1) What is a relative clause?
A relative clause begins with a relative pronoun to make two sentences into one sentence. It tells us more information about people or things in the main clause.
Example:
I hate the dog. The dog bit me. [two sentences]
I hate the dog (main clause) that bit me. (relative clause) [one sentence]
2) What are relative pronouns?
Relative pronouns are 'Who', 'Which', 'That', 'Whom', 'Whose', 'When', 'Where' and 'Why'. They are used to introduce relative clauses.
Example:
I like the person. The person was nice to me.
I like the person who was nice to me.
3) Use
❖ We use relative pronouns to replace nouns or pronouns so that we can join two sentences.
- Who: It replaces people when they are used as subjects or objects.
Examples:
John is the teacher. He speaks three languages. ('He' is a subject)
John is the teacher who speaks three languages.
John is the teacher. I met him yesterday. ('him' is an object)
John is the teacher who I met yesterday.
James is the man. I was talking about James. ('James' is an object)
James is the man who I was talking about.
- Which: It replaces animals or things when they are used as subjects or objects.
Examples:
The horse won the race. The race has been hard. ('The race' is a subject)
The horse won the race which has been hard.
This is the house. Jack built the house. ('the house' is an object)
This is the house which Jack built.
That is the beach. We went to that beach. ('that beach' is an object)
That is the beach which we went to.
- That: It replaces people, animals or things when they are used as subjects or objects.
Examples:
John is the teacher. He speaks three languages. ('He' is a subject)
John is the teacher that speaks three languages.
John is the teacher. I met him yesterday. ('him' is an object)
John is the teacher that I met yesterday.
James is the man. I was talking about James. ('James' is an object)
James is the man that I was talking about.
The horse won the race. The race has been hard. ('The race' is a subject)
The horse won the race that has been hard.
This is the house. Jack built the house. ('the house' is an object)
This is the house that Jack built.
That is the beach. We went to that beach. ('that beach' is an object)
That is the beach that we went to.
- Whom: It replaces people when they are used as objects.
Examples:
John is the teacher. I met him yesterday. ('him' is an object)
John is the teacher whom I met yesterday.
James is the man. I was talking about James. ('James' is an object)
James is the man whom I was talking about.
- Whose: It replaces a possessive expression (my, your, his, her, its, our, their and noun’s).
Examples:
I know the man. His wife works as a teacher.
I know the man whose wife works as a teacher.
He is a man. I respect his opinion.
He is a man whose opinion I respect.
I know Kate. I work with his brother.
I know Kate whose brother I work with.
- When: It replaces time.
Example:
Friday was the day. I met her on Friday for the first time.
Friday was the day when I met her for the first time.
- Where: It replaces places.
Example:
I know the restaurant. The food is excellent in the restaurant.
I know the restaurant where the food is excellent.
- Why: It replaces reasons.
Example:
I know the reason. The shop is closed for this reason.
I know the reason why the shop is closed.