Relative Pronouns

who, whom, whose, which, that

Definition• Introduce dependent clauses.

• These pronouns are called relative pronouns because they relate the adjective clause to the word the clause modifies.

Examples

• Sarah Boone was the woman who invented the ironing board.

The relative pronoun “who” relates the adjective clause to woman.

The relative pronoun acts as the subject of the dependent clause.

• The boys apologized to the man whose window they had broken.

Whose relates the clause to the man.

Do these on your own.

• He is the player whom you were watching.

• Is this the suit that you wore to church?

• We saw a woman who was very tall.

• Ellen is one of the people whom I invited.