Whose

Adding descriptive information for possessive nouns

Relative Pronoun for Personal Possession whose

WHO SUBJECT OR OBJECT PRONOUN Who replaces the subject noun of a modifying clause (relative clause) and who or whom to replace a object noun of a modifying clause (relative clause). SUBJECT OF CLAUSE

WHOSE SUBJECT OR OBJECT POSSESSIVE PRONOUN Whose replaces the possessive subject or object noun of a modifying clause (relative clause). SUBJECT OF CLAUSE

The woman who is Greek She is Greek. OBJECT OF CLAUSE

is on the phone.

The woman whose name is Greek is on the phone. Her name is Greek. OBJECT OF CLAUSE

The woman who(m) you met is on the phone. You met her.

The woman whose husband you met is on the phone. You met her husband.

Adding a possessive clause with whose as the subject

JOIN THE SENTENCES 1. Replace the possessive noun her with whose.

INDEPENDENT DEPENDENT CLAUSE CLAUSE The woman is on the Her name is Greek. phone. whose name is Greek

2. Insert the clause directly after the noun it modifies. The woman 3. Add commas if the clause adds extra information that is not essential to identifying who the person is. (a non-identifying, non-restrictive clause) See The woman, Some or All whose name is Greek is on the phone. whose name is Greek, is on the phone.

Adding a possessive clause with whose as the object

JOIN THE SENTENCES

1. Replace the object pronoun her with whose

INDEPENDENT DEPENDENT CLAUSE CLAUSE The woman is on the You met her husband. phone.

2. Move the relative pronoun to the front of the sentence. 3. Insert the clause directly after the noun it The woman modifies 4. Add commas if the clause adds extra information that is not essential to identifying who the person is. The woman, (a non-identifying, non-restrictive clause) See Some or All

whose husband you met whose husband you met is on the phone. whose husband you met, is on the phone.

Common Mistakes

ERROR *The woman whose husband we chatted with him lives next door. *The woman who her husband is from Uruguay is going to be the CEO of the company.

FIX The woman whose husband we chatted with [him] lives next door. The woman whose husband is from Uruguay is going to be the CEO of the company. (Change who her to whose.)

*The runner who his balloons popped ran The runner whose balloons popped ran to the finish to the finish line naked! line naked!

Of Which / With

She wrote a book! Adding descriptive information for possessive nouns

Possessive Pronouns - People vs. Things

POSSESSIVE PRONOUN - PEOPLE & THINGS Use whose to add a modifying clause with a possessive noun people. Informally, whose is also used with inanimate nouns. The woman wrote a book. I have forgotten the name of the woman.

POSSESSIVE PRONOUN - THINGS the X of which is the formal way to add a modifying clause with a possessive inanimate noun. There are several other ways as well. She wrote a book. I've forgotten the name of the book.

The woman whose name I have forgotten wrote a book. (formal)

She wrote a book forgotten. (formal)

the name of which I have

The woman with a name I have forgotten wrote a book. (formal/informal)

She wrote a book whose name I have forgotten. (formalinformal) She wrote a book of which I have forgotten the name. (formal) She wrote a book that I have forgotten the name of. (informal) She wrote a book of which I have forgotten the name. (formal) She wrote a book with a name I have forgotten. (informal)

Inanimate Possessive
Of which

Of Which Subject Clause

JOIN THE SENTENCES 1. Replace the object noun (book) with which. 2. Insert the clause into the main sentence.

DEPENDENT INDEPENDENT CLAUSE with subject CLAUSE pronoun The name of the book is She wrote a book. America by Heart. [the name of which]

3. Add punctuation if needed. No punctuation is needed if the clause helps to identify which noun She wrote a book you are talking about. (identifying clauses)

the name of which is America by Heart.

Of Which Object Clause

JOIN THE SENTENCES

INDEPENDENT CLAUSE She wrote a book.

