Relative clauses add detail to a noun without starting a new sentence. They keep your writing smooth and natural. Many learners use them daily without noticing. A relative clause has its own subject and verb. It describes the noun right before it, as in The teacher who helped me is kind.
This guide explains relative clauses step by step. You will learn how to pick the right pronoun and where to place it. You will also fix common confusions, like who versus whom. Each section stays short and practical, so relative clauses will soon feel simple.
What are relative pronouns?
Relative pronouns connect a clause to a noun. They also act as the subject or object inside that clause. The main ones are who, whom, whose, which, and that. Each one points back to a noun, which grammarians call the antecedent. This link gives your sentence a clear focus.
Think of a relative pronoun as a bridge. One side holds the noun you want to describe. The other side holds the extra information. The pronoun joins them in one step. For example, I bought a car that is very fast merges two short sentences. This pattern forms the core of relative clauses.
List of common relative pronouns
English has a small set of relative pronouns. Each one has a favorite job. Some refer to people, some to things, and some show ownership. The short sections below cover each pronoun with clear examples. Read them in order, and the whole list will click.
Who and whom
Who refers to people and acts as a subject. The man who called is my uncle. Whom also refers to people, but it acts as an object. The man whom I called is my uncle. Both sentences mean the same thing. Only the role of the pronoun changes.
Modern speakers often use who in both roles. That habit sounds natural in conversation. Formal writing still keeps whom for objects. Academic essays and business letters follow this rule closely. You will see a deeper look at who versus whom later in this guide.
Whose, which, and that
Whose shows possession. It replaces words like his, her, its, or their. The girl whose bag is red sits here. Whose always takes a noun after it. You cannot drop it. It works for both people and things, which makes it very flexible.
Which refers to things and animals. The book which I read was long. That refers to people or things in defining clauses. The movie that we saw was funny. Many writers choose that for essential details and which for extra details. Later sections explain this choice step by step.
Relative adverbs: where, when, and why
Relative adverbs also start relative clauses. The main ones are where, when, and why. They replace a preposition plus a pronoun. This is the house where I grew up means the same as This is the house in which I grew up. The adverb keeps the sentence short.
Where refers to places, when refers to times, and why refers to reasons. I remember the day when we met. Nobody knows the reason why he left. You can often drop when and why in casual speech. Where rarely disappears, so keep it for places.
How to use relative pronouns in sentences
Start with the noun you want to describe. Place the relative pronoun right after it. Then add the verb and any extra words. This order keeps the meaning clear. Relative clauses then fall into two main types, and each type follows its own punctuation rules.
Defining relative clauses
A defining clause gives information we need to identify the noun. The student who sits near the window is my cousin. Without the clause, we do not know which student we mean. So the clause is essential. We write it without commas, and it can start with who, which, or that.
Defining clauses appear everywhere in daily English. I like the shirt that you bought. She met a man who knows five languages. In each case, the clause narrows the noun to one specific item. Take it out, and the sentence loses its focus for your reader.
Nondefining relative clauses
A nondefining clause adds a bonus detail. My cousin, who lives in London, loves cricket. We already know which cousin we mean. The clause only adds extra news, so commas surround it. Use who for people and which for things. You cannot use that in these clauses.
Writers often use nondefining clauses in biographies and news reports. My laptop, which I bought last year, still works well. Speakers signal them with a short pause. Writers use commas for the same effect. Remember that you cannot drop the pronoun in this type.
Commas and meaning
Commas can change the meaning of a sentence. My brothers who live in Spain are doctors suggests I have other brothers elsewhere. The clause picks out one group. My brothers, who live in Spain, are doctors suggests all my brothers live there. One pair of commas shifts the whole message.
Always ask one question before you place a comma. Does the clause identify the noun, or does it only add a bonus detail? If it identifies, skip the commas. If it adds extra news, use them. This habit protects your meaning in relative clauses.
Add the phrase in brackets to the sentence using ‘that’ or ‘who’ and a relative clause
Try these exercises on relative clauses. Add each bracketed phrase to its sentence with that or who. Item one: The woman is my aunt (she lives next door). Item two: I lost the phone (my father gave it to me). Item three: The students passed the exam (they studied hard).
Here are the answers. The woman who lives next door is my aunt. I lost the phone that my father gave me. The students who studied hard passed the exam. Notice that each clause sits right after its noun. The pronoun replaces the repeated word, and the sentences merge.
Subject and Object Relative Pronouns with Examples
A relative pronoun plays one of two roles inside its clause. It acts as the subject, or it acts as the object. This role decides whether you can drop the pronoun. It also affects the word order. The next sections show both roles with clear examples.
