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Relative pronouns introduce relative clauses.

They signal the beginning of a clause that provides essential or additional information about a noun. In simpler terms, relative pronouns connect descriptions or additional details to a noun or noun phrase.

The main relative pronouns are:

• Who
• Whom
• That
• Which
• Whose

Relative pronouns introduce two types of clauses:

Relative Clauses: Essential vs. Non-Essential

Clause Type	Example Sentences
Essential Clauses (identify and specify a noun)	– Tanya is the one who always arrives early to work.	The relative pronoun who clearly identifies the noun – in this case, Tanya.
Non-Essential Clauses (provide additional information about a noun)	– The restaurant, which opened over 30 years ago, is closing down this month.	The relative pronoun which adds extra background detail without altering the sentence’s main meaning.

✏️ Jump to Practice Makes Perfect

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• Relative Pronouns in Use

  • I met a woman earlier who speaks four languages fluently.
    
    
  • “He will win who knows when to fight and when not to fight.” — Sun Tzu [The Art of War, c. 5th century BC]
    
    
  • I called the builder whom you recommended.
    
    
  • The phone that I ordered three weeks ago finally arrived this morning.
    
    
  • The car, which my dad bought 20 years ago, is still in excellent condition.
    
    
  • The company, whose products are touted as environmentally friendly, has grown rapidly in recent years.

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  * Relative Pronouns

Forms of Relative Pronouns

Relative pronouns, like all pronouns, refer back to nouns in sentences. Which one we use depends on the type of noun it refers to and its role in the sentence.

The table below breaks this down.

Relative Pronoun Forms and Examples

Relative Pronoun	Usage	Examples
Who	Refers to people as the subject in a sentence	– The woman who lives next door is a doctor.
Whom	Refers to people as objects in a sentence	– The person whom you are looking for is not here at the moment.
That	Refers to people, animals, and things	– The movie that we watched last night was really good.
Which	Refers to things and animals	– The milk, which I bought yesterday, has already gone bad.
Whose	Indicates possession for people and things	– The artist, whose paintings are on display, will be giving a talk at the gallery tomorrow.

Who

Who is used in relative clauses to refer to people as the subject of the clause: the one performing the action.

Example:

• Tony, who is 65, goes to the gym five times a week.

In this sentence, who introduces the relative clause ‘who is 65’. This clause gives us extra information about Tony, namely his age, and helps to highlight the contrast between his age and his active lifestyle.

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Whom

Whom is used in relative clauses to refer to people as the object of a verb or preposition: the one receiving the action.

Example:

• The person whom I bumped into at the store was an old friend from school.

Here, whom introduces the relative clause ‘whom I bumped into at the store’. This clause identifies the person being referred to.

Note: Whom is rarely used in everyday speech. In informal English, it is typically replaced with who.

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That

That is used in relative clauses to refer to animals or things, and sometimes people (in informal communication). It appears in essential clauses where the information is necessary to specify or identify the noun.

Example:

• “The Matrix is everywhere…It is the world that has been pulled over your eyes to blind you from the truth.” – Morpheus [The Matrix, 1999]

In this movie quote, that introduces the relative clause ‘that has been pulled over your eyes’. This clause elaborates on the noun world to explain what kind of world is being referred to.

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Which

Which is used in relative clauses to refer to animals or things. It typically appears in non-essential clauses that add extra information about the noun it is tied to.

Example:

• The laptop, which I bought last year, still runs like new.

Here, which introduces the relative clause ‘which I bought last year’. It adds extra information about the laptop by telling us when it was purchased.

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Whose

Whose is used in relative clauses to show possession. It can refer to people, animals, or things.

Example:

• The neighbour, whose dog barks nonstop, had the audacity to complain about noise.

Here, whose introduces the relative clause ‘whose dog barks nonstop’. It identifies which neighbour is being referred to (the one with the noisy dog) and provides information about the neighbour’s situation (that they complained about noise).

Compound Relative Pronouns

Compound relative pronouns are a special group. They are formed by adding the suffix -ever to the basic relative pronouns. They include:

• Whoever
• Whomever
• Whatever
• Whichever

Unlike standard relative pronouns, which usually modify a specific noun (e.g., ‘The man who called was a window salesman.’), compound relative pronouns often introduce noun clauses that stand in for an unknown person or thing (e.g., ‘Whoever made this mess needs to clean it up.’).

