Relative Pronouns — Complete Grammar Guide
What are Relative Pronouns?
Relative pronouns are words that introduce a relative clause. They connect a relative clause to a noun or pronoun in the main clause. The main relative pronouns are: who, whom, whose, which and that.
A relative clause gives extra information about a noun. Example: The boy who is standing there is my brother.
Why Do We Use Relative Pronouns?
Relative pronouns help us join two sentences into one and give more information about a person, thing or place. In the SEE examination, relative pronouns are tested through sentence joining, fill-in-the-blank questions and choosing the correct relative pronoun. Mastering them improves sentence structure and writing quality.
- To join two sentences into one complex sentence
- To give extra information about a noun
- To make writing more fluent and connected
- It is an important topic in Grade 10 SEE English
Main Relative Pronouns and Their Uses
1. Who
“Who” is used for people. It acts as the subject of the relative clause.
- The girl who won the prize is my sister.
- I met a man who can speak five languages.
- The teacher who teaches us English is very kind.
2. Whom
“Whom” is used for people. It acts as the object of the relative clause. It is more formal and is often replaced by “who” in modern English.
- The man whom I met yesterday is a doctor.
- She is the girl whom we helped.
- The person to whom I spoke was very helpful.
3. Whose
“Whose” is used to show possession. It can refer to people, animals or things.
- The boy whose bag was stolen is crying.
- I saw a house whose roof was damaged.
- She is the writer whose books are very popular.
4. Which
“Which” is used for things and animals. It can be the subject or object of the relative clause.
- This is the book which I bought yesterday.
- The car which is parked outside is mine.
- She showed me the photos which she had taken.
5. That
“That” can be used for people, things and animals in defining relative clauses. It is very common in spoken and informal English.
- The boy that won the race is my cousin.
- This is the house that we lived in.
- I lost the pen that you gave me.
Summary Table of Relative Pronouns
| Relative Pronoun | Used for | Function | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| who | People | Subject | The girl who is singing is my sister. |
| whom | People | Object | The man whom I saw was a teacher. |
| whose | People / Things | Possession | The boy whose bicycle was stolen is sad. |
| which | Things / Animals | Subject or Object | The book which is on the table is mine. |
| that | People / Things / Animals | Subject or Object (defining clauses) | The car that he bought is new. |
Defining vs Non-defining Relative Clauses
Defining Relative Clauses
A defining relative clause gives essential information about the noun. Without it, the meaning of the sentence is not clear. We do not use commas.
- The man who lives next door is a doctor.
- I have lost the book that you lent me.
- Students who work hard get good marks.
Non-defining Relative Clauses
A non-defining relative clause gives extra information that is not essential. We use commas to separate it from the main clause. We cannot use “that” in non-defining clauses.
- My father, who is a teacher, lives in Kathmandu.
- Mount Everest, which is the highest mountain, is in Nepal.
- Ram, whose father is a doctor, studies in our school.
Omitting the Relative Pronoun
We can omit the relative pronoun when it is the object of the relative clause (especially in defining clauses).
| With Relative Pronoun | Without Relative Pronoun |
|---|---|
| The book which I bought is interesting. | The book I bought is interesting. |
| The man whom I met was kind. | The man I met was kind. |
| The film that we watched was boring. | The film we watched was boring. |
We cannot omit the relative pronoun when it is the subject.
- Correct: The boy who is standing there is my brother.
- Incorrect: The boy is standing there is my brother.
Relative Adverbs (Related)
Sometimes relative adverbs are taught with relative pronouns.
| Relative Adverb | Used for | Example |
|---|---|---|
| where | Place | This is the school where I studied. |
| when | Time | I remember the day when we first met. |
| why | Reason | That is the reason why she left. |
Important Rules
- 1Use “who” for people as subject; “whom” for people as object (formal).
- 2Use “whose” for possession.
- 3Use “which” for things and animals.
- 4Use “that” for people, things and animals in defining clauses.
- 5Do not use “that” in non-defining relative clauses.
- 6Use commas in non-defining relative clauses; do not use commas in defining clauses.
- 7You can omit the relative pronoun when it is the object of the clause.
- 8Do not omit the relative pronoun when it is the subject.
Common Mistakes
- 1Wrong: The boy which is standing there is my brother. Correct: The boy who is standing there is my brother. Reason: Use “who” for people.
- 2Wrong: The book who is on the table is mine. Correct: The book which/that is on the table is mine. Reason: Use “which” or “that” for things.
- 3Wrong: My father that is a teacher lives in Pokhara. Correct: My father, who is a teacher, lives in Pokhara. Reason: Non-defining clause needs “who” and commas.
- 4Wrong: The man who I met him was kind. Correct: The man who/whom I met was kind. Reason: Do not repeat the object.
- 5Wrong: The house that its roof was damaged is old. Correct: The house whose roof was damaged is old. Reason: Use “whose” for possession.
- 6Wrong: The girl is singing is my sister. Correct: The girl who is singing is my sister. Reason: Do not omit the relative pronoun when it is the subject.
Remember (Memory Tricks)
- who → people (subject)
- whom → people (object)
- whose → possession (of people or things)
- which → things and animals
- that → people, things, animals (defining only)
- Defining = no commas; Non-defining = commas
- Object relative pronoun can be omitted; subject cannot
- where = place; when = time; why = reason
SEE Exam Tips
- 1Identify whether the noun is a person, thing or place.
- 2Decide if the relative pronoun is the subject or object of the clause.
- 3Check whether the clause is defining (essential) or non-defining (extra information).
- 4Use commas only for non-defining clauses.
- 5In sentence joining questions, replace the repeated noun with the correct relative pronoun.
- 6Avoid repeating the object after the relative pronoun.
- 7Practise joining pairs of sentences regularly — this is a common SEE question type.
How Relative Pronouns Appear in SEE
- Join the following pairs of sentences using suitable relative pronouns
- Fill in the blanks with appropriate relative pronouns
- Choose the correct relative pronoun
- Rewrite the sentences using relative clauses
Quick Revision
- who = people (subject)
- whom = people (object)
- whose = possession
- which = things / animals
- that = people / things / animals (defining)
- Defining clause → no commas
- Non-defining clause → commas + no “that”
- Object relative pronoun can be omitted
- Subject relative pronoun cannot be omitted