Relative Pronouns
Relative Pronouns
Relative pronouns introduce dependent clauses that modify nouns or pronouns in a main clause.
Relative pronouns include:
who, whom, whose, which, and that.
The choice of which relative pronoun to use depends on the role of the noun or pronoun it is replacing.
Usage Situations:
To introduce a defining or essential clause that is necessary to the meaning of the sentence.
Example: The book that I’m reading is really interesting. (here, that introduces a clause that defines which book the speaker is referring to.)
To introduce a non-defining or non-essential clause that provides extra information but is not necessary for the sentence’s meaning.
Example: My best friend, who lives in Chicago, is coming to visit. (Here, who introduces a clause that provides additional information about the speaker’s friend but is not necessary to understand the sentence.)
Forms:
Who / Whom
Who is used as a subject, while whom is used as an object:
Example: The woman who / whom I met at the party is a doctor.
Whose is used to show possession:
Example: The house whose roof is red is mine.
Which / That
Which and that are used to refer to things?
while who and whom are used to refer to people:
Which introduces a non-restrictive or non-essential clause, while that introduces a restrictive or essential clause.
Example: The car which / that I bought last month is very fast (essential clause).
Example: The car, which is red, is very fast (non-essential clause).
Some people use that and which interchangeably in non-restrictive clauses, although it’s more common to use which for non-restrictive clauses.
Essential and non-essential clauses are types of relative clauses that provide additional information about the noun or pronoun that precedes them. Here’s how to understand the difference:
Essential clauses, also known as restrictive clauses, essential clauses are necessary to the meaning of the sentence. Without them, the sentence would be incomplete or ambiguous.
Essential clauses do not have commas before or after them, and they cannot be removed from the sentence without changing its meaning.
The relative pronoun that is often used to introduce essential clauses,
but who, whom, and whose can also be used.
Examples: The book that I read last night was really good (without the essential clause that I read last night, the sentence would not make sense or would be ambiguous, since there could be many books).
The person who stole my wallet is still at large (without the essential clause who stole my wallet, the sentence would be incomplete, since the person could refer to anyone).
Non-essential clauses: also known as non-restrictive clauses, non-essential clauses provide extra information about the noun or pronoun, but they are not necessary to the meaning of the sentence.
Non-essential clauses are set off by commas before and after them, and they can be removed from the sentence without changing its meaning.
The relative pronouns: who, whom, whose, and which
are often used to introduce non-essential clauses.
Examples: My sister, who is a doctor, is coming to visit next week (the non-essential clause who is a doctor provides extra information about my sister, but it can be removed from the sentence without changing its meaning).
The book, which I read last night, was really good (the non-essential clause, which I read last night, provides extra information about the book, but it can be removed from the sentence without changing its meaning)
The Types of the English Pronouns