauses:

• That can be used for people or things.
• Who is preferred for people.
• Which can also be used instead of that, especially in British English: The book which I bought is expensive.

Nonrestrictive (Non-essential) Clauses

Nonrestrictive clauses add extra information. They are set off by commas and can be removed without changing the core meaning.

• My sister, who lives in New York, is visiting.
• The book, which was written in 1920, is very famous.

Important rule: “That” is not used in nonrestrictive clauses.

Correct Usage and Common Mistakes

1. Using “That” with People

In modern English, that can refer to people in restrictive clauses:

The student that won the prize is very talented.

However, who is generally preferred when referring to people.

2. “Which” vs. “That”

• Use that in restrictive clauses (common in American English).
• Use which in nonrestrictive clauses (with commas).

Note: In restrictive clauses, which is also grammatically correct and is frequently used in British English.

Correct examples:

• The book that I bought is expensive. (restrictive)
• The book which I bought is expensive. (also correct, especially in British English)
• The book, which I bought yesterday, is expensive. (nonrestrictive)

3. Gender and Relative Pronouns

Relative pronouns do not change according to gender. The pronoun who is used for both males and females:

• The boy who lost his hat is crying.
• The girl who lost her hat is crying.

The difference is in his and her, not in the relative pronoun.

4. Prepositions with Relative Pronouns

In formal English, the preposition can come before whom or which:

• The woman to whom I spoke was helpful.
• The company for which he works is international.

In everyday English, the preposition usually goes at the end:

• The woman whom I spoke to was helpful. (more formal)
• The woman who I spoke to was helpful. (informal)
• The woman I spoke to was helpful. (relative pronoun omitted)

The relative pronoun can be omitted when it functions as the object of the verb or preposition.

Clarity and Ambiguity

Relative clauses should clearly refer to the correct noun. If the reference is unclear, the sentence may become ambiguous.

Ambiguous:

I saw the man with the telescope who was looking at the stars.

Clearer version:

I saw the man who was looking at the stars with the telescope.

Practice Exercises: Relative Pronouns

Exercise 1: Choose the Correct Relative Pronoun

Choose the correct relative pronoun (who, whom, whose, which, that) to complete each sentence.

1. The teacher _______ helped me with my homework is very kind.
2. The movie _______ we watched last night was amazing.
3. The woman _______ son won the competition is very proud.
4. The car _______ is parked in front of the house belongs to my uncle.
5. The student to _______ I spoke was very polite.
6. The book _______ you gave me is on the table.
7. The artist _______ paintings were displayed at the gallery is famous.
8. The dog _______ barked all night kept us awake.
9. The man _______ I met yesterday works at the bank.
10. The restaurant _______ serves Italian food is always busy.

Note for sentence 10: We use that or which because the pronoun is the subject of “serves.” We do not use where here. Compare:

• The restaurant that/which serves Italian food is always busy. (pronoun = subject of “serves”)
• The restaurant where we had dinner is always busy. (where = place)

Answer Key – Exercise 1

1. who
2. that / which
3. whose
4. that / which
5. whom
6. that / which
7. whose
8. that / which
9. whom / who (informal)
10. that / which

Exercise 2: Combine the Sentences Using a Relative Pronoun

Combine each pair of sentences into one sentence using a suitable relative pronoun.

1. I have a friend. She lives in London.
2. This is the laptop. I bought it yesterday.
3. The man is my neighbor. His car was stolen.
4. We visited a museum. It was built in the 18th century.
5. The girl won the prize. She studied very hard.
6. I met a woman. You recommended her.
7. They adopted a dog. The dog was abandoned.
8. The house is very old. It stands on the hill.
9. The student was absent. I spoke to him yesterday.
10. This is the book. It changed my life.

Answer Key – Exercise 2

1. I have a friend who lives in London.
2. This is the laptop that/which I bought yesterday.
3. The man whose car was stolen is my neighbor.
4. We visited a museum that/which was built in the 18th century.
5. The girl who studied very hard won the prize.
6. I met the woman whom/who you recommended.
7. They adopted a dog that/which was abandoned.
8. The house that/which stands on the hill is very old.
9. The student whom/who I spoke to yesterday was absent.
10. This is the book that/which changed my life.