Relative pronouns

from English Grammar Today

Relative pronouns introduce relative clauses. The most common relative pronouns are who,
whom, whose, which, that. The relative pronoun we use depends on what we are referring to and
the type of relative clause.

who people and sometimes pet animals defining and non-defining

defining and non-defining;
which animals and things clause referring to a whole
sentence
that people, animals and things; informal defining only
possessive meaning;
whose defining and non-defining
for people and animals usually; sometimes for things
in formal situations
people in formal styles or in writing; often with a
whom preposition; rarely in conversation; used instead of defining and non-defining
who if who is the object
no relative when the relative pronoun defines the object of the
defining only
pronoun clause

(In the examples, the relative pronoun is in brackets to show where it is not essential; the person
or thing being referred to is underlined.)

We don’t know the person who donated this money.

We drove past my old school, which is celebrating its 100th anniversary this year.

He went to the school (that) my father went to.

The Kingfisher group, whose name was changed from Woolworths earlier this year, includes
about 720 high street shops. Superdrug, which last week announced that it is buying Medicare,
is also part of the group.

The parents (whom/who/that) we interviewed were all involved in education in some way.

Relative pronouns: who

We use who in relative clauses to refer to people, and sometimes to pet animals. We use it to
introduce defining and non-defining relative clauses:
I think there’d be a lot of children who’d love to have a climbing wall in school. (defining)

That’s the dog who doesn’t like me. (defining; referring to a pet animal)

There’s this guy at work, who’s one of my friends, well he’s never been on a train. (non-
defining)

Subjects and objects

Who can act as the subject or the object of the relative clause:

She’s going out with a bloke who’s in the army. (who refers to a bloke and is the subject of is in
the relative clause; bloke is an informal word for a man)

The woman who I saw yesterday was Sheila. (who refers to the woman and is the object of saw in
the relative clause)

Who + prepositions

We can use who as the complement of a preposition:

It was Cath who Ian gave the keys to. It wasn’t me. (who refers to Cath and is the complement of
the preposition to)

We put the preposition at the end of the relative clause, and not immediately before who:

Of all my friends, she’s the one who I know I can rely on.

Not: … the one on who I know I can rely.

Who with collective groups of people

We often use who with collective human nouns (e.g. committee, government, group, panel,
police, team):

Nicola phoned the fire brigade, who then alerted the police and social workers.

We do not use who for things:

There are some very good art books which you can get ideas from.

Not: There are some very good art books who you can get ideas from.
Relative pronouns: whom
Warning:

We use whom in formal styles or in writing to refer to people when the person is the object of the
verb. It is much more common in writing than in speaking:

The response of those managers whom I have consulted has been very positive and we are
looking forward to meeting together. (whom refers to those managers and is the object of
consulted in the relative clause)

She was a celebrated actress whom he had known and loved, on and off, almost since her first
appearance on the stage.

Whom + prepositions

The most common use of whom is with a preposition. We can use whom as the complement of a
preposition:

The first book was a terrible historical novel for children which was turned down by every
publisher to whom it was sent. (whom refers to every publisher and is the complement of the
preposition to)

Drama in schools is particularly good for pupils for whom English is a second language.

We put the preposition before whom.

Compare
more formal less formal
There was only one person to whom the old There was only one person who the old man
man spoke. spoke to.
She smiled as she remembered the quiet
She smiled as she remembered the quiet scholar
scholar who she had shared a love of books
with whom she had shared a love of books.
with.

Relative pronoun: whose

We usually use whose as a relative pronoun to indicate possession by people and animals. In
more formal styles we can also use it for things.

We use whose before nouns instead of a possessive expression (my, your, his, her, its, our, their,
x’s) in defining and non-defining clauses:
He’s marrying a girl whose family don’t seem to like him. (The family of the girl he’s marrying
don’t seem to like him.)

There was me and there was Kate, whose party it was, and then there were two other people. (It
was Kate’s party.)

It is a rambling Tudor house, whose sitting room looks out over a wonderful walled garden. (The
sitting room of the house looks out over …)

Whose + prepositions

We can use whose + noun as the complement of a preposition:

Kate, whose sister I used to shared a house with, has gone to work in Australia. (whose sister
refers to Kate and is the complement of with)

We can put the preposition immediately before the relative pronoun (more formal written styles)
or at the end of the relative clause (more informal).

Compare
more formal more informal
Thomas Goldney III, in whose house and Thomas Goldney III, whose house and garden
garden several generations of Bristol students several generations of Bristol students have
have now lived, was described in the late 18th now lived in, was described in the late 18th
century as ‘a very curious gentleman’. century as ‘a very curious gentleman’.

Relative pronouns: which

We use which in relative clauses to refer to animals and to things. We use it to introduce defining
and non-defining relative clauses. We always use which to introduce relative clauses when they
refer to a whole sentence or clause:

You need to tick the box which says yes. (defining)

He won’t have much time to prepare for the meeting, which is this afternoon. (non-defining)

She had to get up and walk all the way to the other side of the room, which isn’t easy with a bad
back. (which refers to the whole sentence before it)

We use which or that, not what:

Another activity which/that I have chosen is photography.

Not: Another activity what I have chosen is photography.

