Use relative pronouns: who, whom, whose, which and that
Key Notes:
A relative pronoun introduces a relative clause that describes a noun or pronoun. The five main relative pronouns are who, whom, whose, which and that.
The relative pronouns who and whom give information about people.
To figure out whether to use who or whom, restate the relative clause with a personal pronoun. If the clause uses a subject pronoun (he, she or they), use who. If the clause uses an object pronoun (him, her, or them), use whom.
The woman who lives next door grows tomatoes in her garden.
She lives next door.
Peter, whom you met yesterday, has four younger brothers.
You met him yesterday.
The relative pronoun that gives necessary information about things. Necessary information narrows down what you’re talking about and is not set off by commas.
We walked to a park that has a tyre swing.
The information narrows down which park we walked to. It is necessary.
The relative pronoun which adds unnecessary information about things. This extra information does not narrow down what you’re talking about. It is always set off by commas.
We walked to Glendale Park, which has a tyre swing.
The information is extra. It does not narrow down which park we walked to.
The relative pronoun whose shows possession.
Emily, whose hair is quite long, likes wearing plaits.
Do not confuse whose with who’s. Who’s is a contraction for who is or who has. It does not show possession.
Emily, who’s quite tall, can reach the top shelf.
Emily, who is quite tall, can reach the top shelf.
Learn with an example
➡️ Complete the sentence with the best relative pronoun.
Ray Charles, _______ childhood was spent surrounded by country, blues, jazz and gospel music, was one of the originators of soul music.
- The dependent clause shows possession, so use the relative pronoun whose. Remember, who’s is a contraction for who is or who has. It does not show possession.
- Ray Charles, whose childhood was spent surrounded by country, blues, jazz and gospel music, was one of the originators of soul music.
➡️ Complete the sentence with the best relative pronoun.
In 1918, Bolshevik troops executed Russia’s Czar Nicholas II and his family, _______ remains were buried in a mass grave.
- The dependent clause shows possession, so use the relative pronoun whose. Remember, who’s is a contraction for who is or who has. It does not show possession.
- In 1918, Bolshevik troops executed Russia’s Czar Nicholas II and his family, whose remains were buried in a mass grave.
➡️ Complete the sentence with the best relative pronoun.
When I stumbled into the bakery _____ recently opened on Colaba Causeway, I couldn’t resist the smell of the freshly baked rolls still warm from the oven.
- The dependent clause gives information about a thing, the bakery. The information is necessary and is not set off by commas. So, use the relative pronoun that.
- When I stumbled into the bakery that recently opened on Colaba Causeway, I couldn’t resist the smell of the freshly baked rolls still warm from the oven.
Let’s practice!🖊️
