Home of English Grammar

Free Guide (Updated for 2022)

  • Home
  • Download Lessons
  • Grammar Rules
  • Online Exercises
  • Online Tools
    • Grammar Checker
    • Word Counter
  • Guides
  • Contact
You are here: Home / Lessons / Double use of relative pronouns

Double use of relative pronouns

November 1, 2012 - pdf

Relative pronouns have a double use: inside their clauses, they act as subjects or objects; at the same time they connect relative clauses to nouns or pronouns in other clauses.

As objects or subjects relative pronouns can replace words like he and him. Note that just one subject or object is enough in a relative clause.

Compare:

I have a friend. She writes plays for television. (Two separate sentences)

  • I have a friend who writes plays for television. (Two clauses connected by a relative pronoun)

(NOT I have a friend who she writes plays for television.)

Here the relative clause ‘who writes plays for television’ modifies the noun friend.

This is Jane. She does my hair.

  • This is Jane who does my hair. (NOT This is Jane who she does my hair.)

Here the relative clause ‘who does my hair’ modifies the noun Jane.

She married my cousin. I really like him.

  • She married my cousin whom I really like. (NOT She married my cousin whom I really like him.)

Here is a book. It might interest you.

  • Here is a book which might interest you. (NOT Here is a book which it might interest you.)

Here the relative clause ‘which might interest you’ modifies the noun book.

Notes

The relative pronoun that can refer to both people and things. Who is only used to refer to people. Which is used to refer to objects.

  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn
  • Twitter
  • WhatsApp
1,127,749 
204,511 

Check Your Grammar

GrammarCheck.net - Try online
Hint → Bookmark GrammarCheck for future use.

Latest Exercises

  • Conjunctions Exercise July 2, 2022
  • Gap Filling Exercise June 29, 2022
  • General Grammar Exercise June 28, 2022
  • Will vs. Would June 26, 2022
  • See vs. Look vs. Watch June 23, 2022
  • General Grammar Exercise June 21, 2022
  • Tenses Gap Filling Exercise June 21, 2022
  • Gap Filling Exercise June 20, 2022
  • Subject Verb Agreement Exercise June 20, 2022

Topics

  • Adjectives
  • Adverbs
  • Business Writing
  • Commas
  • Conjunctions
  • Creative Writing
  • Difference
  • Essay Writing
  • Exercises
  • Learning
  • Lessons
  • Nouns
  • Prepositions
  • Pronouns
  • Proofreading
  • Punctuation
  • Quiz
  • Spelling
  • Style Guide
  • Teaching
  • Terms
  • Verbs
  • Words
  • Writing

Quiz

  • Can you correct these 14 basic grammar mistakes?
  • What kind of writer are you?

Copyright © 2022 · EnglishGrammar.org
Disclaimer · Privacy Policy · Sitemap