1. Replace the object noun (book) with which. 2. Move the relative pronoun to the front of the sentence.

DEPENDENT CLAUSE with object pronoun I've forgotten the name of the book. [the name of which]

3. Insert the clause into the main sentence. 4. Add punctuation if needed. No punctuation is needed if the clause helps to identify which noun She wrote a book we are talking about. (identifying clauses)

the name of which I have forgotten.

Inanimate Possessive (less formal)

With

With Subject Clause

JOIN THE SENTENCES 1. Replace the possessive object noun phrase (of the X) with with. Remove the verb. 2. Insert the clause into the main sentence. 3. No punctuation is used.

INDEPENDENT CLAUSE She wrote a book.

DEPENDENT CLAUSE with subject pronoun The name of the book is America by Heart. [with the name]

She wrote a book

with the name America by Heart.

With Object Clause

JOIN THE SENTENCES 1. Replace the possessive object noun phrase (of the X) with with. 2. Move the relative pronoun to the front of the sentence. 3. Insert the clause into the main sentence. 4. Remove a contraction (I've) if the syllable is stressed when speaking.

INDEPENDENT CLAUSE She wrote a book.

DEPENDENT CLAUSE with object pronoun I've forgotten the name of the book. [with a name]

She wrote a book

*with a name I've forgotten. with a name I have forgotten.

*Yellow highlighted words are examples of incorrect usage.

When / Where

"Flower Child" in San Francisco in the 1960s. Adding descriptive information for time or place

A modifying clause uses pronouns to connect the dependent clause to the independent clause.

where (pronoun for place) when (pronoun for time)

When and Where - object pronouns

WHEN - REPLACES AN OBJECT NOUN When is a time-relative pronoun that joins a modifying clause. In the example below, the clause modififies the city.

WHERE - REPLACES AN OBJECT NOUN Where is a location-relative pronoun that joins a modifying clause. In the example below, the clause modififies the years.

The years when the "flower children" The city where the "flower children" lived, is thrived, was a colorful decade. a colorful city. The "flower children" thrived The "flower children" lived then. there.

colorful = interesting and unusual

decade = 10 year period; thrive = to live well and expand

Adding a Clause with Where

JOIN THE SENTENCES

INDEPENDENT CLAUSE The city is a colorful place.

DEPENDENT CLAUSE The "flower children" lived in this city.

1. Replace the object pronoun city with where. 2. Move the relative pronoun to the front of the sentence. 3. Insert the clause into the main The city sentence. 4. Add punctuation if the clause San Francisco, is nonidentifying.

where the "flower children" lived where the "flower children" lived is a colorful place. where the "flower children" lived, is a colorful place. (Use commas.)

Adding a Clause with When

JOIN THE SENTENCES

INDEPENDENT

DEPENDENT CLAUSE

CLAUSE The time was a colorful The "flower children" thrived in this decade. time. 1. Replace the object pronoun 1960s with when. 2. Move the relative pronoun to the front of the sentence. 3. Insert the clause into the The time main sentence. 4. Add punctuation if the clause The 1960s, is nonidentifying.

when the "flower children" thrived when the "flower children" thrived was a colorful decade. when the "flower children" thrived, was a colorful decade. (Use commas.)

thrive (v.) to become very successful or very strong and healthy

Where can replace:

ON WHICH floor, street location, exact address or residence geographical place the house at which I work is the floor on which I work is nearby. the twelfth. the building at which I work is the street on which I work is nearby. nearby. the address at which I work is the corner on which I work 310 Elm St. the location at which I work * No commas are used. the island on which I work

AT WHICH

IN WHICH city, area, state, country the room in which I work is here. the city in which I work is nearby. the state in which I pay taxes is Utah. the country in which I pay taxes is the U.S.A.

When can replace:

AT WHICH hour, time of the day

ON WHICH day

IN WHICH month, season, year, decade,

the time at which I eat lunch is noon. the hour at which I eat lunch is 12:001:00 p.m. the time at which I eat lunch is 12:00 p.m.

the day on which I was born was snowy. the day on which I was born was Tuesday. the day on which I started school was June 1.

century the month in which I pay taxis is April. the season in which I vacation is summer. the years in which I worked were 2000-2011.

