Relative Pronouns vs. Relative Adjectives
Relative adjectives, on the other hand, are less common but can refer to words like "
which" or "
whose" used in contexts where they modify a noun directly. For example, "Whose book is this?"📕 where "whose" functions as a relative adjective modifying "book."📖
In
competitive exams, questions may ask candidates to identify or correct sentences with incorrect usage of these pronouns and adjectives, or to choose the correct one to complete a sentence.
Understanding these grammatical components can help improve accuracy in comprehension and sentence correction sections of the exams. Additionally, mastering this topic can enhance overall linguistic competence, which is valuable for both written and spoken communication in various professional settings.
What you'll learn in this article:
- What is relative pronoun?
- What is relative adjectives?
- Difference between "Relative Pronouns and Relative Adjectives"
- Structure of "Relative Pronoun"
- Structure of "Relative Adjectives"
- Exercise to crack the competitive exams
What is " Relative Pronouns "?
A relative pronoun is a word used to introduce a relative clause, which provides additional information about a noun in a sentence. Common relative pronouns include "
who," "
whom," "whose," "which," and "that." These pronouns connect the clause to the noun, helping to form a more detailed and complex sentence. For example, in the sentence "The book that you lent me was fascinating," the word "that" is
a relative pronoun introducing the relative clause "that you lent me," which provides more information about the noun "book."📕 Relative pronouns are essential for creating intricate sentences that convey precise meanings and relationships between ideas
What is " Relative Adjectives "?
Relative adjectives, more commonly referred to as relative pronouns when they serve a similar function, are words used to introduce
relative clauses and provide more information about a noun mentioned earlier in a sentence. They help connect ideas and add depth to sentences by linking clauses together. Common relative pronouns include "who," "whom," "whose," "which," and "that." These pronouns act as adjectives because they describe or provide more detail about a noun, such as in the sentence: "The book 📕that you lent me was fascinating." Here, "that" introduces the relative clause "that you lent me," providing additional information about "the book." While they perform a descriptive role, they are distinct from traditional adjectives, which directly modify nouns without introducing additional clauses.
Difference between, "Relative Adjectives & Relative Pronouns ":
Relative adjectives and relative pronouns are both used to introduce relative clauses, but they serve different functions within those clauses. A relative pronoun, such as "who," "whom," "whose," "which," or "that," is used to introduce a clause that provides more information about a noun. For example, in the sentence "The book that you lent me was fascinating," the word "that" is a relative pronoun introducing the clause "that you lent me," which describes "the book."
On the other hand, relative adjectives, also known as relative determiners, modify nouns and are used to introduce relative clauses while also providing additional information about the noun. The most common relative adjective is "whose," which indicates possession. For instance, in the sentence "I met a woman👩🚒 whose brother is a famous musician," the word "whose" is a relative adjective introducing the clause "whose brother is a famous musician," providing more information about "a woman"👩🚒 and indicating possession.
In summary, while both relative pronouns and relative adjectives introduce relative clauses, relative pronouns act as the subject or object within the clause, whereas relative adjectives modify a noun and often indicate possession or relationship. Understanding their roles can help clarify sentence structure and meaning.
Structure of "Relative Pronouns"
Relative pronouns are words that introduce relative clauses, which provide additional information
about a noun in a sentence without starting a new one. The main relative pronouns in English are
"who," "whom," "whose," "which," and "that." Each serves a specific purpose based on the noun
they are referring to.
1. Who: This pronoun is used for people and functions as the subject of a relative clause. For
example, “The woman who called you is my sister.” Here, "who" introduces the clause "who
called you," providing more information about "the woman."
2. Whom: Also used for people, "whom" serves as the object of a relative clause. An example is,
“The person whom you met is my uncle.” In this sentence, "whom" is the object of the verb "met."
3. Whose: This pronoun shows possession and can refer to both people and things. For example,
“The artist whose painting won the award is here.” "Whose" indicates that the painting belongs to
the artist.
4. Which: Used for animals and things, “which” introduces non-restrictive and restrictive clauses.
For instance, “The book, which I borrowed from the library, is fascinating.” The clause "which I borrowed from the library" provides additional information about "the book."
5. That: This pronoun is used for people, animals, and things in restrictive clauses, meaning the information is essential to the sentence. For example, “The movie that we watched last night was thrilling.” The clause "that we watched last night" is crucial to understanding which movie is being referred to.
Relative pronouns are essential for combining sentences and avoiding repetition, making
writing more fluid and cohesive.
Structure of Relative Adjectives
Relative adjectives, also known as relative pronouns, when used adjectivally, are words that
introduce relative clauses and provide more information about a noun. These adjectives relate
to a noun mentioned previously in the sentence and help connect the main clause to the relative
clause. The most common relative adjectives include "whose," "which," and "that."
