Relative Pronouns โ€“ Uses, Examples and Worksheets

The relative pronouns who, which and that

When words likeย who, whom, whichย andย thatย are used to introduce relative clauses, they are calledย relative pronouns. Who, which and that can be the subjects of verbs in relative clauses.ย Whoย refers to people andย whichย refers to things.ย Thatย can refer to both people and things.

What is the name of the fat womanย whoย just came in? (NOTย What is the name of the fat woman which just came in.)

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Bring me the booksย whichย are on the table. (NOTย Bring me the books who are on the table.)

Heย whoย does not work must not eat.ย ORย Heย thatย does not work must not eat.

These are the booksย thatย I bought yesterday. OR These are the booksย whichย I bought yesterday.


Who, whom, whichย andย thatย can also be used as the objects of verbs in relative clauses.ย Whoย is informal as an object. In a more formal style,ย whomย is used.

The manย whomย you spoke to is deaf. (Formal)

The manย whoย you spoke to is deaf. (Informal)

Whenย andย whereย can introduce relative clauses after nouns referring to time and place.

I will never forget the dayย when I first met Jane.ย (= I will never forget the dayย on whichย I first met Jane.)

Do you know a shopย whereย I can buy cameras? (= Do you know a shopย at whichย I can buy cameras?)

READ ALSO:ย  How to Form Passive Voice?

Double use of relative pronouns


Relative pronounsย have a double use: they act as subjects or objects inside relative clauses, and at the same time they connect relative clauses to nouns or pronouns in other clauses. As the subject or object of a relative clause, a relative pronoun replaces a word likeย sheย orย them.ย Note that one subject or object is enough in a relative clause. We donโ€™t have to use two subjects.

He has got a daughter. She studies at Oxford.

He has got a daughterย whoย studies at Oxford. (NOTย He has got a daughterย who sheย studies at Oxford.)

This is my daughter. I was telling you about her.

This is my daughterย about whomย I was telling you. (NOTย This is my daughter I was telling you about her.) (NOTย This is my daughterย whomย I was telling you aboutย her.)

Here is an interesting article. You might like it.

Here is an interesting articleย whichย you might like. (NOTย Here is an interesting articleย whichย you might likeย it.) (NOT Here is an interesting article you might like it.)

I have found the papers. You were looking for them.

I have found the papersย whichย you were looking for. (NOT I have found the papersย whichย you were looking forย them.) (NOT I have found the papers you were looking for them.)

1. Relative pronouns worksheet: who and whom

Join together each of the following pairs of sentences by using the relative pronouns who and whom.

1.ย ย ย ย ย ย  I know a man. He has acted in a film.

2.ย ย ย ย ย ย  The thief stole the bicycle. The thief was caught.

READ ALSO:ย  Neopronouns: A New Way of Expressing Your Gender

3.ย ย ย ย ย ย  He is the doctor. The doctor cured me of malaria.

4.ย ย ย ย ย ย  I met a boy. The boy was very handsome.

5.ย ย ย ย ย ย  He does his best. He should be rewarded.

6.ย ย ย ย ย ย  He is honest. He is trusted.

7.ย ย ย ย ย ย  My grandmother has passed away. I loved my grandmother very much.

8.ย ย ย ย ย ย  Wellington was a great general. He defeated Napoleon in the Battle of Waterloo.

9.ย ย ย ย ย ย  There we met a boy. The boy had lost his way.

10.ย ย  He is a rogue. No one trusts him.

Answers

1.ย ย ย ย ย ย  I know a man who has acted in a film.

2.ย ย ย ย ย ย  The thief, who stole the bicycle, was caught.

3.ย ย ย ย ย ย  He is the doctor who cured me of malaria.

4.ย ย ย ย ย ย  I met a boy who was very handsome.

5.ย ย ย ย ย ย  He, who does his best, should be rewarded.

6.ย ย ย ย ย ย  He, who is honest, is trusted.

7.ย ย ย ย ย ย  My grandmother whom I loved very much has passed away.

8.ย ย ย ย ย ย  Wellington, who was a great general, defeated Napoleon in the Battle of Waterloo.

9.ย ย ย ย ย ย  There we met a boy who had lost his way.

10.ย ย ย ย ย  He is a rogue whom no one trusts.

2. Relative Pronouns Worksheet

Name the relative pronouns in the following sentences and mention their antecedent.

1.ย ย ย ย ย ย  The necklace that my mother gifted me is very expensive.

2.ย ย ย ย ย ย  The explanation that he gave isnโ€™t reasonable.

3.ย ย ย ย ย ย  I know the woman whose child was hurt.

4.ย ย ย ย ย ย  Bring me the files which are on the table.

5.ย ย ย ย ย ย  This is the house that my grandfather built.

6.ย ย ย ย ย ย  The minister visited the men who were injured in the accident.

READ ALSO:ย  Quantifiers - Definition, Types, Position, Uses and Some Common Examples

7.ย ย ย ย ย ย  Here is the book that you were looking for.

8.ย ย ย ย ย ย  I hate people who are dishonest.

9.ย ย ย ย ย ย  This is the singer whom we met yesterday.

10.ย ย  They that seek wisdom will be wise.

Answers

1.ย ย ย ย ย ย  Relative pronoun: that, antecedent: necklace

2.ย ย ย ย ย ย  Relative pronoun: that, ย antecedent: explanation

3.ย ย ย ย ย ย  Relative pronoun: whose, antecedent: woman

4.ย ย ย ย ย ย  Relative pronoun: which, antecedent: files

5.ย ย ย ย ย ย  Relative pronoun: that, antecedent: house

6.ย ย ย ย ย ย  Relative pronoun: who, antecedent: men

7.ย ย ย ย ย ย  Relative pronoun: that, antecedent: book

8.ย ย ย ย ย ย  Relative pronoun: who, antecedent: people

9.ย ย ย ย ย ย  Relative pronoun: whom, antecedent: singer

10.ย ย  Relative pronoun: that, antecedent: they

When the actual subject is an infinitive phrase, we often begin the sentence withย it.ย So for example, instead of saying โ€˜To retreat now would be foolishโ€™, we say, โ€˜It would be foolish to retreat nowโ€™.

Sentence pattern:ย It + verb + subject complement + infinitive phraseย (real subject)

It is easyย to learn English. (More natural than โ€˜To learn English is easy.โ€™)

It was difficultย to understandย his motive. (More natural than โ€˜To understand his motive was difficult.โ€™)

It must be temptingย to getย such an offer. (More natural than โ€˜To get such an offer must be tempting.โ€™)

It might be advisableย to consultย specialists. (More natural than โ€˜To consult specialists might be advisable.โ€™)

It could be dangerousย to drive so fast. (More natural than โ€˜To drive so fast could be dangerous.โ€™)

It might be foolishย to retreatย now. (More natural than โ€˜To retreat now might be foolish.โ€™)


However, when we wish to emphasize theย infinitive phrase, it may be put at the beginning, especially if it is short.

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