what is a relative pronoun example

There are five main relative pronouns in the English language, those are. It can be used for animals when the animal does not have a name: The iguana,whichlives in our backyard, basks in the sun every day. Your submission has been received! A relative pronoun is a word that is used to introduce a relative clause, which is a type of dependent clause thats used to modify or describe a noun. The teacher whom the students respect the most is Mrs. Smith. (The clause whom the students respect the most provides additional information about the noun teacher and is the object of the verb respect). Relative Pronouns | Definition, List & Examples. He moved to New York last year. You see them used everyday with the most common relative pronouns being: who, whom, which, whoever, whomever, whichever, and that.. (the relative pronoun who refers to the noun woman already mentioned), The dog whose collar was found in our yard must be lost. If you can substitute he or she for whom and the sentence still makes sense, youre using the correct form. Relative clauses can be very useful for making complex ideas easier to understand. on Relative Pronoun | Easy Definition and Examples. The girl whose notes I borrowed is really nice. [which is restrictive, and its not the subject of the clause (people is). Your email address will not be published. Relative Pronouns Rules. The term compound relative pronoun sounds complex, but it really isnt. Various types of relative pronouns are used with different purposes at different places in the sentence. Second, knowing how to drop relative pronouns, wherever possible, makes your writing concise and smoother to read. Hence, you can drop that, shown in brackets. [that is restrictive, but its the subject of the clause. Grammarly helps you communicate confidently. Copyright 2022 GrammarBrain All rights reserved . [Who is the subject of the relative clause who only takes and takes from a friend. Hence, you is the subject of the clause.]. The car, which was used in taxi for long time, is exploded. Here are some examples of how to use that in a sentence: The book that I read was very interesting. Can you find the relative pronouns in each sentence? has been widely and correctly applied to nonhumans for hundreds of years. Relative pronouns are different from conjunctions. Relative pronoun whom, which is often preceded by a preposition, is also used to refer to people. Relative pronoun is used in the sentence to introduce a relative clause thus called as relative pronoun. All rights reserved. The possessive adjectives in English are my, your, his, her, its, our, your and their'. Relatively painless, wasnt it? Relative pronouns can function as the subject or object of the relative clause. There is another category of relative pronouns called compound relative pronouns, formed by the addition of -ever or -soever. Although who can also be used to refer to group of people such as team, committee, group, council, and fire brigade, which is a better alternative. There is more on this below.) The key is knowing what they are and how to use them correctly (and they wont even judge your lifestyle choices). The relative pronoun that is used only for things. Step-by-step process. What is pristine, the park or the street? For example: The boy whose dog I saw at the park was very friendly. Garner, B. Some plants, which are colorful, are toxic to pets. ], Its difficult to advise a person on a matter in(which) she is an expert. The relative pronoun represents the antecedent. The politician whose policies I disagree with is unpopular. Omitting the relative pronoun entirely: In some cases, the relative pronoun can be omitted entirely if it is the subject of the clause. Another common grammar mixup happens between who and that (or who, that, and which). As we can see from this example, which indicates the start of the relative clause that gives some extra information about the books condition. Which is also used when referring to things. Copyright 2023 English Topper | All Rights Reserved. Make sure you locate the subject or object both sentences refer to and then replace it with the most suitable relative pronoun. Relative pronoun whose is used to express possession for anything (people, animals, and things). A nonrestrictive clause, on the other hand, provides information that could be removed without affecting the basic meaning of the sentence. Distributive Pronoun If you still have any doubts, then comment down below, and I will respond as soon as possible. The people who were at the party were all my friends. However, it could easily be substituted for the more informal who.. Pronouns function as nouns; they can be subjects, direct objects, indirect objects, objects of a preposition, and more. I joined the weight-loss program that promised reduction of 10 kgs in a month. The type of. Some will argue that of which is a better construction when talking about things rather than people, but this results in unnecessary awkwardness. Note that clauses beginning with what act as . The parasite only takes and takes from a friend. The boy stood up. sounds complex, but it really isnt. A relative pronoun is one that opens a relative clause. The movie that I watched last weekend was really good. Types of Relative Pronouns Relative pronouns add information; interrogative pronouns ask questions to gather more information. Mr. Thompson, who is 60, has just retired from his job. Learn English with Inverted Coconut! Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. [that is restrictive, and its not the subject of the clause (my brother is). The footballer people dont know much about played key role in todays match. 2023 LoveToKnow Media. If you want to collaborate with educators from around the globe, facilitate remote learning, etc., sign up for a free account today and start making connections. Umberto loves movies that have a lot of action. Use these words when youre not sure who (or what) youre talking about. Police officers and firefighters are people. According to the Collins Dictionary, a relative pronoun is a word such as who, that, or which that is used to introduce a relative clause. The Macmillan Dictionary gives a similar definition. (Note that a restrictive relative clause is an essential part of the sentence as it makes the noun specific; it comes without commas. It has a subject and a verb. In other words, it introduces subordinate clauses and connects them to the main clause in a sentence. (This is why it is a type of adjective.) People who / that read science fiction also enjoy fantasy. ; The seven kingdoms which are ruled by different houses answers to him. Relative pronouns are that, which, who, whom, whose.. What Are Syllables, and How Do You Count Them? Relative pronouns can be used to join two sentences. Examples of relative pronouns are like that, whichever, which, when, who, whoever, whichsoever, whom, whomever, whosoever, whose, whomsoever, whosesoever, whatsoever, whatever, etc. Relative pronoun is used in the sentence to introduce a relative clause thus called as relative pronoun. For example, we shouldnt write the above sentence as (comments that go with examples are in square brackets): The doctor, whom I met, attended the same school as I did. [whom is not the subject of the clause, but its non-restrictive. Remember, a clause has to have at least a subject and a verb. For example: The car which I bought last week is already having problems. The main English relative pronouns are which, that, who, and whom. Explore the topic further on this dedicated resource page: Find more posts on clause and learn the topic in-depth: Anil is the person behind content on this website, which is visited by 3,000,000+ learners every year. All rights reserved. When they come before a noun in a question, they're functioning as interrogative determiners. But the clause exists even after dropping the relative pronoun. Teena did not return the white bag that she borrowed. Relative pronoun can be defined as A relative pronoun is used to connect a clause or phrase to a noun or pronoun. Relative clauses are also known as adjective clauses because they identify or provide additional information about the subject of the independent clause to which they are related. They are used to join two clauses together, with the relative pronoun acting as the subject or object of the relative clause. Reordering the sentence can help, but rewriting it would be even better. The book which I bought yesterday is excellent. I want to receive exclusive email updates from YourDictionary. In this example, "that" is the relative pronoun referring to "the house." "That" introduces the relative clause "that is under construction.". That clarifies the noun youre talking about in essential clauses which adds more information in non-essential clauses. The dog which I adopted from the shelter is very playful. Learn more about how these words are used as relative pronouns. Ragula Chakradhar is a student who is always passionate to learn something new and teach it to the world in the easiest way possible. She finally visited the coffee shop that had such great reviews. Yet you may want to consider that your readers could disagree. Likeall pronouns, relative pronouns replace nouns. Place an antecedent exactly before the relative pronoun that refers to it to guarantee clarity. Dont be a parasite who only takes and takes from a friend. Whomever and whoever can also be considered relative pronouns. Interrogative Pronoun. Here are some examples of how relative pronouns can be used in sentences. A few examples of relative pronouns include who, that, whose, which, and whom.. It surprises some people to learn that both, is a better construction when talking about things rather than people, but this results in unnecessary awkwardness. [Relative pronoun can be dropped and for moved to after responsible. We replaced he with a relative pronoun who to form the relative clause who attended the same school as I did and attached it to the first sentence. Like adjectives, these clauses in some way, , are words that join clausesin this case, a relative clause to its main clause. Fact checkers review articles for factual accuracy, relevance, and timeliness. It can also be used to introduce a clause or phrase which provides more information about the preceding noun or pronoun. Consider these sentences about my visit to hospital. Whereas, Who is used when the pronoun is the object of the clause. A relative pronoun is a pronoun thats used to introduce a relative clause. Youre not the first person who has pointed that out to me. The truth is that for hundreds of years, it has been widely and correctly applied to nonhumans. This is a person, whose dog was stolen right from the home. As a relative pronoun what means 'the things which.'