1. "Whose": This relative adjective is used to show possession or relationship. For example, in the sentence “The artist whose paintings🖼️ you admire is hosting an exhibition,” "whose" introduces the relative clause "whose paintings you admire," providing more information about "the artist."
2. "Which": This is used for things or animals and introduces non-restrictive or restrictive clauses. For instance, “The book📔, which is on the table, is mine,” uses "which" to introduce a non-essential clause adding extra information about "the book."
3. "That": This is used for people, things, or animals and usually introduces restrictive clauses, meaning the information is essential to the meaning of the sentence. For example, “The car that is parked outside is new,” uses "that" to specify which car🚓 is being discussed.
These relative adjectives are crucial for creating complex sentences that provide detailed descriptions and clarify relationships between different parts of a sentence.
Exercise to practice
1. Which relative pronoun would correctly complete the sentence:
"The story book ______ you lent me was fascinating."?
A) who
B) whom
C) which
D) that
Answer: D) that
provides essential information about the noun " story book."
2. Identify the correct relative pronoun:
"The musician ______ won the award is from Spain."
A) who
B) whom
C) whose
D) which
Answer: A) who
Explanation: "Who" is used as a relative pronoun to refer to people in a subject position.
3. Choose the correct sentence:
A) The house, which roof is leaking, needs repairs.
B) The house, whose roof is leaking, needs repairs.
C) The house, whom roof is leaking, needs repairs.
D) The house, who's roof is leaking, needs repairs.
Answer: B) The house, whose roof is leaking, needs repairs.
Explanation: "Whose" is the possessive form of relative pronouns, used to show possession.
4. Which relative adjective is correct:
"He is a person ______ honesty cannot be questioned."
A) who
B) whose
C) which
D) that
Answer: B) whose
Explanation: "Whose" is used as a relative adjective to indicate ownership or association
with the noun "honesty."
5. Identify the incorrect use of a relative pronoun:
"The car, that was stolen, belonged to my neighbor."
A) Correct
B) Incorrect
Answer: B) Incorrect
appropriate here: "The car, which was stolen, belonged to my neighbor."
6. Which sentence correctly uses a relative pronoun?
A) She’s the author, that wrote the bestseller.
B) She’s the author who wrote the bestseller.
C) She’s the author whom wrote the bestseller.
D) She’s the author whose wrote the bestseller.
Answer: B) She’s the author who wrote the bestseller.
Explanation: "Who" is used for people and is appropriate for introducing information
about "the author."
7. Fill in the blank:
"The city ______ we visited last summer was beautiful."
A) who
B) whose
C) what
D) which
Answer: D) which
Explanation: "Which" is used as a relative pronoun for things and animals, suitable
here for "the city."
8. Which sentence uses the correct relative pronoun?
A) The team whom won the match was ecstatic.
B) The team who won the match was ecstatic.
C) The team which won the match was ecstatic.
D) The team that won the match was ecstatic.
Answer: D) The team that won the match was ecstatic.
Explanation: "That" is often used for things and groups of people like teams in defining clauses.
9. Choose the correct relative pronoun to complete:
"The scientist ______ discovery changed the world is famous."
A) who
B) whom
C) whose
D) which
Answer: C) whose
Explanation: "Whose" indicates possession, referring to the discovery belonging to the scientist.
10. Which sentence uses a relative pronoun incorrectly?
A) The artist, whose paintings were on display, was not present.
B) The artist who paintings were on display was not present.
C) The artist, whom paintings were on display, was not present.
D) The artist, which paintings were on display, was not present.
Answer: A) The artist, whose paintings were on display, was not present.
Explanation: "Whose" is correctly used for possession in option A, whereas the others incorrectly attempt to denote possession.
11. Select the correct relative pronoun:
"The letter ______ arrived yesterday was from my friend."
A) who
B) whom
C) which
D) that
Answer: D) that
Explanation: "That" is used to introduce a defining clause specifying which letter is being referred to.
12. Which option correctly completes the sentence:
"The movie ______ you recommended was thrilling."
A) whom
B) whose
C) which
D) who
Answer: C) which
Explanation: "Which" is used for things, and "movie" is a non-human subject, making "which" suitable in this context.
13. Pick the correct relative pronoun:
"The people ______ live next door are very friendly."
A) which
B) that
C) whom
D) who
Answer: D) who
Explanation: "Who" is used for people, suitable for describing "the people" in the subject position.
14. Choose the right sentence:
A) The dog that's barking is mine.
B) The dog, that’s barking, is mine.
C) The dog which barking is mine.
D) The dog whom barking is mine.
