Relative Pronouns & Relative Adverbs
Relative pronouns (who, whom, which, that, whose) and relative adverbs (where, when, why) join a describing clause to a noun.
| Word | Use |
|---|---|
| who | people (subject) |
| whom | people (object) |
| which | things |
| that | people or things |
| whose | owner |
| where / when / why | place / time / reason |
The man who called is my uncle.
This is the book that I like.
The town where I was born is small.
Use who for people, which for things, that for both; where/when/why replace "in/at which."
Common mistake: Using "which" for people ("the man which came"). Use who/that for people.
✏️ Test Yourself
1. The girl ___ won is my sister.
2. The house ___ we live is old.
3. The book ___ I read was good.
4. The day ___ we met was sunny.
📒 Words to learn
Meaning — To give pleasure or satisfaction.
“The praise gratified her efforts.”
Meaning — Producing much output, usually related to creative work.
“He is a prolific writer with many published works.”
Meaning — Certain to happen; unavoidable.
“The project's failure seemed inevitable after the delays.”
Meaning — To be a typical example of something.
“Her actions exemplify the values of the company.”
Meaning — To depart from an established course.
“He deviated from the plan to try something new.”