Using Commas
Identifying vs. nonidentifying clauses

AN IDENTIFYING CLAUSE No commas are used to set off a clause that provides information that helps identify the noun. The area where the "flower children" lived was a colorful section of San Francisco. The years when the "flower children" thrived was a colorful decade.

A NON-IDENTIFYING CLAUSE Commas are used to set off a modifying clause that provides additional information about a noun that is already clearly identified. The Haight, where the "flower children" lived, was a colorful area in San Francisco. The 1960s, when the "flower children" thrived, was a colorful decade.

Related pages: Identifying Clauses , Restrictive vs. Nonrestrictive clauses

Wh-ever
Adding a clause with an indefinite relative pronoun

Wh-ever Uses

REPHRASED Whoever, whatever, whichever and however have similar Whatever is a determiner that refers open meanings: "It doesn't matter who/what/how", "any to "any" (not a particular thing.) person, thing, way" or "an unknow person, thing, way" RELATIVE DETERMINER (FREE CHOICE) Whatever you bake will be delicious. ("What ever you bake" is the subject of the sentence.) RELATIVE DETERMINER (ANY, ALL) Take whatever ingredients (that) you need. (You) take the/ any ingredients ingredients (that) you need. ("whatever ingredients you need" is the object of the sentence.) RELATIVE DETERMINER (UNPREDICTABLE, UNKNOWN) Whatever the hour, he calls me. He calls me regardless of the hour / no matter what the hour (T he clause "whatever the hour is" is. is shortened, omitting be. ingredients food that goes into a recipe Any thing (that) you bake will be delicious. (meaning it's your selection)

WH- EVER

Whever
As Relative Pronouns

Whoever Clauses

WHOEVER ANY PERSON Whoever means "It doesn't matter who", "any person who", "the Rephrase as any person [who + unknown person who"; use a singular verb; use whoever for a clause]; the person is indefinite subject or an object pronoun. "any" Any person who wants to know can ask me. Whoever wants to know can ask me. (pronoun-subject of main clause) (subject of main clause & subject of modifying clause) Any person who you tell will be jealous. Who(m)ever you tell will be jealous. (pronoun-subject of main clause) (subject of main clause & object of modifying clause) You told my secret to any You told my secret to whoever asked you. (pronoun-object of person who asked you. main clause) (object of main clause & subject of modifying clause) You told my secret to any You told my secret to who(m)ever you met. (pronoun-object of person who you met. main clause) (Use whoever for the subject or object of the modifying clause.) (object of main clause & object of modifying clause)

Whatever Clauses

WHATEVER ANY THING Whatever means "It doesn't matter what", "any thing that", "the Rephrase as anything [that unknown thing that"; use a singular verb; use whatever for a subject + clause] or an object pronoun. Anything that he says is true. Whatever he says is true. (pronoun-subject of main clause) (subject of main clause & subject of modifying clause) Anything that you want is yours. (subject of main clause & object of modifying clause) You can have anything that you please/ wish / like.

Whatever you want is yours. (pronoun-subject of main clause)

You can have whatever you please/ wish / like. (pronoun-object of main clause)

(object of main clause & subject of modifying clause) You can have anything that You can have whatever you want. (pronoun-object of main clause) you want. (object of main clause & object of modifying clause)

Whichever Clauses

WHICHEVER / WHATEVER (determiner) Whichever is a determiner that makes no reference to a particular one. Whichever person you ask, he will tell you the same. (any person) Whichever one you want, you may have. (any one / thing)

ANY Rephrase as any person / thing [that + clause] Any person (that) you ask will tell you the same. Any one (that) you want, you may have.

However Clauses

HOWEVER (adverb) However means "It doesn't matter how", "any way that", "the way that"; use a singular verb; use however as an . DETERMINER (FREE CHOICE, ANY) However you dress, you always look good. You can explain it however you want (to). DETERMINER (NO MATTER HOW) However much she tries, she'll never be quiet. however + adverb However rich you are, you cannot buy true friendship. however + adjective However cleverly he speaks, he cannot hide his dishonesty. however + adverb

REPHRASED Rephrase as "no matter how" or "any way that".

