English Grammar I

Unit 13: Relative

Pronouns

Unit 13: Relative Pronouns

Relative pronouns are that, who, whom,

whose, which. They are used to join
clauses to make a complex sentence.
Relative pronouns are also used at the
beginning of the subordinate clause
which gives some specific information
about the main clause. Relative
Pronouns and their usage are listed as
follows:

Unit 13: Relative Pronouns

13.1 The usage of Relative Pronouns

Who: who can be used as a subject or
an object for people.
The girl who is talking to the teacher is
my cousin.
The girl who you talked with is my
nephew.

Unit 13: Relative Pronouns

Which: which can be used as a subject

or an object pronoun for animals and
things.
The dog which is barking at the stranger
belongs to Mr. Smith.
The book which you bought was
interesting.

Unit 13: Relative Pronouns

Whose: whose is used as possession

for people and things.
Do you know the girl whose hair is long
and wavy?
Look at that house whose roof was
painted red.

Unit 13: Relative Pronouns

Whom: whom is used as an object

pronoun for people.
The mechanic whom you mentioned is
great.
The boy to whom your brother talk is my
cousin.

Unit 13: Relative Pronouns

That: When used as a relative pronoun,

that can refer to either persons or
things. The relative pronoun that is
generally used in defining relative
clauses.
The people that were here yesterday
will return in a month.
The newspaper that was on the steps
belongs to our neighbor.

Unit 13: Relative Pronouns

In these examples, that has the
antecedents people and newspaper,
and introduces the defining relative
clauses.

Unit 13: Relative Pronouns

When that acts as the object of a verb

or preposition. It can be omitted.
The comic book (that) you bought is
interesting.
The house (that) they tried to sell was
old.

Unit 13: Relative Pronouns

that may be used to replace who,

whom or which.
The boy whom we saw is her brother.
The boy that we saw is her brother.
The shirt which you are wearing looks
good on you.
The shirt that you are wearing looks
good on you.

Unit 13: Relative Pronouns

Subject and object pronouns can be
distinguish as follows: If the relative
pronoun is followed by a verb, the
relative pronoun is a subject pronoun.
If the relative pronoun is followed by a
noun or pronoun, the relative pronoun is
an object pronoun. The relative pronoun
may be omitted.

Unit 13: Relative Pronouns

Cody has bought a sports car that cost

him an arm and a leg.
This is the latest magazine (that) you
are looking for. The boy (that) we saw is
Sues brother.

Unit 13: Relative Pronouns

13.1-1 Restrictive clauses and Nonrestrictive clause

A restrictive clause gives essential
information about the subject of the
sentence. It restricts the meaning of the
sentence by identifying the quality of the
noun. A restrictive sentence does not
need commas.

Unit 13: Relative Pronouns

A non-restrictive clause gives

descriptive information that is not
essential to the meaning of the
sentence. It usually provides extra
information about the subject of the
sentence. A non-restrictive sentence
needs commas.

Unit 13: Relative Pronouns

The book that Sean is reading is

Georges.
(the restrictive clause Sean is reading
tells which book is Georges.)
That boy, who is tall and slim, is my
sisters boyfriend.
(that cannot be used in a non-restrictive
sentence)

Unit 13: Relative Pronouns

13.1-2 Position of Prepositions in A

relative clause
A preposition can come before the
relative pronoun, after a verb or at the
end of the sentence. If a preposition
comes before the relative pronoun,
which or whom is used and cannot be
omitted.

Unit 13: Relative Pronouns

If the preposition is after the verb or at

the end of the sentence, who, whom, or
which can be used and omitted.

Unit 13: Relative Pronouns

The man to whom I am talking is my

geography teacher.
The man (who) I am talking to is my
geography teacher.
The house in which he lives was built by
his grandfather.
The house (which) he lives in was built
by his grandfather.

Unit 13: Relative Pronouns

13.1-3 Relative clauses and participle

Relative clauses with who, which, that
as subject pronoun can be replaced
with a participle. This makes the
sentence shorter and easier to
understand.

Unit 13: Relative Pronouns

I told you about the woman who lives

next door.
I told you about the woman living next
door.
Do you see the cat which is lying on the
Carpet?
Do you see the cat lying on the Carpet?

Unit 13: Relative Pronouns

1.

2.

3.

13.1-4 Exercise: Fill in the blank

with a correct relative pronoun
This is the building ___________ was
on fire last week.
Those men ______________ robbed
the bank were caught.
The car ______________ doors are
red belongs to my teacher.

Unit 13: Relative Pronouns

4.

5.

6.

7.

The book __________ I bought for my

son has a lot of pictures in it.
The house __________ they lives in is
not very large.
The man ___________ you met at the
party is a famous singer.
That is the restaurant _______ steak is
the most famous in town.

Unit 13: Relative Pronouns

13.2 Relative Adverbs:

A relative adverb is an adverb that
introduces a relative clause. Relative
adverbs include when, where and why.
No preposition is used with relative
adverbs.

Unit 13: Relative Pronouns

Where: where means in which or at

which.
This is the coffee shop in which I met
my husband.
This is the coffee shop which I met
husband in.
This is the coffee shop where I met my
husband.

Unit 13: Relative Pronouns

When: when means in which, on which.

I still remember the day on which we
met.
I still remember the day when we met.

Unit 13: Relative Pronouns

Why: why means for which
She couldnt explain the reason for
which she did it.
She couldnt explain the reason (why)
she did it.
why can be omitted after the reason.

Unit 13: Relative Pronouns

What: what has the meaning the thing

or things that. It can be used to
emphasis nouns:
What you did made her happy.
What she said was not true.
What you need is a good sleep.
What you have to do is to apologize.

Unit 13: Relative Pronouns

1.

2.

3.

13.2-2 Exercise: Use relative adverb

to complete each sentence.
It is the place ___________ we meet
for a drink once a week.
It is important to know __________ is
happening in the world.
___________ I should do is find out
_________ the bag is.

Unit 13: Relative Pronouns

4.

5.

6.

7.

Jamess wife didnt believe _________

he said __________ made him angry.
Please tell me _____________ you
were late.
I appreciate ___________ you have
done for my son.
Tell me __________ you are crying.

Unit 13: Relative Pronouns

13.3 Pronouns adverbs

Pronouns adverbs such as whoever,
whatever, whenever or wherever are
used to express it doesnt matter who /
what / when / where, and anyone /
anything / anytime

Unit 13: Relative Pronouns

Whatever: Whatever has the meaning

no matter what, or anything that.
Do whatever you want to do. Its none
of my business.
Take whatever you like.

Unit 13: Relative Pronouns

Whoever: Whoever has the meaning

no matter who, or anyone who.
Whoever leaves the classroom last
should turn off the lights and fans.
A prize will be given to whoever wins
the contest.
Let in whoever comes to the door.

Unit 13: Relative Pronouns

Wherever: wherever has the meaning

at any place.
Please put the book wherever Keith can
easily find it.
You can go wherever you like.

Unit 13: Relative Pronouns

Whenever: whenever has the meaning

at any time.
Aaron is busy with something whenever
I see him.
You can come back whenever you
want.

Unit 13: Relative Pronouns

1.

2.

3.

13.3-1 Exercise: Use pronoun

adverb to complete each sentence
Dont worry! I will do ___________ I
can to help you.
____________ Joseph drinks alcohol,
he becomes talkative.
___________ broke the vase will have
to pay for it.

Unit 13: Relative Pronouns

4.

5.

6.

7.

_____________ it rains heavily, the road

is flooded
You can go _________________ you
like.
_______________ I go outside, I have
my parasol with me.
I can give my money to ___________ I
like.