what is a relative pronoun example

Relative pronoun is a pronoun that connects a clause or phrase to the noun or pronoun. to use when referring to people. Step-by-step process. If the relative pronoun is accompanied by a preposition, the relative pronoun is omitted and the preposition is shifted to the end of the relative clause. Oxford University Press. The boy stood up. He is currently living in India and always strives to help people to educate in the most sophisticated way. The restaurant is now closed. The omission is governed by some rules though. or Which kind? [Noun in magenta font and the relative pronoun in bold]. We use many different types of pronouns in writing and speech. What is pristine, the park or the street? Its also common to use who to refer to the object noun phrase, but this wasnt considered standard English. Relative pronouns can function as the subject or object of the relative clause. The piggy bank that was on my desk got broken. The car that I rented for the weekend was very comfortable. The Relative Pronoun 'Whose'. For example: Also Read: What is a Pronoun? Sign up for our weekly newsletters and get: By signing in, you agree to our Terms and Conditions Relative pronouns are a stepping stone towards relative clauses, which help combine sentences sharing the same noun. Grammarly helps you communicate confidently Keep in mind that the main information we want to convey should be in the independent clause and not the relative clause. My sister, who lives in New York, is coming to visit next week. Please tell whoever may call that I am not available. In other words, it introduces subordinate clauses and connects them to the main clause in a sentence. A relative pronoun is one that opens a relative clause. Examples She is a woman who / that knows what she wants. A nonrestrictive clause, on the other hand, provides information that could be removed without affecting the basic meaning of the sentence. Likeall pronouns, relative pronouns replace nouns. In the first sentence, for examples, the remaining part has its own subject (my brother) and verb (bought). [Who is the subject of the relative clause who only takes and takes from a friend. It does not refer to a noun that comes before it. Fowlers dictionary of modern English usage (4th ed.). James, whose pictures were used by the magazine without consent, sued the publication. [that is restrictive, but its the subject of the clause. A relative pronoun is a word that is used to introduce a relative clause, which is a type of dependent clause thats used to modify or describe a noun. 3. ], Dont ask questions (which) people cant or dont want to answer. [Relative pronoun cant be dropped because the clause is non-restrictive.]. 8. (2011). The man whose car broke down was very upset. Whoever bought me this lovely necklace has wonderful taste. The noun to which a pronoun refers is called an antecedent. (The clause who lives in New York provides additional, but not necessary, information about the noun sister and can be omitted without changing the meaning of the sentence). However, whom is still considered correct and is often used in formal written English. (That refers to the car and provides more information about it). ], He has a pet dog, whom he adores. They belong to a group of clauses called dependent or subordinate clauses. When refers to a time or period and is often used as a relative pronoun in less formal situations. Here, which contains several fur coats is a parenthetical remark that can be removed without materially altering the sentence. My brother, who hates flying, took an hour to get onto the plane. has been widely and correctly applied to nonhumans for hundreds of years. I dont know who you are talking about. The car, which was used in taxi for long time, is exploded. (More on individual relative pronouns later in the post.) (The clause whose policies I disagree with provides additional information about the noun politician and indicates that the politician owns the policies). One occasion where you might omit the pronoun even in a formal context is when retaining it would lead you to repeat the same word twice in a row: Some other words are used as relative pronouns in some contexts but function differently or are rarely used in this way. An example is the word which in the sentence "This is the house which Jack built." Here the relative pronoun which introduces the relative clause, which modifies the noun house. Go with the safer bet, Grammar conundrum no. mode: 'thumbnails-rr',
], The heart that loves is always young. Olivia wants a boyfriend. on Relative Pronoun | Easy Definition and Examples. In the following examples, that and whom modify the subject: The house that Jack built is large. They relate to their antecedent hence the relative part of their name. It may seem as though there are a few words missing from the list above. The possessive adjectives in English are my, your, his, her, its, our, your and their'. I allow this website to collect and store submitted data. Some will argue that of which is a better construction when talking about things rather than people, but this results in unnecessary awkwardness. My neighbor Jamil, whom Id never met before, came over to introduce himself yesterday. Types of Relative Pronouns Teena did not return the white bag that she borrowed. Download the Entri app to practise more grammar topic questions from Relative Pronoun. I joined the weight-loss program that promised reduction of 10 kgs in a month. They dont ask questions; as a pronoun, they merely point to a noun. A clause