A relative pronoun connects extra information to a noun mentioned earlier in a sentence, allowing you to combine two short sentences into a more natural one. Learners often know the basic set, who, which and that, but still make mistakes when choosing between them, deciding whether to include a comma, or determining when the word can be left out.
This article answers what is a relative pronoun, covers the main types with examples, explains when these words can be omitted, how they are used after prepositions, and provides exercises with answers.
What is a relative pronoun?
Definition
A relative pronoun introduces a relative clause, which provides more information about a noun or pronoun that appears earlier in the sentence.
Example: The woman who called earlier is my colleague. – “Who called earlier” is the relative clause, providing more information about “the woman.”
Why relative pronouns matter
These words allow you to combine two separate ideas into a single, more natural sentence instead of using two short, repetitive sentences.
Without one: I have a friend. She lives in Canada. With one: I have a friend who lives in Canada.
Types of relative pronoun
who
Used for people as the subject of the clause.
Example: The man who helped me is a doctor.
whom
Used for people as the object of the clause. It is more common in formal writing than in everyday speech, where “who” is often used instead.
Example: The man whom I met yesterday is a doctor.
which
Used for things and animals.
Example: The book which is on the table belongs to me.
that
The word that can refer to people, things or animals, but only in defining relative clauses, not in non-defining ones.
Example: The dog that barks loudly is mine.
whose
Shows possession and can refer to both people and things.
Example: The student whose bag is red is my classmate.
Relative adverbs: where, when, why
Although they are adverbs rather than pronouns, where, when and why are often taught alongside these forms because they introduce clauses in a similar way. They can express meanings that correspond to a preposition plus a relative word.
Examples: This is the house where I grew up. (= in which I grew up) I remember the day when we first met. (= on which we first met) Tell me the reason why you were late. (= for which you were late).
Note: “How” is not a standard relative pronoun or relative adverb in this sense. It is not normally used after a noun in the same way as “where,” “when” and “why.” Instead, “the way” is usually followed directly by a clause, as in the way she explained it, without “how.”
Relative pronoun examples by function
| Relative pronoun | Refers to | Function in the clause | Example |
| who | People | Subject | The man who called is my boss. |
| whom | People | Object | The man whom I called is my boss. |
| which | Things/animals | Subject or object | The car which I bought is red. |
| that | People/things/animals | Subject or object (defining clauses only) | The car that I bought is red. |
| whose | People/things | Possession | The woman whose car was stolen is my neighbor. |
Defining and non-defining relative clauses
Defining relative clauses
A defining clause gives essential information needed to identify the noun. Without it, the sentence may be unclear. No comma is used, and “that” can replace “who” or “which.”
Example: Students who study hard usually get good results.
Non-defining relative clauses
A non-defining clause adds extra, non-essential information. The sentence would still make sense without it. Commas are used, and “that” cannot be used in this type of clause.
Example: Ha Long Bay, which is a famous heritage site, attracts many tourists.
Omitting the relative pronoun
You can often omit these words in a defining relative clause, but only when the word functions as the object of the clause, not when it functions as the subject.
Example (object, can be omitted): The book (which) I bought is interesting.
Example (subject, cannot be omitted): The man who called is my boss. Here, “who” is the subject of “called,” so it must remain.
Non-defining relative clauses do not allow the word to be omitted, regardless of its function in the clause.
Preposition + relative pronoun
In more formal English, a preposition can be placed directly before certain forms, particularly “whom” and “which,” instead of at the end of the clause.
More formal: The person to whom I spoke was very helpful. The house in which I live is quite old.
Less formal, same meaning: The person I spoke to was very helpful. The house I live in is quite old.
This preposition + relative pronoun pattern is common in academic and formal writing, including IELTS Writing Task 2. In everyday conversation, the preposition usually moves to the end of the clause, and the word introducing the clause may be omitted.
Common mistakes with relative pronouns
- Using “which” for people. Writing The man which called instead of The man who called.
- Using “that” in a non-defining clause. Writing Ha Long Bay, that is a famous heritage site, attracts tourists instead of using “which” with commas.
- Omitting a subject relative pronoun. Writing The man called is my boss instead of The man who called is my boss.
- Adding an extra pronoun after the relative word. Writing The man who he called me is my boss instead of The man who called me is my boss.
- Forgetting “whose” for possession. Translating word for word instead of using whose, for example, writing The student that his bag is red instead of The student whose bag is red.
Relative pronoun exercises with answers
Exercise 1: Choose the correct relative pronoun
- The woman ______ (who / which) is talking to my mom is my teacher.
- This is the house ______ (where / which) I was born.
- The book ______ (whose / who) cover is red belongs to Lan.
- Do you remember the day ______ (when / who) we visited the museum?
Sample answers: 1. who – 2. where – 3. whose – 4. when
Exercise 2: Combine the two sentences using a relative pronoun
- I have a friend. He lives in Da Nang.
- This is the laptop. I bought it yesterday.
- The teacher is very kind. She teaches us English.
Sample answers:
- I have a friend who lives in Da Nang.
- This is the laptop (which/that) I bought yesterday.
- The teacher who teaches us English is very kind.
Exercise 3: Find and correct the error
- The girl which is wearing a blue dress is my cousin. → Correct to who/that.
- This is the town, that I grew up in. → Remove the comma and keep that, or use which in an appropriate non-defining clause with a complete structure.
- The man who I spoke to him is my uncle. → Remove the extra him.
Using a relative pronoun worksheet for practice
A relative pronoun worksheet typically combines multiple-choice questions, sentence-combining tasks and error correction. Exercises may be grouped by topic so learners can focus on tricky cases, such as “who” versus “whom” or defining versus non-defining clauses, before practicing all the forms together.
A relative pronoun connects a relative clause to a noun mentioned earlier in a sentence. Choosing the right form-who, whom, which, that or whose-depends on whether it refers to a person or thing, the role it plays in the clause, and whether the clause is defining or non-defining. Once you understand the basic forms, practicing omission and preposition patterns can make your writing more natural and, in formal contexts, more precise.
See also: What is a Collocation with Get?
Frequently asked questions
What is a relative pronoun?
A relative pronoun introduces a clause that adds information about a noun or pronoun mentioned earlier in the sentence. The main forms in English are who, whom, which, that and whose.
When can a relative pronoun be omitted?
A relative pronoun can be omitted in a defining relative clause when it functions as the object of that clause, as in “The book (which) I bought is interesting.” It cannot be omitted when it functions as the subject or appears in a non-defining clause.
Why do some sentences use “preposition + relative pronoun,” like “to whom” or “in which”?
This pattern is more common in formal and academic English. Placing the preposition directly before the relative word, as in “the person to whom I spoke,” is more formal than moving it to the end of the clause, as in “the person I spoke to.” Both forms are grammatically correct, but the first is less common in everyday conversation.
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