Lesson XXXVI

Relative Pronouns

The Relative Pronoun

who, which, thatRelative pronouns relate groups of words to

nouns or other pronouns.Relative pronouns are part of a relative clause.

This is a type of “dependent” or “subordinate” clause.

A dependent clause contains a subject and a verb, but cannot stand alone as a sentence (i.e., a complete thought).

The Relative Pronoun

Find the independent (stand-alone) clauses:

A. Because he cannot be hereB. Why can’t he be here?C. Who cannot be hereD. Of whom we spokeE. We spoke of him.

The Relative Pronoun

Find the dependent/subordinate (can’t-stand-alone) clauses:

A. For which it standsB. To whose advantageC. Of thee I singD. What so proudly we hailedE. With a grain of salt

The Relative Pronoun

Relative clauses begin with a relative pronoun and end (usually) with a verb.

The woman who rules Britain is Queen Elizabeth.The boy whose bike I stole is pressing charges. Have you seen the girl to whom I gave the books?The girl whom I visited was my cousin.The land from which our parents came was

beautiful.

Relative clauses begin with a relative pronoun and end (usually) with a verb.

The woman who rules Britain is Queen Elizabeth.The boy whose bike I stole is pressing charges. Have you seen the girl to whom I gave the books?The girl whom I visited was my cousin.The land from which our parents came was

beautiful.

Relative clauses begin with a relative pronoun and end (usually) with a verb.

The woman who rules Britain is Queen Elizabeth.The boy whose bike I stole is pressing charges. Have you seen the girl to whom I gave the books?The girl whom I visited was my cousin.The land from which our parents came was

beautiful.

Relative clauses begin with a relative pronoun and end (usually) with a verb.

The woman who rules Britain is Queen Elizabeth.The boy whose bike I stole is pressing charges. Have you seen the girl to whom I gave the books?The girl whom I visited was my cousin.The land from which our parents came was

beautiful.

Relative clauses begin with a relative pronoun and end (usually) with a verb.

The woman who rules Britain is Queen Elizabeth.The boy whose bike I stole is pressing charges. Have you seen the girl to whom I gave the books?The girl whom I visited was my cousin.The land from which our parents came was

beautiful.

Relative clauses begin with a relative pronoun and end (usually) with a verb.

The woman who rules Britain is Queen Elizabeth.The boy whose bike I stole is pressing charges. Have you seen the girl to whom I gave the books?The girl whom I visited was my cousin.The land from which our parents came was

beautiful.

Relative clauses begin with a relative pronoun and end (usually) with a verb.

The woman who rules Britain is Queen Elizabeth.The boy whose bike I stole is pressing charges. Have you seen the girl to whom I gave the books?The girl whom I visited was my cousin.The land from which our parents came was

beautiful.Now, try the sentences on your handout!

The Relative Pronoun (also the Interrogative Adjective)

quī, quae, quod - who, which, that

quīcuiuscuiquemquō

quīquōrumquibusquōsquibus

quae cuiuscuiquamquā quaequārumquibusquāsquibus

quodcuiuscuiquodquō quaequōrumquibusquaequibus

M. F. N.

Sg.

Pl.

Nom.Gen.Dat.Acc.Abl.

Nom.Gen.Dat.Acc.Abl.

Relative Pronoun Chart

quae

cuius

cui

quam

quā

quaequārumquibusquāsquibus

quī

cuius

cui

quem

quō

quīquōrumquibusquōsquibus

quod

cuius

cui

quod

quo

quaequorumquibusquaequibus

M. F. N.

Sg.

Pl.

Nom. who, which, that Gen. whose, of whom, of which

Dat. to/for whom, to/for which

Acc. whom, which, that

Abl. by, with, etc. whom, which

Finding the case, number, and gender of relative pronouns.

The woman who rules Britain is Queen Elizabeth.Who refers to woman.Gender of woman: feminineNumber of woman: singularWho: “who rules Britain”--- “who” is the subject of its clause.

---subjects are nominativeTherefore, “who” in this sentence is feminine, singular,

nominative: QUAE

Relative pronouns agree with their antecedent in GENDER and NUMBER.But their CASE is determined by how they work in their own clause.

Relative Pronouns

The boy whose bike I stole is pressing charges. Whose refers to the boy.Gender of boy: masculineNumber of boy: singularWhose: “whose” shows possession---I stole whose (his) bike.Possession is shown by using the genitive case.Therefore….WHOSE is masculine, singular, genitive: CUIUS

Try these! (and learn a big secret about using who/whom in English…!)

Have you seen the girl to whom I gave the books?

The girl whom I visited was my cousin.

The land from which our parents came was beautiful.

Feminine, singular, dative: CUI

Feminine (terra), singular, ablative (after “from”): QUA

Feminine, singular, accusative: QUAM

Who vs. Whom in English1. The child ________ I babysit lives next door.

2. The person ________ is texting me right now has no idea I’m in school and must focus on this challenging lesson. ;-)

3. The lady ________ lives next door always calls her cat every evening ad nauseam.

4. The people ___________ I most admire are my parents.

5. My friend, ________ you see in this picture, lives in Texas.

WHOM

WHOM

WHOM

WHO

WHO

The Relative Pronoun

Vidi reginam quae Britanniam regit.I saw the queen who rules Britain.Puer cuius librum habeo est amicus noster.The boy whose book I have is our friend.Virum cui librum dedi vidisti.You saw the man to whom I gave the book.Oppidum quod vidit erat parvum.The town that he saw was small.Inimici erant viri quibuscum pugnabatis.The enemies were the men with whom you were fighting.