The relative pronoun “whom” replaces a human object. We rarely use this pronoun any more unless it follows a preposition.
- We are looking at the man. We are looking at him. The man is doing yoga.
- The man at whom we are looking is doing yoga.
- People do yoga. People are flexible.
- People who do yoga are flexible.
“Whose” replaces a possessive adjective. It is used along with a subject noun. It shows that the noun subject in the adjective clause belongs to the noun that precedes the adjective clause. It can be used for a person OR a thing.
- The man is extremely flexible. His body is bent like a pretzel.
- The man whose body is bent like a pretzel is extremely flexible.
The person who built this treehouse is a genius. The person who built this must be a great dad.
The children who play in this treehouse are very lucky.
The children for whom it was built must feel so happy.
The children with whom they play are probably jealous of them.
The treehouse, whose windows and railings are covered in lights, looks beautiful.
The treehouse, whose owners must be very wealthy, has many rooms.
EXERCISE 1
Fill
in the blanks with the relative clause
"when / where / why" to complete the sentences.
1.-We
want to go to a beach _______ we can sunbathe and swim.
2.-.
Parents should seek and find the reasons _______ their children play computer
games for long hours.
3.-
They want to learn the day _______ they will receive their cup for the
volleyball championship.
4.-. Do
you know the reason _______ Joseph and Lilly argued yesterday?
5.-. Is
there a good barber shop _______ I can have my hair cut?
6.-.
Could you tell me _____________ you didn`t call me ?
7.-. I
know a wonderful place _______ we can take photographs of beautiful butterflies
and flowers.
8.- The school director asked _______ the two kids
were crying?
9.-Mr.Gordon works in a small company _______ he has a
lot of friendly colleagues.
10. I will telephone and tell you ______ I will arrive
at the bus station.
11. The boss asked _______ I wanted to work in his
company and I told him I needed money.
12. The time is mentioned on the poster , but I can't
see _______ the concert will take place.
13. You should tell the taxi driver _______ you want
to go as soon as you get into the car.
14. Have you found an answer _______ the sky is blue?
15. Do you know _______ this photograph was taken? I
will find out how old I was then.
16. Who can tell me _______ World War I started and
finished?
17.-. The tourist didn't know _______ to find fishing
equipment so I took them to the shop by the harbor.
18.- 14 is the year ______ the First World War started.
19.- Dallas is the
city _____________ Kennedy was shot.
20.- I can`t understand ____________you left me.
EXERCISE 2
RELATIVE PRONOUNS: MULTIPLE CHOICE.
Choose the correct answer.
1.- The train ________ goes to
Madrid leaves from platform 2.
a.- where b.- who c.- which d.- whose
2.- The friend ________ CD I
borrowed wants it back.
a.- which b.- where c.- who d.- whose
3.- Where’s the dog _________
lives next door?
a.- who b.- which c.- whose d.- when
4.- My friend Caroline, ________
is Scottish, tells funny jokes.
a.- who b.- which c.- whose d.- where
5.- If you can’t find the hotel
________ I stayed last weekend,
I can tell you ________ to ask.
a.- which / where b.- where / who c.- where
/ which
6.- Do you know ________ this
mobile phone belongs to?
a.- which b.- where c.- whom d.- who
7.- The students didn’t understand
________ the teacher said.
a.- what b.- that c.- which d.- where
8.- The meal ________ we had at
the restaurant was very good.
a.- where b.- which c.- who d.- whose
9.- “Grease” was the first film
________ I saw at the cinema.
a.- what b.- who c.- which d.- where
10.- The teacher, ________ I spoke
this morning, said I was doing
very well.
a.- who b.- whom c.- to whom d.- which
11.- Do you know anyone ______ has
visited Ireland?
a.- whom b.- whose c.- that d.- which
12.- My neighbour, ________ speaks
three languages, is a translator.
a.- that b.- who c.- whose d.- which
13.- My cousin works for a company
_________ sells laptops.
a.- who b.- what c.- ---- d.- that
14.- The computer problem, ______
was unexpected, is now solved.
a.- who b.- which c.- that d.- whose
15.- This the book _________
everybody has been waiting for.
