Pimp my English | More on relative pronouns

By Anna Malczyk
The name for words like “that” and “which”, which show that one part of a sentence relates to another, is “relative pronouns”.

As you know, a pronoun is a word that stands in for a noun, like in the example below.
•    Here is the cat. The cat was playing outside.
•    Here is the cat that was playing outside.
Here is a bit more about using the correct relative pronouns in the right situations.

That
“That” is always used when the noun is a thing.
•    This is the chair that I bought yesterday.
•    The house that we bought is in Milnerton.

Who
“Who” is always used when the noun is a person.
•    My friend, who is a cellist, has a concert on Friday.
•    John is the one who recommended this restaurant.

Where
“Where” is always used when the noun is a place.
•    This is the shop where I bought sweets as a child.
•    The name of place where we will meet will be SMSed to you.

When
“When” is always used when the noun is a time.
•    Today was the day when we first met, five years ago.
•    Christmas is the time when families come together.

Always be sure to use the appropriate relative pronoun with the right type of noun. If you’re not sure which one to use, try to rephrase your sentence as a question:
•    Which house did you buy? > that
•    Who is playing in a concert? > who
•    Where did you buy sweets? > where
•    When did we meet? > when

This article is published under the Creative Commons Attribution license.