that begins with a relative pronoun is ready to answer questions like Which one? That cannot be used as the subject of a relative clause unless it is followed by a preposition. Omitting the relative pronoun (when possible) has the effect of making the sentence sound less formal. (2015). (Whose refers to the company and shows that the products belong to it). A relative pronoun is a pronoun thats used to introduce a relative clause. According to the Collins Dictionary, a relative pronoun is a word such as who, that, or which that is used to introduce a relative clause. The Macmillan Dictionary gives a similar definition. I love the ukulele. Why is it called relative pronoun? (Which refers to the car and provides additional information about it). We can say that a relative pronoun plays role of a noun in the clause of sentence. Example: The house that is under construction will be beautiful. Arelative clauseis a type of clause that modifies or gives extra information about the subject or object in the main clause. Self Introduction for Academic Job Interview, Self Introduction for Interview for Experienced Engineer, Self Introduction for Students during Interview, Self Introduction for Kids of different ages and classes, Self Introduction for Students in Function, Self Introduction for Freshers in Medical - MBBS, BAMS, BHMS, etc. Here is an example: The person who phoned me last night is my teacher. The most commonly used relative pronouns in English are which, that, who, and whom. Relative pronouns include who, whom, whose, that and which. The teacher that gives out candy is always the students favorite. Definition of Relative Pronouns: A relative pronoun works as a connector between two clauses. | Pronoun Definition and Examples. A restrictive clause is an essential part of its sentence; if it were taken out of the sentence, the sentences meaning would change. Privacy Policy. Shiela wants dresses that make her look slim. and In this sentence, for example, whose engine, and not whose, is the subject of the relative clause. In this example, "that" is the relative pronoun referring to "the house." "That" introduces the relative clause "that is under construction.". Hence, you can drop which, shown in brackets. Aarts, B. });
. Heres a tip: If you want to refer to a thing, you should use that instead. Enroll for Awals Spoken English Course! Explore the topic further on this dedicated resource page: Find more posts on clause and learn the topic in-depth: Anil is the person behind content on this website, which is visited by 3,000,000+ learners every year. Teena borrowed the white bag. [whom is not the subject of the clause, but its non-restrictive. The sentence can be rephrased in different ways depending on the intended meaning. Example: Inspector Carly, who won the contest, is inside. whoever (who + ever) whosever (whose + ever) (Spelling rule: Don't allow ee .) Here are a few more examples to illustrate this point: Here are a few more examples of how whose is used to show possession: Here are a few more examples of how that is used to provide additional information about a noun or pronoun: Also Read: Intensive Pronoun | (Easy Definition & Examples 2022). So pupils dont need to worry about this one too much, but its helpful for them to be aware of it when they read older or formal texts. A relative pronoun is a pronoun that marks a relative clause. | Easy Definition & Examples 2022, Relative Pronoun | Easy Definition and Examples, Reflexive Pronouns | (Easy Definition & Examples 2022), Compound Adjectives | Easy Definition & Examples (2022). (That refers to the cat and provides more information about it). (Who is the subject of the clause who got the highest grade on the exam). The teacher whom the students respect the most is Mrs. Smith. (The clause whom the students respect the most provides additional information about the noun teacher and is the object of the verb respect). The sport _______ we liked the most was cricket. My mom asked me to clean up the box. Go with the safer bet, who. She apologized to the boy whose glasses got broken. (The clause that I bought yesterday provides necessary information about the noun book and cannot be omitted without changing the meaning of the sentence). [whom is restrictive, and its not the subject of the clause (I is). Otherwise, the sentence creates a needless ambiguity. Here are few examples of each type. A relative pronoun connects a clause to either a noun or pronoun. In many cases, the relative pronoun can be left out of the sentence without affecting its meaning. Learn more: Weve gone through more than 400 resumes for this role but have found just two (whom) we can call for interview. Choose the safer option, who. The key is knowing what they are and how to use them correctly (and they wont even judge your lifestyle choices). Chances are, you use relative pronouns so often that you dont think twice about it. [which is restrictive, and its not the subject of the clause (people is). Example: These books are mine. Your email address will not be published. More about him here: Your email address will not be published. As a relative pronoun what means 'the things which.'. Relative adverbs function like relative pronouns, but they refer to time, places, and reasons. Dalia Y.: Dalia is an English Major and linguistics expert with an additional degree in Psychology. The relative pronouns are "that," "which," "who," "whom," and "whose." Here are two examples: I know the boy who found my wallet. It can refer to singular or plural without any difference between male and female.