Relative Pronouns: Definition, Examples, and How to Use Them

Relative Pronouns

You are likely familiar with pronouns as words that replace nouns. But have you ever considered the role of WH question words like Who, What, When, How, and Where? While these are typically used for interrogative sentences, they also function as relative pronouns when they link clauses or describe a relationship with a subject. A relative pronoun introduces a relative clause, providing essential extra information about a specific noun or pronoun.

For instance:

1. The person who called me last night is my best friend.
2. The game that he loves the most is volleyball.
3. The pen by which you are writing is mine.
4. Rahul is my classmate whom I introduced you to.
5. That place is haunted where you are going.
6. She remembered that time when they met.

In the examples above, who, that, which, whom, where, and when function as relative pronouns, bridging the gap between related clauses. Ready to master them? Let's break down exactly how to use relative pronouns correctly in your writing.

Relative Pronoun Definition 

In English Grammar, a relative pronoun is defined as a pronoun used to introduce relative clauses that describe nouns or other pronouns. These pronouns establish a connection to the word the relative clause modifies. By connecting a relative clause to a main clause using terms such as who, whom, which, that, when, or whose, these pronouns add clarity to your sentences. Because they describe a subject, relative clauses are often called adjective clauses.

Seeing these in action makes them much easier to understand: 

1. This is the place where they met for the first time.
2. Samar is the girl whom I was talking about.

Can you spot the relative pronouns? Here, where and whom effectively join two clauses. In the sentence, "This is the place where they met for the first time," the relative pronoun provides location context. Similarly, in "Samar is the girl whom the subject is discussing," the word whom connects the description to the noun.

Examples of Relative Pronouns
Relative Pronouns	Use	Examples
When	To refer time	She marked the day in the calendar when they met first.
Where	To refer place	The cafe, where we had our dinner date, is now closed.
Who	To refer people or person	The cyclist who won the race is hardworking.
Whose	shows possession or relationship	The police are looking for the bus whose driver was found guilty.
Which	For things and animals (non-defining clause) Describe more about them.	The rain, which was quite heavy, made it hard to walk.
whom	To refers to the object	This is Soham, whom you met at our farm yesterday.
That	For things and animals (non-defining clause) just to identify the object or animal.	This is the house that Rohan built.

Defining Relative Clauses

A defining relative clause (or restrictive clause) provides essential information about the noun, meaning the sentence would lose its intended meaning if the clause were removed. These clauses do not require additional punctuation. For example:

I like people who correct me.

This is the cat that was killed by a bike.

These are the people that have been affected.

As you can see, the bolded clauses provide critical details. Removing them would fundamentally change or obscure the meaning of the sentence.

Non-Defining Relative Clauses

A non-defining relative clause adds extra, non-essential information. The sentence would still convey its primary message if the clause were removed. Because they are supplementary, non-defining clauses are offset by commas. For example:
The new flower pot, which I bought yesterday, is sprouting new leaves.

The project, which I am excited about, is worth over a billion.
My friend, who lives in Chennai, just bought a new car.
Satya, who I usually play with, has relocated to a new city.

In the examples above, removing the non-defining clause (in bold) leaves the core meaning of the sentence intact. 

Common Error using Relative Pronouns

Choosing Between That and Which
'That' is generally used to describe objects or animals in defining relative clauses, where the information is essential and requires no commas. 'Which' is used to introduce non-essential information in non-defining clauses and should be separated by commas. Consider these examples:

The telephone, which was ringing, was located in the living room.

The camel, which is thirsty, is searching for water.

The cow that is sick needs to see the vet today.

Here are the chicken nuggets that everyone can enjoy.

Who vs. Whom

Both 'who' and 'whom' refer to people. 'Who' acts as the subject of the clause, while 'whom' acts as the object. A simple trick to choose the right one: try replacing the word with 'he/she' (for who) or 'him/her' (for whom). Since both 'Whom' and 'Them' end in 'M,' it's easy to remember that 'whom' is for objects. For example:
The company hired an intern who spoke Japanese.

Aman was the person whom Satyam gave the keys.

Understanding Whose

'Whose' is used to indicate possession within a relative clause. It functions as both a possessive pronoun and a relative pronoun. For example:

I found the person whose car crashed yesterday. 

This is the boy whose dog bit my friend last night.

In these instances, whose car crashed yesterday and whose dog bit my friend last night modify the preceding nouns. 'Whose' creates a possessive link between the person and the object (car or dog) being described.

Examples of Relative Pronouns in Sentences

1. I also like the book which you are reading.
2. He bought the house which was newly constructed.
3. The bicycle that you are riding is gifted by her mom.
4. The book that was in my bag was stolen.
5. The girl who wrote this book is my sister.
6. Rohan is the boy who has passed the exam.
7. Jack has invited a person whom he met yesterday.
8. He is my brother whom you are teasing.
9. Teacher asked the students whose book is this?
10. Only that boy will go on a picnic whose homework is complete.
11. Rina forgot her keys where she stayed yesterday night.
12. Jack and Jenny have gone to the place where they met for the first time.
13. Call me when you leave the office.
14. I will be there when you need me.
15. Father called me when I was outside.

Related Articles
Pronoun	Personal Pronoun
Reflexive Pronoun	Possessive Pronoun
Noun	Adjective
Adverb	Preposition
Verb	Conjunction