They are used when we want to refer generally to any person or thing that fits a certain condition, not a specific, known one.

Example:

• Whoever is responsible will be brought to justice.

‘Whoever is responsible’ is a noun clause serving as the subject. It doesn’t identify a specific person, but rather refers to anyone who meets the condition of being responsible.

Let’s take another example:

• Whoever wins this match wins the game.

‘Whoever wins this match’ refers to anyone who might win, without pointing to a specific person.

In a nutshell, compound relative pronouns let us refer to unknown people or things without needing to be specific about who or what we’re talking about.

The table below outlines each compound relative pronoun and the type of noun it replaces:

Forms and Uses of Compound Relative Pronouns

Compound Relative Pronouns	Replaces (Noun Type)	Example Sentences
whoever	People – Subjects	– Whoever leaves the office last today gets to lock up.
whomever	People – Objects	– You can invite whomever you like. It’s your birthday.
whatever	Things or Ideas (unlimited options)	– Whatever comes out of these gates, we’ve got a better chance of survival if we work together. – Maximus [Gladiator, 2000]
whichever	Things or Ideas (limited options)	– We have two seats available: a window seat and an aisle seat. Pick whichever you please.

Essential and Non-Essential Clauses

Relative pronouns introduce relative clauses, which we use to provide more detail about nouns. These clauses appear in two main formats: essential and non-essential.

Note: Having a good grasp of the difference between essential and non-essential clauses is especially important because we use relative clauses frequently in both speech and writing.

Essential Clauses

Essential clauses, as the name suggests, provide information needed to understand who or what is being referred to. This information can’t be omitted without changing the core meaning of the sentence.

Example:

• The car that is parked outside belongs to Alice.

The relative clause ‘that is parked outside’ is an essential clause because it provides essential information to identify which car is being referred to. In this case, Alice’s car is the one specifically parked outside.

If we remove the essential clause, we’re left with ‘The car that is parked outside belongs to Alice’, which doesn’t clarify which car is being referred to.

Note: Essential clauses typically (but not always) use the relative pronoun that and are never enclosed by commas.

More examples of essential clauses in action:

Relative Pronouns: Essential Clause Examples

Relative Pronoun	Sentence Examples
that	– The meeting that is scheduled for tomorrow has been cancelled.
that	– The restaurant that we went to last night was fantastic.
that	– The dog that we adopted last year has settled in well.
who	– The man who built this wall is my grandad.
whom	– The doctor whom I saw this morning was very helpful.

Non-Essential Clauses

Non-essential clauses, as the name suggests, provide additional, non-essential information about a noun. These clauses add extra details without affecting the core meaning of the sentence.

Example:

• The country pub, which has a view over the city, is known for its wide selection of ales.

The clause ‘which has a view over the city’ is non-essential because it provides extra detail about the pub, but the main point is that the pub is known for its wide selection of ales.

The non-essential clause can be removed and the meaning of the sentence would remain intact.

Example:

• The country pub is known for its wide selection of ales. ✅

Note: Non-essential clauses are typically (but not always) introduced by the relative pronoun which and are placed within commas.

More examples of non-essential clauses at work:

Relative Pronouns: Non-Essential Clause Examples

Relative Pronoun	Sentence
which	– The restaurant, which overlooks the ocean, offers a breathtaking dining experience.
which	– My new phone, which I bought last week, has a brilliant camera.
which	– The car, which we rented for our road trip, broke down and we were stranded in the middle of nowhere.
who	– Sophie, who just graduated, is now looking for a job.
whose	– Shakespeare, whose plays have been performed for over 400 years, remains a cornerstone of English literature.

Who vs. That

When deciding between who and that for referring to people, it’s often best to stick with who. This is the traditional relative pronoun, and it ensures accuracy.

However, in contemporary usage, it has become more common to see that used when referring to people. While this shift is becoming increasingly widespread, that should not always replace who.

The relative pronoun that is acceptable in essential clauses where the information is necessary to identify the noun (remember these clauses are not enclosed by commas).

Example:

• The athlete that won gold is from our town.

However, the use of that in non-essential clauses should generally be avoided:

❌ – Bob, that is 70, is still in good health.
✅ – Bob, who is 70, is still in good health.

In non-essential clauses referring to people, who is the better and more grammatically correct choice.

