Pronouns: Relative Pronouns: Who, whom, whose, which, that (introducing relative clauses)

Pronouns: Relative Pronouns: The Bridge Builders of Sentences

Think of sentences as islands. Sometimes, we need to build bridges between these islands to connect them and add more information. Relative pronouns are the skilled architects that build these bridges.

What are Relative Pronouns?

Relative pronouns are words that introduce a relative clause, which gives extra information about a noun (the antecedent). They act like bridges, connecting the main clause to the relative clause.

• Common Relative Pronouns:
  • Who (for people): The woman who lives next door is a doctor.
  • Whom (for people, in formal style): The man whom I met yesterday was very kind.
  • Whose (to show possession): The boy whose bike was stolen is upset.
  • Which (for things): The car which I bought last year is red.
  • That (for people or things): The book that I’m reading is interesting.

Why do we use Relative Pronouns?

Relative pronouns help us avoid repeating information and make our sentences more concise and interesting. They also add important details about the noun they refer to.

• Instead of: I have a friend. The friend lives in Japan.
• We can say: I have a friend who lives in Japan.

Let’s Practice!

Choose the Right Pronoun: Fill in the blanks with the correct relative pronoun.

1. The movie _____ I saw last night was amazing.
2. The girl _____ is playing the piano is my sister.
3. The house _____ I grew up in is now a museum.
4. The man _____ car was stolen reported it to the police.
5. The dog _____ I adopted from the shelter is very friendly.

Combine Sentences: Use relative pronouns to combine the following pairs of sentences.

1. I met a man. The man speaks five languages.
2. The book is on the table. The book has a blue cover.
3. The artist is very famous. The artist’s paintings are displayed in the gallery.

Challenge!

Write a paragraph about your favorite place, using at least three different relative pronouns.

Remember:

• Who/Whom: For people
• Whose: To show possession
• Which: For things
• That: For people or things

Mastering relative pronouns will help you build complex and informative sentences, making your English more sophisticated and expressive.