Relative pronouns

Front

What is a relative pronoun?

Back

A relative pronoun is a word that introduces a relative clause and connects it to a noun or pronoun in the main clause. Examples include who, whom, whose, which, and that.

Front

When do we use 'who'?

Back

We use 'who' to refer to the subject of a relative clause when talking about people.

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When do we use 'whom'?

Back

We use 'whom' to refer to the object of a verb or preposition in a relative clause when talking about people.

Front

When do we use 'whose'?

Back

We use 'whose' to indicate possession in a relative clause.

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When do we use 'which'?

Back

We use 'which' to refer to animals or things in a relative clause.

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When do we use 'that'?

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We use 'that' to refer to people, animals, or things in defining relative clauses.

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What is a defining relative clause?

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A defining relative clause provides essential information about the noun it modifies and is not set off by commas.

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What is a non-defining relative clause?

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A non-defining relative clause adds extra information about a noun but is not essential to the meaning of the sentence and is set off by commas.

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Example of a sentence using 'who'.

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The teacher who helped me is very kind.

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Example of a sentence using 'whom'.

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The student whom you met yesterday is my friend.