1. Relative Pronouns

2. Relative pronouns are that, who, whom, whose, which. They are used to join clauses to make a complex sentence.

3. Relative Pronouns 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:

4. 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 (whom) you talked with, is my nephew.

5. 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.

6. 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.

7. 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 talked, is my cousin.

8. 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.

9. Relative Pronouns ＊ In these examples, that has the antecedents people and newspaper, and introduces the 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.

10. 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.

11. 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.

12. 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.

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 Sue’s brother.

14. Relative Pronouns Restrictive clauses and Non-restrictive 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.

15. Relative Pronouns The book that Sean is reading is George’s. (the restrictive clause “Sean is reading” tells which book is George’s.)

16. 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.

17. Relative Pronouns That boy, who is tall and slim, is my sister’s boyfriend. (that CAN’T be used in a non- restrictive sentence)