Subject relative pronouns
In a subject clause, the pronoun does the action. A verb follows it directly. She has a son who is a doctor. Here, who is the subject of is. You cannot drop a subject pronoun. She has a son is a doctor sounds wrong, so keep who, which, or that.
More subject examples show the same pattern. I need a secretary who can use a computer well. The house that belongs to Julie is in London. The camera which costs one hundred pounds is over there. Each pronoun starts the clause and leads straight into a verb. Subject relative clauses always follow this pattern.
Object relative pronouns
In an object clause, the pronoun receives the action. A new subject follows the pronoun. She loves the chocolate that I bought. Here, that is the object of bought, and I is the subject. You can often drop an object pronoun in defining clauses, as in She loves the chocolate I bought.
More object examples follow the same logic. The village that Lucy recommended was beautiful. The woman my brother loves is from Mexico. The bike I loved was stolen. Native speakers drop the pronoun all the time. This shortcut makes relative clauses lighter and more natural.
Relative pronouns after prepositions
Prepositions add one more layer. The music that Julie listens to is good. Here, that is the object of to. The preposition stays at the end of the clause. You can drop the pronoun here too, as in The music Julie listens to is good. This pattern sounds relaxed and natural.
Formal writing moves the preposition in front of the pronoun. The music to which Julie listens is good. Whom and which work in this slot, but that does not. The person to whom I spoke was helpful. Choose the casual or the formal pattern to match your reader.
A quick test to spot the role
A simple test shows the role of the pronoun. Look at the word right after it. If a verb comes next, the pronoun is a subject. If a noun or another pronoun comes next, it is an object. Apply this rule to every example in this guide.
Practice this test with relative clauses in your daily reading. Underline the pronoun and check the next word. Within a week, you will spot the pattern instantly. This skill also helps you decide when dropping the pronoun is safe. Subject pronouns stay, and object pronouns can often go.
Key rules and common confusing things
Several choices in relative clauses confuse even advanced learners. The sections below tackle the most common ones. Each comes with a simple rule and a few clear examples. Keep them close as a quick reference whenever you write or edit. Mastering these rules lifts your accuracy fast.
Which vs. That
Both which and that refer to things. In defining clauses, you can often use either one. The car that I bought is red and The car which I bought is red both work. Many style guides prefer that here. In nondefining clauses, you must use which, as in The car, which I bought last week, is red.
A simple memory trick helps. If you can remove the clause and keep the core meaning, use commas and which. If the clause is essential, skip the commas and prefer that. American style guides follow this split closely. British writers often use which in both cases.
Learn more……….Present Perfect Exercises: Practice Sets With Answers
Who vs. That
Who refers to people. That can refer to people or things in defining clauses. So The man who phoned is my brother and The man that phoned is my brother both work. In formal writing, who sounds more natural for people. Avoid which for people, as in The doctor which treated me.
Nondefining clauses about a person always need who. My boss, who is very kind, lives nearby. Writing that here would be wrong. Use who with names and titles too. Readers notice these details. This small choice makes your writing sound polished and professional.
Who vs. Whom
Who works as a subject. Whom works as an object. The artist who painted this lives here. The artist whom I admire lives here. In modern speech, many people use who for both. Formal writing still prefers whom. After a preposition, use whom, as in The person to whom I spoke was helpful.
Try the he or him test to check yourself. If he fits, use who. If him fits, use whom. Take I met the man whom I trusted. You would say I trusted him, so whom is correct. This quick swap works in nearly every sentence.
Where vs. ‘that + preposition’
Where can replace a preposition plus a pronoun. It refers to places. I live in the city where I study. You can say the same idea in other ways. I live in the city that I study in. I live in the city in which I study. All three versions are correct.
The versions differ in style. The last one sounds the most formal. The middle one sounds casual and common in speech. The where version sits comfortably between them. Pick the one that matches your audience. This flexibility keeps relative clauses compact and easy to read.
Keeping relative pronouns close to the noun
A relative clause should sit right next to the noun it describes. Distance creates confusion. The reader may link the clause to the wrong noun. Consider I saw a dog near the park that was barking. Was the park barking? Move the clause to fix it: I saw a dog that was barking near the park.
Another example shows the same problem. She gave a gift to her friend which was wrapped in silver paper. The paper covers the gift, not the friend. Write She gave her friend a gift which was wrapped in silver paper instead. Check each clause when you edit. Good relative clauses read smoothly.