Subjects and objects

Which can act as the subject or the object of the relative clause:

The new sports complex, which will be built on the site of the old power station, will provide
facilities for cricket, soccer, bowls and badminton. (which refers to the new sports complex and
is the subject of will be built in the relative clause)

It was the same picture which I saw at the National Gallery. (which refers to the same picture
and is the object of saw in the relative clause)

Which + prepositions

We can use which as the complement of a preposition:

Early in the Autumn Term there is a reception at which you can meet current staff and students.
(which refers to a reception and is the complement of at)

Close by, in the churchyard, is the famous Rudston stone, from which the village takes its name.
(which refers to the famous Rudston stone and is the complement of from)

We can put the preposition immediately before the relative pronoun (more formal) or at the end
of the relative clause (more informal).

Compare
more formal more informal
The title of the poem indicates that the poet knows himself to I’ve never felt close to the
be separated from the community in which he grew up. community which I grew up in.

Which referring to a whole sentence

Relative clauses referring to a whole sentence are always introduced by which:

There’s going to be a new headteacher in September, which is good. It’s time for a change.

[talking about a playschool for young children]

A:

It’s lovely and clean there, and there are lots of toys that he can play with and he’s so happy.

B:

Which is much more important.

Relative pronouns: that
We use that instead of who, whom or which in relative clauses to refer to people, animals and
things. We use it to introduce defining clauses only. That is more informal than who, whom or
which:

We met somebody last night that did the speech therapy course two years after you. (refers to a
person)

The 8.30 is the train that you need to get. (refers to a thing)

She blamed herself for everything that had happened.

Subjects and objects

That can act as the subject or the object of the relative clause:

He finally remembers one lesson that his mum had taught him early – Don’t take money that
doesn’t belong to you. (that refers to money and is the subject of belong in the relative clause)

It’s the same cooker that my mother has. (that refers to the same cooker and is the object of has
in the relative clause)

That after superlatives

We often use that after superlatives:

The Wimbledon men’s final was the best game of tennis that I’ve ever seen.

That + prepositions

That can refer to the complement of a preposition:

We’ve got some tennis balls that you can play with. (that refers to some tennis balls and is the
complement of the preposition with)

Warning:

Unlike which, whom and whose, we can’t use that with the preposition immediately before it:

Not: We’ve got some tennis balls with that you can play.
No relative pronoun
In informal styles, we often leave out the relative pronoun. We only do this in defining relative
clauses, and when the relative pronoun is the object of the verb. We don’t leave out the relative
pronoun when it is the subject of the verb nor in non-defining relative clauses:

German is a language which I’ve found hard to learn. (or German is a language I’ve found hard
to learn.) (defining relative clause: which is the object)

She’s the singer who I heard on the radio. (or She’s the singer I heard on the radio.) (defining
relative clause: who is the object)

There’s a hill which begins three miles after the start of the race. (defining relative clause: which
is the subject)

Not: There’s a hill begins three miles after the start of the race.

Sir James, whose birthday is on February 26, plans to lay on a big party. (non-defining relative
clause)

No relative pronoun + preposition

In defining relative clauses, we can also leave out the relative pronoun when it is the complement
of a preposition. When we do this, we always put the preposition at the end of the relative clause:

She was at the garden party which I was telling you about. (or She was at the garden party
about which I was telling you. or She was at the garden party I was telling you about.) (defining
relative clause: which is the complement of about)

Relative pronouns: when, where and why

In informal language, we often use where, when or why to introduce defining relative clauses
instead of at which, on which or for which.

I know a restaurant where the food is excellent.

where places
(… a restaurant at which the food is excellent)
There isn’t a day when I don’t feel rushed off my feet.
when times
(… a day on which I don’t feel rushed …)
Do you know the reason why the shop is closed today?
why reasons
 (… the reason for which the shop is closed …)

Relative pronouns: typical errors

 We can’t use that instead of who, whom or which in non-defining relative clauses:

It gives me a good chance to improve my Italian, which has become a little bit rusty.

Not: It gives me a good chance to improve my Italian, that has become a little bit rusty.

 We don’t use what as a relative pronoun:

So, he can make himself easily understood in the two languages, which helps a lot.

Not: So, he can make himself easily understood in the two languages, what helps a lot.

 We don’t use who for things:

She’s written some great cookery books which have got pictures of delicious-looking recipes.

Not: She’s written some great cookery books who have got pictures of delicious-looking recipes.

 Take care to spell which correctly: not ‘wich’.

See also:

 Relative pronouns: that

(“Relative pronouns” from English Grammar Today © Cambridge University Press

1. This is the boy had an accident.

2. Yesterday I saw a car was really old.
3. Mandy is the girl I met on Friday.
4. I haven't seen Frank, brother is five, for a long time now.
5. The robber stole the car the lady parked in front of the supermarket.
6. This is the man house is on fire.
7. Can I talk to the girl is sitting on the bench?
8. The book you gave me is great.
 9. She likes hamburgers are hot.
10. Bill Clinton, was President of the USA, has only one daughter.

1. This is the town ...................... I spent my childhood.

where

that

which

2. This is the town in .................... I spent my childhood.

where

which

that

3. This is the house .................... I was born in.

where

which

Either could be used here

4. Here is an article ..................... might interest you.

it

which

which it

5. I gave her a bag ......................... she put in her bag at once.

which

which it

it

6. This is Alice ........................... you met last year.

whom

that

Either could be used here

7. I was impressed by the way ............................ she did it.

which

in which
how

8. They got divorced a few months later ............................ surprised nobody.

that

what

which

9. The people ......................... live next door are not very friendly.
who

that

Either could be used here

10. The only thing ................. matters is to find our way home.
which

that

Either could be used here

11. The woman ............................. I marry should have good sense of humor.
who

whom

Either could be used here

12. She was loved by the people with .............................. she worked.
who

that

whom