Learning English

Relative pronouns

Relative pronouns are an important part of making relative clauses.

Let's look at our very first example again.

The flight was cancelled. We were going to take it.

In the first sentence there is the pronoun it. In the sentence with the relative clause, it has been replaced by a relative pronoun, that.

The flight that we were going to take was cancelled.

The position of the relative pronoun is after the noun to which it refers and there are different relative pronouns depending on whether we are talking about people, things, places, possessions or times.

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who / that 

Either of these can be used for people in defining relative clauses:

The man who came to the door was collecting for charity.
You do realise the man that you saw in Las Vegas wasn't the real Elvis, don't you?

Note that in non-defining relative clauses who is used for people and not that.

Michael, who was on time for once, made a good impression at the interview. 

that / which 

Either of these can be used for things in defining relative clauses:

I don't like films that are really scary.
I want to see something on the news which doesn't make me sad or angry.

Note that in non-defining relative clauses which is used for things and not that.

He was very late yesterday, which is not surprising.

whose 

Use this relative pronoun for possessives:

The dog whose collar we found lives across the street.
The man whose wallet I found gave me a reward.

where 

This relative pronoun is used for places:

Do you remember the place where we first met?
I want to go to a place where I've never been.

when 

We use this relative pronoun for times:

I can remember a time when there was no email or internet.
Do you think there'll be a day this summer when it doesn't rain?

Leaving out the relative pronoun

In a defining relative clause when the relative pronoun refers to the object of the verb we can leave it out.

Let's look yet again at the first example:

The flight was cancelled. We were going to take it.

The pronoun it refers to the flight. The flight is the object of the verb take. In the sentence with the relative clause we can therefore leave out the relative pronoun.

The flight (that) we were going to take was cancelled.

You can't leave out the relative pronoun from a non-defining relative clause.

To do 

Check your understanding of relative pronouns by trying the quiz. Can you select the correct pronoun?

Next

Well done if you got all the questions right! And don't worry if you didn't - it's a tricky topic. Hear more about it with Callum, Catherine and Finn in 6 Minute Grammar next.