Leaving out the relative pronoun
You can drop a relative pronoun in some cases. Your sentence stays correct and often sounds more natural. The two sections below explain when dropping works and how to shorten clauses further. Learn these patterns, and your writing will feel tighter and more confident.
When you can drop the pronoun
You can drop the pronoun when it is the object of its clause. The film (that) we watched was long. You cannot drop it when it acts as the subject. The film that won the prize was long needs that. Always check the role first, then decide.
Nondefining clauses never allow dropping. They need commas and a full pronoun. My sister, whom I adore, lives abroad is correct. My sister, I adore, lives abroad is not. Informal writing welcomes dropped pronouns. Formal writing often keeps them and prefers whom and in which.
Reduced relative clauses
You can also shorten some clauses with participles. The man who is standing at the door becomes The man standing at the door. The book that was written by Orwell becomes The book written by Orwell. This reduced form saves words and sounds crisp. It works best in defining clauses.
Remove the pronoun and the helping verb together. Keep the participle, which ends in ing or ed. This trick shortens web content without losing meaning. Use it when your sentences feel wordy. Keep the full form when the shorter version feels confusing. Clear writing always comes first.
Compound relative pronouns (whoever, whichever, whatever)
Compound relative pronouns add the suffix ever to a basic pronoun. The main forms are whoever, whomever, whichever, and whatever. They refer to no specific person or thing. They mean any person, any choice, or anything at all. They also introduce noun clauses rather than regular relative clauses.
Whoever and whomever
Whoever refers to any person. Whoever finishes first wins a prize. The clause itself acts as the subject of the sentence. No separate noun comes before it. This feature sets compound forms apart from regular pronouns. They carry the noun idea inside themselves.
Whomever is the object form. Give the ticket to whomever you choose. Most speakers say whoever here, but formal writing keeps whomever. Test the choice with him. If him fits the clause, choose whomever. Otherwise, choose whoever and move on. This mirrors the who and whom test from earlier.
Whichever and whatever
Whichever refers to a choice from a limited set. Take whichever seat you like. Whatever refers to anything without limits. Whatever you decide is fine with me. Both words show freedom of choice. Use whichever when the options are known, and whatever when they are not.
These words do not describe a noun. They act as a noun themselves. This difference separates them from adjective clauses. Compare Take the seat that you like with Take whichever seat you like. The first sentence uses a regular clause, while the second uses a noun clause.
Relative pronouns vs. question words (interrogative pronouns)
Who, whom, whose, which, and what also work as question words. The same words appear in questions and in relative clauses. Their jobs differ, though. A question word asks for information, while a relative pronoun connects a clause to a noun. Two clues help you tell them apart.
Position and word order
Position gives the first clue. Question words usually start the sentence. Relative pronouns follow a noun inside a longer sentence. Compare Who called you? with The man who called you is here. In the second sentence, who links the clause to the noun man.
Word order offers the second clue. Questions use inverted order, as in What did she say? Relative clauses keep normal order, as in The thing that she said was true. No auxiliary verb jumps ahead of the subject. Look for this pattern whenever you feel unsure.
That and indirect questions
The word that also highlights the difference. That works as a relative pronoun but never as a question word. You cannot ask That did you see? So that often signals a relative clause. Keep this rule in mind when you scan a sentence quickly.
Learners also mix up relative pronouns with indirect questions. I know who called is an indirect question. I know the man who called contains a relative clause. Look for a noun before the pronoun to decide. Relative clauses always describe that noun. The word what usually starts noun clauses instead, as in I know what you mean.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the types of relative clauses?
There are two main types: defining and nondefining. A defining clause gives essential information, and a nondefining clause adds extra detail.
When do you use who, which, and that in relative clauses?
Use who for people and which for things. Use that for people or things, but only in defining clauses.
What is the difference between who and whom in relative clauses?
Who works as the subject, and whom works as the object. Whom also follows a preposition, as in the person to whom I spoke.
How do you punctuate relative clauses?
Put commas around nondefining clauses and none around defining clauses. The commas can change the meaning of the sentence.
What is a reduced relative clause?
It is a shortened clause with the pronoun and the verb be removed. For example, The man who is standing at the door becomes The man standing at the door.
Conclusion
Relative pronouns and adverbs help you add detail without breaking your flow. Defining clauses identify the noun, and nondefining clauses add extra news. Commas, pronoun choice, and clause placement all shape your meaning. Master these three habits, and your sentences will read clearly every time.
Now put the rules to work. Read a few sentences each day and spot the clause in each one. Then write your own examples with who, which, that, and whose. Within a short time, this skill will feel natural, and your writing will sound smoother and more confident.
