Relative Adverbs

What is it?

• A relative pronoun (alsos known as relative adeverb) is

a pronoun that relates to the word that it modifies and is not
specific. In English, relative pronouns
are who, whom, which, whose, and that.
Who

Used for people

• The woman who called yesterday wants to buy the house.

Can act as the subject or the object of the relative clause

• Cindy, who taught me English, has just got married. (who refers
to Cindy and is the subject of taught in the relative clause)
• I discussed it with my brother, who is a lawyer. (who refers to my
brother and is the object of discussed in the relative clause)
What’s a clause?

A clause is the basic unit of grammar. A clause must contain a verb.

Typically a clause is made up of a subject, a verb phrase and,
sometimes, a complement:

• I’ve eaten.

• The sale starts at 9 am.

• I didn’t sleep well last night.

• Are you listening to the radio?

Which

Used for things and animals

• Did you see the letter which came today?
• I love the puppy which is jumping at the kitchen.

Can act as the subject or the object of the relative clause

• His best movie, which won several awards, was about the life of Gandhi.
(which refers to the his best movie and is the object of won in the relative
clause)
• She can’t come to my birthday party, which makes me sad. (which refers to
the whole sentence before it)
That

Used for people, things, and animals (who and which can be replaced by
that, which we use commonly in spoken English)

• The girl that we met in France has sent us a card. (or who)
• We live in a ground floor flat that backs onto a busy street. (or which)
• Do you like the cat that is sleeping underneath the table? (or which)

Can act as the subject or the object of the relative clause

• I’ll tell you a secret that is very interesting. (that refers to a secret and is the
subject of is in the relative clause)
• This is the book that I buy. (that refers to the book and is the object of buy in
the relative clause)
Whose / Whom

Whose: Used for possessions of people, animals

• He’s a man whose opinion I respect.
• She’s the student whose handwriting is the best in my class.

Whom: Used for people when the person is the object of the verb
• The author whom you criticized in your review has written a letter in
reply.
Relative Pronoun Reduction

Relative pronouns can sometimes be left out; they are understood

but not given in the sentence as in the following example:

• I bought a book (that) my sister recommended.

• The exam (that) I took this morning won’t be corrected and returned until
next week.

• If the relative pronoun is the subject of its clause, then it must be

kept. Otherwise (if is the object), the relative pronoun can
generally be dropped.
Remember

The best way to know which pronoun to use is to look at the noun
before it.

• This is the car that I drove to Paris.

• The noun before “that” is “car”, which is a thing, so we know we can use the
pronouns “that” or “which”.

• I know a woman who is a doctor.

• The noun “woman” is a person, so we know we can use “who” or “that” after
it.