5 commonly used relative pronouns in English: Who, Which, That, Whose, Whom

Who, which, that, whose, and whom are common relative pronouns in English. However, have you fully grasped how to use these relative pronouns correctly? If not, this article from PREP will help Preppies clarify all doubts regarding the meanings and proper usage of relative pronouns. Be sure to carefully read the content below!

I. Relative pronoun definition

Relative pronouns in English are used to replace a noun or noun phrase within a sentence, connecting that sentence to a relative clause. Relative pronouns help expand sentences and create connections between clauses in a piece of writing.

The list of relative pronouns includes that, which, whom, whose and who. Below are some relative pronoun examples:

• The relative pronouns "who" and "whom" are used to refer to people. For example: "The man who is standing over there is my brother."
• The relative pronoun "whose" is used to indicate possession. For example: "The man, whose car was stolen, reported the incident to the police."
• The relative pronoun "which" is used to refer to inanimate objects or non-human animals. For example: "The book which I borrowed from the library is very interesting."
• The relative pronoun "that" can be used for both people and inanimate objects/non-human animals. For example: "The car that I bought last week broke down."

II. The functions of relative pronouns in a sentence

English relative pronouns have the important function of linking clauses and replacing nouns or noun phrases in a sentence. Here are some specific functions of relative pronouns for your reference!

III. The structures and usage of relative pronouns

As presented above, there are five main relative pronouns in English. However, do you understand the structure and usage of each relative pronoun clearly? If you still have doubts, PREP will help you gain a deeper understanding of them through sentences using relative pronouns below!

1. Who - a pronoun referring to a person

The relative pronoun "who" is used in a relative clause to provide additional information about the noun immediately preceding it. For example:

• I think there’d be a lot of children who’d love to have a climbing wall in school.
• That’s the person who doesn’t like me.
• There’s this guy at work, who’s one of my friends, well he’s never been on a train. 

2. Whom – a pronoun referring to a person

The relative pronoun "whom" is used to replace a noun or noun phrase referring to a person in a sentence. It is commonly used as the object of a relative clause.

For example:

• The woman whom I met yesterday is a doctor. ➞ The relative pronoun "whom" replaces the noun "The woman," and the relative clause following "whom" provides additional information about "The woman." 
• The students whom the teacher praised were happy. ➞ The relative pronoun "whom" replaces the noun "The students," and the relative clause following "whom" provides additional information about "The students."
• He is a famous actor whom many people admire. ➞ The relative pronoun "whom" replaces the noun phrase "a famous actor," and the relative clause following "whom" provides additional information about "a famous actor."

In addition, we often come across "preposition + whom" to express a more formal tone in the sentence. For example:

• The letter was addressed to the manager, to whom I had sent an email earlier. 
• This gift is for my sister, for whom I bought a special necklace. 
• I went on a vacation with my parents, with whom I always enjoy spending time. 

3. Whose – a pronoun referring to possession

The relative pronoun "whose" is used to indicate possession or ownership of a person or object in a sentence. "Whose" is often used to replace a noun or noun phrase. For example:

• The woman whose car was stolen reported the incident to the police. ➞ The relative pronoun "whose" + car indicates the ownership relationship of "car" belonging to "the woman."
• I read a book whose author is a Nobel laureate. ➞ The relative pronoun "whose" + author indicates the ownership relationship of "author" belonging to "a book." 
• The company whose CEO resigned is facing financial difficulties. ➞ The relative pronoun "whose" + CEO indicates the ownership relationship of "CEO" belonging to "the company."

4. Which – a pronoun referring to objects

The relative pronoun "which" is used to replace a thing or a group of nouns in a sentence. For example:

• The laptop, which is on the table, is mine. ➞ The relative pronoun "which" replaces "the laptop" in the sentence.
• I bought a new laptop, which has a fast processor. ➞ The relative pronoun "which" replaces "a new laptop" in the sentence.
• The house, which was built in the 19th century, is now a museum. ➞ The relative pronoun "which" replaces "the house" in the sentence.

