What is a Relative Pronoun?

S2-SA1-0068

Grade Level:

Class 1

NLP, Law, History, Social Sciences, Literature, Journalism, Communication

Definition

What is it?

A relative pronoun is a word that connects a clause (a part of a sentence) to a noun or pronoun. It helps us add more information about that noun or pronoun without starting a new sentence. Common relative pronouns are 'who,' 'whom,' 'whose,' 'which,' and 'that.'

Simple Example

Quick Example

Imagine you have a friend who always scores full marks in Maths. Instead of saying 'I have a friend. My friend always scores full marks in Maths,' you can say 'I have a friend WHO always scores full marks in Maths.' Here, 'who' connects the information about your friend.

Worked Example

Step-by-Step

Let's find the relative pronoun in the sentence: 'The book that I borrowed from the library is very interesting.' --- Step 1: Identify the main part of the sentence: 'The book is very interesting.' --- Step 2: Identify the extra information given about the book: 'I borrowed from the library.' --- Step 3: Look for the word that connects these two parts and refers back to 'the book.' --- Step 4: The word 'that' connects 'the book' to 'I borrowed from the library.' --- Step 5: 'That' is acting as the relative pronoun here. --- ANSWER: The relative pronoun is 'that'.

Why It Matters

Understanding relative pronouns helps you write and speak more clearly and smoothly, which is crucial in journalism, literature, and communication. It's like building strong bridges between ideas in your sentences. People in law, writing, and even social sciences use them constantly to explain complex relationships.

Common Mistakes

MISTAKE: Using 'which' for people | CORRECTION: Use 'who' or 'whom' for people, and 'which' for things or animals. Example: 'The boy which won the race' should be 'The boy who won the race.'

MISTAKE: Forgetting to use a relative pronoun when needed | CORRECTION: If you are adding extra information about a noun, check if a relative pronoun can make the sentence flow better. Example: 'This is the chaiwala. He makes the best chai.' should be 'This is the chaiwala who makes the best chai.'

MISTAKE: Confusing 'whose' with 'who's' | CORRECTION: 'Whose' shows possession (like 'his' or 'her'). 'Who's' is a contraction of 'who is' or 'who has.' Example: 'Whose bag is this?' (possession) vs. 'Who's coming to the party?' (who is).

Practice Questions

Try It Yourself

QUESTION: Identify the relative pronoun: 'This is the mobile phone which I bought yesterday.' | ANSWER: which

QUESTION: Fill in the blank with the correct relative pronoun: 'My cousin, ____ lives in Mumbai, visited us last week.' | ANSWER: who

QUESTION: Combine these two sentences using a relative pronoun: 'The auto-rickshaw was fast. It took us to the market quickly.' | ANSWER: The auto-rickshaw that took us to the market quickly was fast. (or 'The auto-rickshaw, which took us to the market quickly, was fast.')

MCQ

Quick Quiz

Which of the following sentences correctly uses a relative pronoun?

The girl, which won the prize, is my neighbour.

This is the movie that I told you about.

I have a friend whose's favourite food is dosa.

The dog who barks loudly lives next door.

The Correct Answer Is:

Option B correctly uses 'that' to refer to 'the movie'. Option A incorrectly uses 'which' for a person. Option C incorrectly uses 'whose's' instead of 'whose'. Option D incorrectly uses 'who' for an animal; 'which' or 'that' would be better.

Real World Connection

In the Real World

When you read news articles online or in a newspaper, journalists use relative pronouns all the time to give more details about people, places, or events. For example, 'The scientist who developed the vaccine received an award.' Or when you read reviews for a new smartphone on Flipkart, you'll see sentences like 'The phone that has the best camera is often expensive.'

Key Vocabulary

Key Terms

PRONOUN: A word that replaces a noun | CLAUSE: A group of words with a subject and a verb | ANTECEDENT: The noun or pronoun that a relative pronoun refers to | CONNECT: To join two or more things together

What's Next

What to Learn Next

Great job learning about relative pronouns! Next, you can explore 'Relative Clauses.' This will help you understand how these pronouns form bigger parts of sentences and make your writing even more expressive and detailed. Keep practicing!