Any way you dress, you always look good. You can explain it in any manner you want (to). She'll never be quiet no matter how much she tries. (even if she tries very hard) You cannot buy true friendship no matter how rich you are. even if you are very He cannot hide his dishonesty no matter how cleverly he speaks. even if he speaks very cleverly

Wh-ever Clauses
Clause Order

Changing clause order

INITIAL SENTENCE POSITION Wh-ever pronouns can be used in initial sentence position to introduce a modifying clause. Whichever one you want, you can have. Whenever you please, you can phone me Wherever we went, people talked about us. However you travel, it will take a day to get there

MEDIAL SENTENCE POSITION Or they can be used in the middle of the sentence to introduce a modifying clause. You can have whichever one you want. (any one .... that) You can phone me whenever you please. (any time .... that) People talked about us wherever we went. (any place .... that) It will take a day to get there however you travel. (any manner .... that)

Rewording Wh-ever Clauses

WH-EVER CLAUSE These sentences can be rephrased by returning the words to standard order. Whoever telephones, tell them I am out. (Any person who, no matter who)

CLAUSE REPHRASED These are the underlying sentence structures: "any" or "no matter" Tell [them] whoever telephones that I am out. Delete "them". Tell any person who telephones that I am out. I'm not opening the door for whoever you are. Add "for". I'm not opening the door no matter who you are. (You) make sure your reason is a good one whatever it is. Make sure your reason is a good one no matter what it is. You can believe whatever she said to you. You can believe anything/something that she said to you.

Whoever you are, I'm not opening the door. (No matter who, regardless of who)

Whatever your reason is, make sure it is a good one. (No matter what, regardless of what)

Whatever she said to you, you can believe. (No matter what)

Whever

Whichever one you want, you can have Word Forms

Whatever/Whichever as a determiner

DETERMINER In these sentences, whichever and whatever are more like determiners any/some in a modifying clause. Whatever occasion arrives, she bakes. Whatever reasons she had, she went out. Whichever day you choose, just let us know.

ADVERB (IN AN ADVERBIAL PHRASE)

She bakes for some/any occasion that arrives. She went out for some/any reason that she had. Let us know any day that you choose.

Determiners are words that come before nouns such as: a, an, one, some, any, this, that, these, those, much many, my, you, ours, few, less, several, all, both, etc.)

Whatever/Whichever as an adverb

ADVERB (IN AN ADVERBIAL PHRASE) In these sentences, whichever and whatever are more like adverbs in phrases (telling when, where, why or what for). Note that the noun is the object of a prepositional phrase. Whatever the occasion, she bakes. What for? Whatever the reason, she went out. Why? Whichever the day, just let us know. When?

REPHRASED When rephrased, the adverbial expression becomes the object of a preposition. She bakes for some/any occasion. She went out for some/any reason. Just let us know on which day / in which month / at which time.

Commonly Confused Words

Homonyms, Expressions & Slang

Whoever vs. Who ever!

WHQUESTIONS + EVER In these questions, ever is used to express surprise or unexpected occurrence. The words in these expressions resemble the wh-ever words, but have different meanings. Who ever is that? Who is that, I wonder. (surprise, curiosity) What ever have you done? What did you do? It's not what I expected. (dissatisfaction,

WHEVER QUESTIONS The Wh-ever words below introduce modifying clauses and express any or no matter ... that Whoever that is, will you tell them to come back later? (no matter who) Whatever you have done, we will be excited to see. (no matter

anger) How ever did you do that? How did you do that? I am amazed. (surprise, admiration) Why ever didn't you tell me you were unhappy? Why didn't you tell me? It was expected of you. (surprise, disappointment)

what) However you choose to do it is all right with us. (any manner that)

However (no matter how) vs. However (but)

HOWEVER (adverb) No matter how; any manner; adverb However she dresses, she always looks stylish. (no matter how) We can get this done however you want to do it. (no matter how / in any manner)

HOWEVER (conjunction) But conjunction for contrast. She wanted to get dressed up. However, the event was casual. We can get this done; however, he doesn't want to.