. Dalia Y.: Dalia is an English Major and linguistics expert with an additional degree in Psychology. document.getElementById("ak_js_1").setAttribute("value",(new Date()).getTime()); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. They relate to their antecedent hence the relative part of their name. Its never used for things. Who replaces the teacher, and whom replaces the children. It can sometimes be used to refer to people, but prefer who or whom, which are specifically meant for people. Heres a tip: Want to make sure your writing shines? In the first sentence, for examples, the remaining part has its own subject (my brother) and verb (bought). The answer is yes if their clause functions as a noun, not an adjective. For example, the sentence The book that I am reading is interesting contains a relative clause (that I am reading) that modifies the noun book. The relative clausecomes after a noun or noun phrase (called the antecedent) and gives some additional information about the thing or person in question. To some, the following sentence may sound incorrect. In the following examples, that and whom modify the subject: The house that Jack built is large. (Relative pronoun for which feels awkward) The three relative adverbs are where, when, and why.. My brother, whose phone is lost, is an engineering student. It may seem as though there are a few words missing from the list above. (The clause whom I admire the most provides additional information about the noun actor and is the object of the verb admire). 4. (This is correct but cumbersome.). The movie, which I saw last night, was really good. (The clause which I saw last night provides additional, but not necessary, information about the noun movie and can be omitted without changing the meaning of the sentence). In other words, if you removed a restrictive clause, the meaning of the sentence would change drastically, becoming much less specific. Have you played the bottle game that is liked by all? Who is used as the subject of a relative clause, while whom is used as the object. (The clause whose class I enjoyed the most provides additional information about the noun teacher and indicates that the teacher owns the class). My neighbor Jamil, whom Id never met before, came over to introduce himself yesterday. Sid won a lottery. What is the difference between a pronoun and a relative pronoun? A relative pronoun is a pronoun that marks a relative clause. Required fields are marked *. He writes on most aspects of English Language Skills. Advanced suggestions for simplified writing, Grammar, tone, clarity, style guides, and more, Writing assistance on 500,000+ apps and sites across your devices, For desktop apps and websites like Word and Gmail, For sites like Google Docs, Gmail, and LinkedIn, Check for grammar, spelling, and punctuation mistakes, Format citations in APA, MLA, and Chicago, is a word that introduces a dependent (or relative) clause and connects it to an independent clause. The standard relative pronouns in English are which, that, who, whom, and whose. Examples of relative pronouns include who, whom, whose, where, when, why, that, which, and how. The pristine park at the end of our street is a favorite place of mine. Definition of Relative Pronouns: A relative pronoun works as a connector between two clauses. Chances are, you use relative pronouns so often that you dont think twice about it. In the above sentence, were putting main information in the relative clause, which turns things upside down. However, a more advanced step to make writing concisely is to reduce a relative clause to a phrase, a tool commonly used by professional writers. Simply put, apply universally to a number of people or things. There are also compound ones. Unfortunately, its becoming quite archaic, which means its coming out of use. Like conjunctions, relative pronouns are words that connect clausesin this case, a relative clause to its main clause. (The relative pronoun is "who." It heads the adjective clause "who found my wallet.") It is the same issue that we raised yesterday. (If you recall, who replaced Dr Johnson in the last of the three sentences, just like pronouns do.). Such short, similar sentences in succession make writing monotonous and boring. (That refers to the cat and provides more information about it). For Example: The person who stayed with me last night was my best friend. This is my brother who moved to New York last year. Relative pronouns are important connecting devices. We had our college reunion dinner in the seafood restaurant. A restrictive clause is an essential part of its sentence; if it were taken out of the sentence, the sentences meaning would change. The noun the pronoun refers to is called the antecedent: Go with the safer bet, who. Theyre not called relative pronouns because they show up on holidays and at family weddings. As we mentioned earlier, the relative pronouns that primary pupils will encounter are: These words are usually used in the middle or end of sentences to introduce the relative clause. 