a.- whose b.- what c.- that d.- whom
16.- Children ________ families
are broken suffer a lot.
a.- that b.- who c.- which d.- whose
17.- This is the village _________
my mother spent her childhood.
a.- when b.- which c.- where d.- who
18.- The woman to _______ you were
speaking is my aunt.
a.- who b.- that c.- which d.- whom
19.- The desks, ________ are very
old, need to be changed.
a.- who b.- that c.- which d.- whom
20.- He doesn’t remember the day
________ he left school.
a.- why
b.- that c.- whose d.- who
EXERCISE 3
Multiple-choice
exercises
Choose the
correct answer for each question in the quiz.
<= 1 / 40 =>
1.
Children......eat a lot of sugar and some candies often get bad teeth.
1 who 2. whose 3. which 4. ----
2.
There wasn't any directory in that telephone box........I was phoning.
1.
from this box
2. from that 3.
From which 4. which
3.
Some of my friends .........have not yet arrived.
1.
whom I invited them 2. to whom I invited 3.
I invited 4. I invited them
4. Go and find the
driver......arrived here last week.
1.
whose
2. Where 3. Who 4. whom
5.
We gave the money to the people.........we knew to be honest.
1.
who
2. Whose 3. Which
4. whom
6. This is the girl.......picture I saw
in the newspaper yesterday.
1.
who
2. ----- 3. That 4. whose
7.
She is reading the book .......red cover is torn.
1.
which
2. With 3. of which 4. that
8.
"What interests you?"
"The subject.......I am
interested is English."
1.
in that
2. in which 3. Which 4. that
9
Her father, ......you may have heard, is a famous doctor.
1.
whom
2. of whom 3.
of that
4. whose
10.
My vacation,.........I can get some rest, is coming soon.
1.
when
2. Where 3. Which 4. that
11.
There are telephones.........members of the staff may use for business
calls only.
1.
which
2. Whose 3. for which 4. of which
12.
The girls .......we heard
shouting were watching the tennis match.
1.
who
2. ---- 3. That 4. whose
13.
My friend .......is very well off will further her studies abroad.
1.
who her family 2. which family 3. whose family 4.
her family
14.
The house........they live needs repairing and repainting.
1.
which
2. Where 3.
in that 4. to which
15.
The boy .........I spoke to you yesterday is absent.
1.
about whom 2. Who 3. Whom 4. that
18.
The fastest passenger aircraft.........operate regularly is the
Concorde.
1.
, who
2. It 3. That 4. , which
21.
Can you suggest a time........will be convenient to meet?
1.
where
2. Why 3. That
4. when
22.
I saw the boy ........did it.
1.
who
2. Whom 3. Which 4. whose
23. Paris,.......... I lived for a short time,
is beautiful.
1.
which
2. in which 3. That 4. in that
26.
The day on............. the interview would take place had not been
fixed.
1.
when
2. That 3. Which 4. of which
30.
I cannot come at the time......you suggested.
1.
when
2. Where 3.
Which 4. that
31.
We gave money to the people...............we knew deserved it.
1.
who
2. Whose 3. Which 4. whom
34.
Phu Ping is the palace........everyone longs to visit.
1.
where
2. Which 3. to which 4. to that
The manager, ...........car you borrowed,
needs it tomorrow.
1.
that
2. Which 3. Whose 4. in whose
39.
MrBrace, ............house I was last night, collects coins.
1.
whose
2. Where 3. at whose
4. that
40.-George was able to describe the
burglar, ......was of great assistance to the police.
1.
who
2. Which 3. That 4. whom
EXERCISE 4
EXERCISE 5
CHOOSE
THE APPROPRIATE RELATIVE CLAUSES TO COMPLETE THE SENTENCES
1. The scouts in my school
were sure to visit the town after the flood the location ---- was little known.
where of which whose that in which
where of which whose that in which
2.
My sister Ann had always wanted to go to a place ---- she could speak her native
tongue.
which whom whose where for which
which whom whose where for which
3.
Dogs and cats will sometimes eat rocks, ---- may result in a variety of
problems for both you and your pet.
that why when whom which
that why when whom which
4.
