Adjective clauses w/ object relative pronouns (who, whom & that)

Adjective clauses with object relative pronouns

who, whom & that

In some adjective clauses, the relative pronoun is the subject of the clause. In other adjective clauses, the relative pronoun is the object of the clause

Who as subject = (The people are the guests)

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The people who are the guests should bring gifts

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​Who as object = (You invite the people)

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​The people who you invite should bring gifts

When a relative pronoun is an object of a clause, use who, that or whom for people and that for things. The​ relative pronoun is often omitted, especially in speaking.

The people who (that/whom) you invite should bring gifts

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The gifts that you bring should be inexpensive

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​The people you invite should bring gifts

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​The gifts you bring should be inexpensive

​Note: whom is very formal

Be careful!

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When the relative pronoun is the subject of the clause, it can NOT be omitted

Don't say: The people are the guests should bring gifts

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Do not use an object pronoun after the verb

Don't say: The people who you invite them should bring gifts​

Multiple Choice

The people who are the guests should bring gifts.

The relative pronoun who is the ___ of the adjective clause.

• Subject

• Object

Multiple Choice

The people who / that / whom you invite should bring gifts.

The relative pronoun who, whom, or that is the ___ of the adjective clause.

• Subject

• Object

Multiple Choice

When the relative pronoun is the object of the clause, it ___ be omitted.

• cannot

• can

Multiple Choice

When the relative pronoun is the subject of the clause, it ___ be omitted.

• cannot

• can

Multiple Choice

The relative pronoun can be omitted:

The Dragon Boat race is a Hong Kong tradition that is world-famous.

• Yes

• No

Multiple Choice

The relative pronoun can be omitted:

The costumes that people wore in the parade were amazing.

• Yes

• No

Multiple Choice

The relative pronoun can be omitted:

The family that sets off fi reworks every Independence Day is famous.

• Yes

• No

Multiple Choice

The relative pronoun can be omitted:

The drought that caused the famine changed everyone’s plans for the holiday.

• Yes

• No

Multiple Choice

The relative pronoun can be omitted:

The travel book that she wrote about African holidays was really interesting.

• Yes

• No