6. They can describe people, things (including animals), places, abstract ideas, or just about any noun as long as they refer to the subject or object contained in the main clause. Write with Grammarly, Who: Refers to a person (as the verbs subject), Whom: Refers to a person (as the verbs object), That: Refers to a person, animal, or thing. I hope that you understood the topic well. The mansion whose landlord is on holiday has an unappealing garden. Now that you know how to use relative pronouns correctly, theres just one issue left how do you choose the right one and avoid annoying grammar mistakes? Indefinite Pronoun However, with a relative clause, it is always possible to put one in. It functions like a conjunction to combine parts of a sentence. The difference between who and whom is rarely observed in everyday speech nowadayspeople mostly just say whobut you should distinguish between them in formal and academic writing. Sign up for our weekly newsletters and get: By signing in, you agree to our Terms and Conditions The company whose products I always buy has excellent customer service. This is my brother. User: Identify the sentence that correctly uses in indefinite articles (More) And thats the relative pronoun in a nutshell. A pronoun is part of speech that takes the place of a noun (person, place, thing, or idea) or noun phrase. A relative adverb is a type of adverb used to introduce a dependent or relative clause (i.e., a clause that contains a subject and verb but cant act as a standalone sentence). Nonrestrictive (or nonessential) clauses are set off with commas, as shown in the example above. A clause beginning with a relative pronoun is poised to answer questions such as Which one? Simply put, compound relative pronouns apply universally to a number of people or things. I love the ukulele that my aunt bought me. In fact, relative pronouns are around a lot more often than any distant aunts or cousins youll see on Thanksgiving you probably use them in conversation every day. Grammarly can check your spelling and save you from grammar and punctuation mistakes. Here is a brief summary of the five relative pronouns: Note: Feel free to use the above image, using the link (url) of this post for reference/attribution. The possessive pronoun form of who, whose, can also be used as a relative pronoun to indicate ownership, but its rare and usually reads unnaturally. Reciprocal Pronoun Please tell whoever may call that I am not available. A rare, precious opportunity that comes with some problems is better than a regular opportunity that is perfect. A relative pronoun (who in the above sentence) is used to join two sentences that share a noun or pronoun: Dr Johnson and he (highlighted in bold) are one and the same. A relative pronoun is used to introduce (or head) an adjective phrase. Sid, who is my brothers friend, won a lottery. Having moderate amount of something may be beneficial than having excess, which may be harmful. But they can also function as relative pronouns when wording gets confusing, especially with the pronoun which. For example: Also Read: What is a Pronoun? If you removed them, the sentence would convey basically the same information. Both who and whom refer to people, but whereas the former always takes the subject position, the latter always takes the object position. A relative pronoun is a word that introduces a dependent (or relative) clause and connects it to an independent clause. 2. So pupils dont need to worry about this one too much, but its helpful for them to be aware of it when they read older or formal texts. Fowlers dictionary of modern English usage (4th ed.). target_type: 'mix'
Its also common to use who to refer to the object noun phrase, but this wasnt considered standard English. The scientist whom I interviewed for my research paper was very knowledgeable. (The clause whom I interviewed for my research paper provides additional information about the noun scientist and is the object of the verb interviewed). How many are there? (Whom is the object of the clause whom the students admire). (2015). The person who I met at the store was very nice. Thank you! Though often interchangeable with who in informal settings, whom should be used when referring to the object of a verb or preposition. 9. Oxford modern English grammar. That is often used when referring to people or things. Here are few examples of each of them along with information on where theyre used. The footballer about whom not much is known in the public domain played key role in todays match. Examples of relative pronouns include who, whom, whose, which and that. Example: These books are mine. Relative Pronouns. Here, which is joining the two related clauses about choosing a colour and a colour which would look good on everyone. However, whom is still considered correct and is often used in formal written English. For example, below, were not sure whether the speakers husband or their father-in-law is called Joe, until the sentence is rephrased for clarity. A clause beginning with a, , because they identify or give us additional information about the subject of the independent clause they relate to.

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