Practice Makes Perfect: Relative Pronouns

Put your knowledge of relative pronouns to the test here in our interactive practice section.

Exercise 1: Identify the Relative Pronoun

Identify the relative pronoun(s) in each sentence.

1. The woman who lives next door is a doctor.
   
   
2. The gym that has just opened down the road is 24/7.
   
   
3. My brother, who just turned 40, has decided to learn the flute.
   
   
4. You can invite whoever you like. It’s your birthday.
   
   
5. The hotel, which looked amazing online, turned out to be a disaster.
   
   
6. The laptop, which I bought last year, still runs like new.
   
   
7. The neighbour, whose dog barks nonstop, had the audacity to complain about noise.
   
   
8. My sister, who lives in Manchester, is coming to visit this weekend.
   
   
9. She’s the colleague who always brings cake on Fridays. It’s no wonder everyone likes her.
   
   
10. The book that Sam lent me was actually brilliant, which is why you should never judge a book by its cover.

Exercise 1: Answers [Click]

1. who
2. that
3. who
4. whoever
5. which
6. which
7. whose
8. who
9. who
10. that, which

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Exercise 2: Choose the Correct Relative Pronoun

Choose the correct relative pronoun to complete each sentence.

1. The man ____________ fitted our carpets did a great job. (who / which)
   
   
2. The film ____________ we watched last night was brilliant. (who / that)
   
   
3. My car, ____________ is over ten years old, passed its MOT first time with no faults. (that / which)
   
   
4. The teacher ____________ taught us English had the clearest accent. (who / which)
   
   
5. The couple, ____________ wedding we went to last summer, have just had a baby. (which / whose)

Exercise 2: Answers [Click]

1. who
2. that
3. which
4. who
5. whose

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Exercise 3: Essential or Non-Essential Clause?

Determine whether the relative clause in each sentence is essential or non-essential.

1. The dog that we adopted last year has settled in well.
   
   
2. My grandad, who turns 80 this year, still plays golf every week.
   
   
3. Thankfully, the meeting that was scheduled for tomorrow has been cancelled.
   
   
4. The greenhouse, which my dad put up last summer, blew down in the first storm.
   
   
5. The couple who moved in next door seem nice.
   
   
6. The lake, which is just a ten-minute walk from our house, is idyllic in the summer.

Exercise 3: Answers [Click]

1. Essential
2. Non-essential
3. Essential
4. Non-essential
5. Essential
6. Non-essential

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Exercise 4: Combine the Two Sentences Using a Relative Pronoun

Join each pair of sentences into one using the correct relative pronoun.

1. I have a friend. She speaks five languages.
   
   
2. We stayed at a hotel. The hotel was right on the beach.
   
   
3. That’s the man. His dog chased our cat last week.
   
   
4. I finished the book. You recommended the book to me.
   
   
5. Ella made a cake. The cake was gone within minutes.

Exercise 4: Answers [Click]

1. I have a friend who speaks five languages.
2. We stayed at a hotel that was right on the beach.
3. That’s the man whose dog chased our cat last week.
4. I finished the book that you recommended to me.
5. Ella made a cake that was gone within minutes.

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Exercise 5: Spot and Correct the Error

Each sentence contains a mistake with relative pronouns or relative clauses. Find it and fix it.

1. My uncle, that has a farm in Wales, has guard geese.
   
   
2. The restaurant where we had lunch which was packed was still really quick with our food.
   
   
3. The phone who kept buzzing during the exam turned out to be mine. Oops!
   
   
4. He recommended the series The 100, that I ended up bingeing in one week somehow.
   
   
5. The teacher which inspired me the most at school was Mrs. Taylor. She was my favourite.

Exercise 5: Answers [Click]

1. My uncle, who has a farm in Wales, has guard geese.
   > Use who not that in non-essential clauses referring to people.
   
   
2. The restaurant where we had lunch, which was packed, was still really quick with our food.
   > Non-essential clauses need commas.
   
   
3. The phone that kept buzzing during the exam turned out to be mine. Oops!
   > Use that not who for things.
   
   
4. He recommended the series The 100, which I ended up bingeing in one week somehow.
   > Use which not that in non-essential clauses.
   
   
5. The teacher who inspired me the most at school was Mrs. Taylor. She was my favourite.
   > Use who not which for people.

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