In addition, we often come across the relative pronoun "which" used with prepositions. Let's explore the position of prepositions when used with the relative pronoun "which" and the different ways they are used.

• Preposition + Which (more formal): The title of the poem indicates that the poet knows himself to be separated from the community in which he grew up.
• Preposition at the end of the relative clause (less formal): I've never felt close to the community which I grew up in.

5. That – a special pronoun referring to both people and objects

The relative pronoun "that" is used to replace both people and things/animals in a sentence. For example:

• The cat that is sitting on the mat is mine. ➞ The relative pronoun "that" replaces "the cat" in the sentence.
• The car that I bought last week broke down. ➞ The relative pronoun "that" replaces "the car" in the sentence.
• The person that I met at the party was very friendly. ➞ The relative pronoun "that" replaces "the person" in the sentence.

In addition, we often see the structure "Superlatives + That" in sentences. For example:

• It was the most exciting movie that I have ever watched.
• He is the tallest person that I have ever seen.
• This is the best restaurant that I have ever been to.

Last is the structure "That + prepositions" in sentences. For example:

• We’ve got some tennis balls that you can play with. 
• He is the person that I was talking to. 
• This is the book that I was searching for. 

IV. Notes on relative pronouns

When using relative pronouns like who, whom, whose, which, and that, you need to pay attention to the following important notes:

• “Who” and “Whom” often cause confusion: 
  • "Who" is often used as the subject of a relative clause. For example: "The girl who is singing has a beautiful voice."
  • "Whom" is often used as the object of a verb or preposition in a relative clause. For example: "The man whom she met is her boss."
• The pronoun "Whose" is used to indicate possession or ownership by a person or object in a sentence. For example: "The book whose cover is torn belongs to me."
• The pronoun "Which" is used to replace objects or a group of nouns in a sentence. For example: "The car which is parked outside is mine."
• The pronoun "That" is used to replace both people and things/animals. It can be used as a substitute for "who," "whom," and "which." For example: "The girl that I met yesterday is my neighbor."

Note that in everyday language, the use of "whom" and "whose" is less common, and "that" is often used as a substitute for both people and things. However, in academic writing or formal texts, using the appropriate relative pronouns accurately will create clarity and precision in specific contexts!

V. Omitting relative pronouns

Omitting relative pronouns is the process of removing relative pronouns in a sentence while still preserving the meaning of the original sentence. Typically, when a sentence contains an unambiguous relative pronoun, we can omit it to make the sentence more concise.

For example:

• The woman who is sitting at the back of the room is my teacher. ➞ After omitting the relative pronoun: The woman sitting at the back of the room is my teacher. 
• The book that I bought yesterday is very interesting. ➞ After omitting the relative pronoun: The book I bought yesterday is very interesting.
• The restaurant which serves delicious food is always crowded. ➞ After omitting the relative pronoun: The restaurant serving delicious food is always crowded.

Omitting relative pronouns makes the sentences more concise, and the meaning can still be understood by the listener or reader based on the context. However, omitting relative pronouns is not always the most appropriate choice. You should consider the specific context and the clarity of the sentence before deciding to omit them.

VI. Exercises on relative pronouns & detailed answers

Exercise: Fill the relative pronouns Who, whom, whose, which, that into the appropriate blanks

• The girl __________ won the singing competition is my friend.
• The man to __________ I gave the book is my neighbor.
• The car __________ belongs to my brother is parked outside.
• The dog __________ is playing in the park is very friendly.
• The house __________ roof was damaged in the storm is being repaired.
• The teacher __________ teaches math is very knowledgeable.
• The restaurant __________ serves delicious food is always crowded.
• The boy __________ won the race is my brother.
• The book __________ I borrowed from the library is very interesting.
• The laptop __________ I bought last week stopped working.

Answer keys:

• who
• whom
• that
• which
• whose
• who 
• that 
• who 
• that 
• that 

Through the article, you have definitely mastered the knowledge of relative pronouns inside out, haven't you? Just focus on reading and studying all the theoretical knowledge combined with practicing the exercises at the end of the article, and you will surely have a deep understanding and a lasting memory. Wishing you success!