RAPIDEX ENGLISH SPEAKING COURSE GRAMMAR -17- PRONOUNS – RELATIVE PRONOUNS – PART-12
RAPIDEX ENGLISH SPEAKING COURSE GRAMMAR -17- PRONOUNS – RELATIVE PRONOUNS – PART-12
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Rapidex English Speaking Course
Grammar – 17: Pronouns
Relative Pronouns (Part-12)
What are Relative Pronouns?
A relative pronoun is a pronoun that introduces a relative clause and connects it to a noun or pronoun in the main clause. It provides extra information about the noun.
Common Relative Pronouns
Relative Pronoun | Usage | Example |
---|---|---|
Who | Refers to people (as a subject) | The boy who won the race is my friend. |
Whom | Refers to people (as an object) | She is the girl whom I met yesterday. |
Which | Refers to animals or things | This is the book which I borrowed. |
That | Refers to people, animals, or things (used instead of ‘who’ or ‘which’ in defining clauses) | The car that he bought is expensive. |
Whose | Shows possession | The student whose book is missing should report it. |
Types of Relative Clauses
1. Defining Relative Clauses (Essential Information)
- Gives necessary information about the noun.
- Does NOT use commas ( , ).
- Example:
- The man who lives next door is a doctor.
2. Non-Defining Relative Clauses (Extra Information)
- Provides extra details that are not necessary for identifying the noun.
- Uses commas ( , ).
- Example:
- My father, who is a retired officer, loves gardening.
Usage Rules and Examples
Who vs. Whom
- Who is used as a subject (performs the action).
- Example: The teacher who teaches us English is very kind.
- Whom is used as an object (receives the action).
- Example: The person whom I called did not answer.
Which vs. That
- Which is used for extra (non-defining) information.
- Example: My laptop, which is very old, still works fine.
- That is used for essential (defining) information.
- Example: The laptop that I bought yesterday is fast.
Whose (For Possession)
- Example: The boy whose father is a doctor won the prize.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Incorrect: The book who is on the table is mine.
Correct: The book which is on the table is mine.
Incorrect: She is the girl which won the competition.
Correct: She is the girl who won the competition.
Quick Exercise
Fill in the blanks with the correct relative pronoun (who, whom, which, that, whose):
- The boy _______ scored the highest marks is my cousin.
- This is the pen _______ I was looking for.
- The lady _______ I spoke to was very polite.
- He is the writer _______ books are famous worldwide.
- The movie _______ we watched last night was amazing.
(Answers: 1. who, 2. which/that, 3. whom, 4. whose, 5. which/that)
Summary
Relative Pronouns connect a clause to a noun and provide more information.
Who, Whom → for people, Which → for things, That → for people/things, Whose → for possession.
Defining Clauses → No commas, Non-Defining Clauses → Use commas.
Would you like more examples or advanced exercises on Relative Pronouns?