Relative Pronouns

Relative pronouns

Multiple Choice

What is a pronoun?

• an action word

• a word that takes the place of a noun

A pronoun takes the place of a noun!

examples: she; he; we; they; it; me; I; you

Multiple Choice

Examples of pronouns which are conjugated with "is"

• I, you

• he, she, it

• we, they

• you, they

Multiple Choice

Examples of pronouns which are conjugated with "are"

• he, she, it

• we, they, I

• I, she

• You, he

relative pronouns

used to connect a clause or phrase to a noun or pronoun

A relative pronoun is one which is used to refer to nouns mentioned previously, whether they are people, places, things, animals, or ideas. Relative pronouns can be used to join two sentences.

Relative pronouns

• Which --> to talk about things It's the school which gives scholarships

• Who--> to talk about people They are the people who revolutionized social media

• Whose--> to talk about possessions. This is the customer whose order went missing

• When--> to talk about time. 1999 is the year when I launched my first product

• Where-->to talk. about places. This is he office where you'll be working.

• That--> to talk about things/people. It's the school that gives scholarships

which

any clause that starts with which can be removed from a sentence and it will not change the meaning of the sentence.

My cat, which is beautiful, is ten years old.

which is beautiful

If we remove that clause "which is beautiful" we are left with

My cat is ten years old.

Did removing "which is beautiful" change the meaning of the sentence?

answer on next slide

Multiple Choice

My cat, which is beautiful, is ten years old.

• yes

• no

Open Ended

My house, which was built in 1979, is for sale. remove the relative clause and see if it still makes sense.

Multiple Select

Which is correct? Remove the relative clause and see if the sentence still makes sense.

• The chair is the one which I want.

• The man, which loves pizza, will buy the stromboli.

That

We use "that" when the relative clause is needed in the sentence. It cannot be removed.

My sister left the key that you need to open the door.

that is needed....

Open Ended

remove the clause and retype it

My sister left the key that you need to open the door.

Multiple Choice

...did removing the relative clause change the meaning?

• yes

• no

which- used for clauses that are not needed; always seperated with a comma from the rest of the sentence

that- used in sentences and cannot be removed; if removed then the sentence meaning will change

Multiple Choice

which or that

The old table, ____ was donated to the hospital, is very old.

• that

• which

Multiple Choice

The book ___ I need is over there.

• that

• which

Multiple Choice

The movie, _____ is rated G, was written by Al Baker.

• that

• which

What's a relative pronoun?

A relative pronoun is one which is used to refer to nouns mentioned previously, whether they are people, places, things, animals, or ideas. Relative pronouns can be used to join two sentences.

Who

people and sometimes pet animals

Poll

We don’t know the person _______ donated this money.

• who

• which

Which

animals and thins

Poll

We drove past my old school, __________ is celebrating its 100th anniversary this year.

• who

• which

That

people, animals and things; informal

Poll

He went to the school ________ my father went to.

• who

• that

Multiple Choice

My car, _____ is brand new, is parked on 5th Street.

• which

• that

Multiple Choice

The flower ____ my mother loves most is the rose.

• which

• that

Multiple Choice

The pencil, _____ costs a lot of money, is on the floor.

• which

• that

There are other relative pronouns.

Whose, whom.

Who/whom

These relative pronouns are ONLY used for humans! No other relative pronous can be used for humans!

who

who is used when it is the subject of the sentence

Examples:

Who owns this pencil?

Who won the game?

Who wants pizza for lunch?

Multiple Choice

_____ is my best friend?

• who

• whom

Multiple Choice

_____ wants to go to the mall?

• who

• whom

Trick!

restate the sentence as a question and if you answer it with he/she the relative pronoun is who!

1. _____ is my best friend?

anwer it: He/she is my best friend

if it is he/she WHO is the correct relative pronoun

whom

should be used to refer to the object of a verb or preposition

If you ask the statement as a question and the answer would be him/her it is whom!

examples

To _____ should I give these letters?

make it a stament: I should give them to him.....so it is whom

Multiple Choice

Torry decided _____ she should pick for her team. (who should she pick....(him....so it's)

• who

• whom

Multiple Choice

My brother, ____ loves golf, purchased new clubs.

ask yourself: who loves golf..........

• who

• whom