Answer: A) The dog that's barking is mine.
Explanation: "That" is correctly used here in a defining clause to specify which dog is
being referred to.
15. Identify the sentence with the correct relative pronoun:
A) The chair, which legs are broken, needs fixing.
B) The chair, whose legs are broken, needs fixing.
C) The chair, who legs are broken, needs fixing.
D) The chair, that legs are broken, needs fixing.
Answer: B) The chair, whose legs are broken, needs fixing.
Explanation: "Whose" indicates possession, referring to the legs belonging to the chair.
16. Fill in the blank:
"The teacher ______ students love music is retiring."
A) who
B) whom
C) which
D) whose
Answer: D) whose
Explanation: "Whose" is used to show the relationship between the teacher and the students.
17. Which is the correct use of a relative pronoun?
A) The car, who was red, sped past.
B) The car, whom was red, sped past.
C) The car, which was red, sped past.
D) The car, whose was red, sped past.
Answer: C) The car, which was red, sped past.
Explanation: "Which" is used for things in non-defining clauses.
18. Complete the sentence:
"The company ______ headquarters are in New York is expanding."
A) who
B) whom
C) whose
D) that
Answer: C) whose
Explanation: "Whose" is used to indicate possession, referring to the headquarters belonging
to the company.
19. Choose the correct option:
"The artist ______ sculpture won the prize is talented."
A) whose
B) which
C) whom
D) who
Answer: A) whose
Explanation: "Whose" shows the relationship between the artist and the sculpture.
20. Identify the right relative pronoun:
"The woman ______ I met yesterday was very kind."
A) which
B) who
C) whom
D) whose
Answer: C) whom
Explanation: "Whom" is used for people in the object position of the clause.
These questions and answers are designed to test and reinforce understanding of relative
pronouns and adjectives, providing clear explanations based on grammatical rules.
Relative adjectives and relative pronouns serve distinct yet complementary roles in English
grammar, and their importance depends on the context in which they are used.
Relative pronouns—such as "who," "whom," "whose," "which," and "that"—are crucial
for introducing relative clauses, which provide additional information about a noun.
For example, in the sentence "The book that I borrowed was fascinating," "that" is a relative
pronoun introducing a clause that gives more detail about the book.
On the other hand, relative adjectives (also known as relative determiners), such as "whose,"
"what," and "which," modify nouns while maintaining a connection to a relative clause.
For instance, in the sentence "I found the student whose project won the award," "whose"
acts as a relative adjective providing more information about the student.
Both relative pronouns and adjectives enhance the richness and clarity of language by allowing speakers and writers to create complex, informative sentences. Relative pronouns are indispensable for linking clauses and providing necessary context, while relative adjectives add specificity and depth to the subjects they modify. Therefore, neither is inherently more important than the other; rather, their significance is determined by their function within a sentence. Understanding how to correctly use both can greatly improve one's proficiency in constructing well-rounded and meaningful statements.
Exam Tips for SSC, Banking, UPSC & Other Government Exams:
Read carefully: Check whether the clause is necessary (no comma) or extra
information (needs comma).
Clarity first: Choose the option that maintains grammatical accuracy and clarity.
Eliminate Options: In MCQs, eliminate choices using ' that' after a comma or using 'who'
for objects incorrectly.
Spot Errors: Look for wrong pronoun usage (who vs which), missing commas in defining
clauses, or incorrect omission.
Practice Sentence Transformation: Convert simple sentences into complex ones using
relative pronouns to build confidence.
Essential tip for SSC Aspirants:
Key points to remember:
Who: Refers to people (subject of the clause.)
The girl who stood first in the class is my sister.
Whom: Refers to people (Object of the clause)
The boy whom you met is talented.
Whose: Shows possession (for people, animals, or things)
The student whose bag pack was lost is worried.
Which: Refers to animals and things.
The jeep which broke down is old.
That: Used for people, animals, or things in defining/ restrictive clauses.
The book that I borrowed is excellent.
Relative Pronouns like who, whom, whose, which, and that introduce relative clauses
and link them to main clauses, adding essential information.
While relative adjectives such as what, which, or whose, modify nouns within these clauses
and are often tested in fill in the blank or spot the error formats. Misuse or confusion between
these can lead to grammatical inaccuracies that cost valuable marks.
Final Checklist:
- Is the clause defining or non-defining?
- Is the relative pronoun the subject or object?
- Are commas used correctly?
- Is that used appropriately (not after commas)?
- Is whom needed formally, or is who accepted informally?
Mastering these rules through consistent practice and sentence analysis will boost
your grammar score in exams like SSC, Banking, CAT, and more. Keep revising
and apply them actively in writing and error spotting exercises!
