Mastering Relative Pronouns: Your Guide to Super Sentences!
Hello! Let's power up your English skills!
Welcome to your study notes on Relative Pronouns. Ever feel like your sentences are a bit short and choppy? Or that you repeat the same nouns over and over again? Well, relative pronouns are here to help!
Think of them as special connecting words that join ideas together, making your writing and speaking sound much smoother and more professional. By the end of this guide, you'll be able to use them like a pro!
So, What ARE Relative Pronouns?
Don't worry if the name sounds complicated. The idea is simple!
A relative pronoun is a word that introduces extra information about a noun in the sentence. It connects a main part of a sentence to a smaller part (a clause) that describes the noun. They help us avoid repeating words and add important details.
The main relative pronouns we will learn are: who, which, that, and whose.
Quick Review: Nouns and Pronouns
To understand relative pronouns, let's quickly remember what nouns and pronouns are.
- A Noun is a person, place, or thing (e.g., student, school, book).
- A Pronoun takes the place of a noun (e.g., he, she, it).
Meet the Team: Your Main Relative Pronouns
Let's get to know each relative pronoun and see when to use it. It's easier than you think!
WHO - The "People" Pronoun
This one is easy! Use who when you are talking about a person.
Memory Aid: Think "WHO are you?". It's a question about a person!
Examples:
- The girl who won the prize is my sister. (The word 'who' tells us more about 'the girl').
- I want to thank the teacher who helped me with my homework. (The word 'who' refers to 'the teacher').
WHICH - The "Things and Animals" Pronoun
Use which when you are talking about things or animals. Never use it for people!
Memory Aid: Imagine asking "WHICH toy is yours?" or "WHICH cat is the cutest?". It's for objects and animals.
Examples:
- This is the phone which has a great camera. (The word 'which' tells us more about 'the phone').
- The dog which lives next door barks a lot. (The word 'which' refers to 'the dog').
THAT - The Super Flexible Pronoun
That is a very useful word because you can often use it for both people and things. If you're not sure whether to use 'who' or 'which', 'that' can sometimes be a safe choice.
Examples:
- The girl that won the prize is my sister. (Same as 'who')
- This is the phone that has a great camera. (Same as 'which')
Important Tip: While 'that' is flexible, there are some special situations (which we'll learn about next) where you can't use it. For now, just know it's a helpful option!
WHOSE - The "Possession" Pronoun
Use whose to show that something belongs to someone or something. It's all about possession or ownership.
Memory Aid: It answers the question "Whose is this?".
Examples:
- She is the student whose project won first place. (The project belongs to the student).
- I found a dog whose owner was looking for it. (The owner belongs to the dog).
Key Takeaway
- Use WHO for people.
- Use WHICH for things and animals.
- Use THAT for people or things (usually).
- Use WHOSE to show something belongs to someone/something.
The Two Types of Information: Essential vs. Extra
This is the most important part! A relative pronoun can introduce two kinds of information: information you NEED to know, and information that's just an EXTRA, nice-to-know detail. This difference is shown by using (or not using) commas!
1. Defining Clauses (Essential Information)
A defining clause gives essential information. It "defines" or tells us exactly which person or thing you're talking about. Without this information, the sentence would be confusing.
The Golden Rule: NO COMMAS!
Example:
- The boy who broke the window has to pay for it.
Here, "who broke the window" is essential. If we remove it, the sentence is just "The boy has to pay for it." We would ask, "Which boy?". The defining clause tells us exactly which one.
2. Non-Defining Clauses (Extra Information)
A non-defining clause gives extra, non-essential information. The sentence makes perfect sense even if you remove this clause. It's like a fun fact you add in.
The Golden Rule: USE COMMAS! Think of the commas as little handles you can use to lift the extra information out.
Example:
- Mr. Chan, who is my favourite teacher, is retiring this year.
We already know who Mr. Chan is. The information "who is my favourite teacher" is just an extra detail. The main sentence, "Mr. Chan is retiring this year," still makes perfect sense on its own.
Quick Review: The Comma Rule
- Is the information ESSENTIAL to understand who/what you're talking about? -> NO COMMAS (This is a Defining Clause).
- Is the information just an EXTRA detail? -> USE COMMAS (This is a Non-Defining Clause).
Common Mistakes to Avoid!
Here are a few common mix-ups. Watching out for these will really improve your accuracy!
1. Using 'which' for a person.
- Incorrect: The man which lives upstairs is very friendly.
- Correct: The man who lives upstairs is very friendly.
2. Using 'that' in a non-defining clause (with commas).
- Incorrect: My phone, that is brand new, has a cracked screen.
- Correct: My phone, which is brand new, has a cracked screen.
(Remember: Never use 'that' with commas!)
3. Forgetting the commas for extra information.
- Incorrect: My best friend who lives in Canada is visiting me.
- Correct: My best friend, who lives in Canada, is visiting me.
(You only have one best friend, so we already know who you mean. The fact they live in Canada is extra information).
Did you know?
You might sometimes hear the word whom. It's like a more formal version of 'who' used when the person is the object of the verb (e.g., "The man whom I met..."). However, in modern everyday English, especially in speaking, most people just use who or that instead. So don't worry too much about it!
Chapter Summary: Key Takeaways
Congratulations! You've learned the essentials of relative pronouns. Let's do a final review.
- Relative Pronouns connect a description to a noun in a sentence.
- The main ones are who (people), which (things/animals), that (people/things), and whose (possession).
- Defining clauses give ESSENTIAL information and use NO commas.
- Non-defining clauses give EXTRA information and MUST have commas.
- Never use 'that' with commas!
Keep practising, and soon using relative pronouns will be second nature. You've got this!