Whatever - Slang

MEANING Whatever is used in an argument to concede (admit "You put the DVD into the wrong drive." but not admit) so that the argument will be over. The "Oh, whatever. " (WEV in text messaging) speaker avoids an argument, "agree to disagree". "Look, if you don't put the soap in first and then add the clothes, you'll get bleach spots Whatever is used to end / leave / escape a on your colored clothing and you don't want conversation that is becoming too long with that, do you?" unnecessary or personally irrelevant "Whatever..." information. "Enough"

WHATEVER

Common Mistakes

ERROR

FIX For whatever reason, she doesn't want to eat. (for some / any reason that) Whatever the reason, she doesn't want to eat. (no matter what the reason that) She doesn't want to eat for some reason. (the reason is unknown) She doesn't want to eat for any reason. (no reason exists) You told my secret to anyone / everyone. (Rephrase using an indefinite pronoun.) You told my secret to whoever you met. (Rephrase using a modifying clause.)

Whatever is the reason, she doesn't want to eat.

You told my secret to whoever. ('Whoever' is awkward standing alone as an object pronoun.)

All of Which
Using quantity expressions to add modifying clauses

Modifying Clauses with Quantity Expressions

[QUANTITY] OF WHICH A quantity expression can be used to add a modifying clause for an inanimate noun, thing. Disneyland, all of which belongs to the Disney Company, is located in Anaheim. Disneyland, most of which is crowded with people, is a favorite tourist site. Sleeping Beauty's Castle, all of which is halfscale, is located in Fantasy land.

[QUANTITY] OF WHOM A quantity phrase can be used to add a modifying clause for an animate noun, people. California has a lot of visitors, most of who(m) visit Disneyland. Walt Disney was devoted to his children, all of who(m) adored their father. Disney fans, many of who(m) Mr. Disney met personally, praised his projects.

The quantifying expression [quantity] of whom is used as the subject or object of the modifying clause. Whom (not who) is used because it is the object of the prepositional phrase of.

Examples of Quantity Phrase Pronouns

some of which half of who(m) both of whose (names)

many of who(m) both of which

most of whose (cars) neither of who(m)

none of who(m) each of which

two of who(m) all of whose (money)

several of which a few of which

a little of which a number of who(m)

Quantity Phrases can be used before which, whom or whose +noun.

Sentence Transformation
Using Quantity Phrases to Join Clauses

"Most of which"

JOIN THE SENTENCES

INDEPENDENT CLAUSE The Disney Company has several parks.

DEPENDENT CLAUSE All of them are run by Disney.

1. Replace the pronoun all of them with all of which 2. Insert the clause into the main sentence. 3. Add commas if the clause adds non- The Disney Company has identifying information. several parks Disney Walt Disney Parks and Resorts

all of which are run by Disney. , all of which are run by Disney.

"Most of whom"

JOIN THE SENTENCES

INDEPENDENT DEPENDENT CLAUSE CLAUSE California has a lot of Most of them come to visitors. see Disneyland.

1. Replace the pronoun most of them with most of whom. (Whom is used because it is the object of the prepositional phrase "of") most of whom come to see Disneyland. 3. Add commas if the clause adds non-identifying California has a lot of , most of whom come information. visitors to see Disneyland. 2. Insert the clause into the main sentence.

"Most of whose"

JOIN THE SENTENCES

INDEPENDENT CLAUSE She listens to Lady Gaga.

DEPENDENT CLAUSE Most of her songs have been hits.

1. Replace the pronoun most of her songs with most of whose songs 2. Insert the clause into the main sentence. 3. Add commas if the clause adds nonidentifying information. She listens to Lady Gaga most of whose songs have been hits. , most of whose songs have been hits.

Common Mistake

FIX On my trip, there were forty people, most of whom were from Italy. *On my trip, there were forty people, most Whom (not who) is used because it is the object of of who were from Italy. the prepositional phrase of.

ERROR