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Relative Pronouns
The classmates with whom I studied German decided to give our teacher some flowers.

Relative Pronouns

Relative pronouns connect clauses and avoid repetition. Learn when to use who, whom, whose, which, that, and the relative adverbs where, when, why.

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Fascinating Fact:

Where, when, and why act like relative adverbs. The park where we trained has a 400 metre track.

In GCSE English, you will refine complex sentences using relative pronouns and relative adverbs. Mastering who, whom, whose, which, that, where, when, and why helps you add detail, avoid repetition, and control emphasis in analytical and creative writing.

Key Terms

  • Relative clause: A clause that adds information about a noun, usually introduced by a relative pronoun or relative adverb.
  • Antecedent: The noun a relative clause describes, such as the book in “the book that I borrowed.”
  • Restrictive vs nonrestrictive: A restrictive clause is essential to meaning and has no commas. A nonrestrictive clause adds extra information and is set off with commas.

Frequently Asked Questions (Click to see answers)

What is a relative pronoun?

A relative pronoun introduces a clause that describes a noun. Common ones are who, whom, whose, which, and that.

When should I use that or which in GCSE English?

Use that for restrictive clauses with no commas. Use which for nonrestrictive clauses that are extra and set off with commas.

What is the difference between who and whom?

Who is used as a subject of the verb. Whom is used as an object of a verb or preposition.

Try These Related Quizzes

1 .
Complete the sentence.

That is the factory in ...... my Dad used to work.

which
that
whose
whom
That is the factory in which my Dad used to work
2 .
Complete the sentence.
The man with ...... the Inspector was speaking is the notorious diamond thief, Renard.
who
that
whom
which
The man with whom the Inspector was speaking is the notorious diamond thief, Renard.  - When a person is the object of a sentence, the correct pronoun to use is 'whom' (The Inspector is speaking to Renard - With whom is the Inspector speaking?).  Because this is considered very formal, you will rarely hear it in spoken English (usually, people use 'who' instead).  It is important to know when to use 'whom', however, for times when you need to be absolutely correct
3 .
Complete the sentence.
The classmates .......... I studied German decided to give our teacher some flowers.
with whom
with who
whom
who
The classmates with whom I studied German decided to give our teacher some flowers
4 .
Complete the sentence.
Gordon, ...... nephew you met yesterday, will be visiting later.
whose
that
which
whom
Gordon, whose nephew you met yesterday, will be visiting later
5 .
Complete the sentence.
The teacher .......... taught me German will be retiring this year.
with whom
whom
who
with who
The teacher who taught me German will be retiring this year
6 .
Complete the sentence.
The woman ...... said hello was my old dance teacher.
whom
who
that
which

The woman who said hello was my old dance teacher. Although it can be used to refer to a person, 'that' is not correct as the subject of a clause (i.e. that said hello). You will hear 'that' used incorrectly in informal spoken English, however

7 .
Complete the sentence.
Who took the laptop ...... I was working ..... ?
that, in
which, in
which, on
whose, on
Who took the laptop which I was working on? - Many people (including teachers) believe that it is incorrect to end on a preposition ('on') in English.  This is not at all true.  English is a Germanic language - the 'not ending on a preposition rule' only applies to Romance languages (those based on Latin).  'Who took the laptop on which I was working' would sound silly because the grammar is too formal for the context
8 .
Complete the sentence.
The van, ...... was stopped earlier today by police, turned out to be driven by the men suspected of last week's bank robbery.
who
whose
whom
which
The van, which was stopped earlier today by police, turned out to be driven by the men suspected of last week's bank robbery
9 .
Complete the sentence.
The train ...... travels directly to Liverpool has been cancelled.
that
which
who
whose
The train which travels directly to Liverpool has been cancelled.  'That' would be incorrect because it would be acting as the subject of the relative clause
10 .
Complete the sentence.
There's the book ...... I thought I'd lost.
whose
who
that
whom
There's the book that I thought I'd lost - 'which' would also be correct
Author:  Sheri Smith (PhD English Literature, English Teacher & Quiz Writer)
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