I come from the Seattle area, ---- many successful companies such as Microsoft
and Boeing are located, and i often go home during the summer.
whose in which why who for which
whose in which why who for which
5.
The 191st century artist, ---- name I could not remember, was one of the best i
had ever seen.
which whose that who whom
which whose that who whom
6.
Marine excavation is a race not only against time and the sea but also the
looters --- want history's treasures for themselves.
which whom when where who
which whom when where who
7.
He came for the weekend wearing only so me shorts and a T-shirt, ---- was a
stupid thing to do in such a cold weather.
what that where which whom
what that where which whom
8.
Virginia, ---- is said to be quite beautiful, is the home of many senators and
representatives now.
that where in which which who
that where in which which who
9.
The large limousine ---- was loaded with students up to the limit was stopped
by the police.
when for which which in which what
when for which which in which what
10.
Crossing Death Valley, ---- temperatures reach well above 110 Fahrenheit, was a
near insurmountable task for the early pioneers.
that where when whom which
that where when whom which
EXERCISE 5
Relative Pronouns
1.- Choose the correct relative pronoun (who, which, whose).
- This is the bank was robbed yesterday.
- A boy sister is in my class was in the bank at that time.
- The man robbed the bank had two pistols.
- He wore a mask made him look like Mickey Mouse.
- He came with a friend waited outside in the car.
- The woman gave him the money was young.
- The bag contained the money was yellow.
- The people were in the bank were very frightened.
- A man mobile was ringing did not know what to do.
- A woman daughter was crying tried to calm her.
- The car the bank robbers escaped in was orange.
- The robber mask was obviously too big didn't drive.
- The man drove the car was nervous.
- He didn't wait at the traffic lights were red.
- A police officer _______ car was parked at the next corner stopped and arrested them EXERCISE 6
1. I talked to the girl ___
car had broken down in front of the shop.
2. Mr Richards, _____
is a taxi driver, lives on the corner.
3. I live in a house in Norwich ____
is in East Anglia.
4. This is the girl _____
comes from Spain.
5. That's Peter, the boy ____
has just arrived at the airport.
6. Thank you very much for your
e-mail ____ was very interesting.
7. The man, ___
father is a professor, forgot his umbrella.
8. The children, ____
shouted in the street, are not from our school.
9. The car, ____
driver is a young man, is from Ireland.
10. What did you do with the money ____
your mother lent you?
EXERCISE 7
EXERCISE 7
Relative Clauses Worksheet
Use the relative pronouns in the box to complete the sentences
who(m)- that -which -where -when -whose
Use the relative pronouns in the box to complete the sentences
who(m)- that -which -where -when -whose
1. The doctor _______ examined the child was very gentle.
2. I live in Canada, _______ is a densely populated country.
3. Lee teaches a class of students _______ native language is not English.
4. Yesterday, I ran into an old friend _______ I hadn't seen for years.
5. Dan says he will always remember the day _______ his parents first bought him a
bike for his birthday.
6. That's the drawer _______ I keep my jewellery.
7. The town _______ I used to live in was not very big.
8. The people _______ house I am staying at are very kind to me.
9. Is this store _______ you said you bought the fishing equipment?
10. Here is the place _______ grandpa always used to talk about.
11. I am in need of a coat _______ will keep me warm.
12. We don't have a big enough room in _______ we can apply sample tests.
13. Why don't you consult someone _______ has experienced the same troubles?
14. The woman _______ husband is a football player always complains about the
stains _______ never come off easily.
15. Here is a big thank you to all _______ contributed to this wonderful website.
16. What I'm now going to tell you is something _______ you'll never foget in your life.
17. The severe drought _______ occured last summer ruined the crop.
18. The voters were overwhelmingly against the canditate _______ proposals called for
higher taxes.
2. I live in Canada, _______ is a densely populated country.
3. Lee teaches a class of students _______ native language is not English.
4. Yesterday, I ran into an old friend _______ I hadn't seen for years.
5. Dan says he will always remember the day _______ his parents first bought him a
bike for his birthday.
6. That's the drawer _______ I keep my jewellery.
7. The town _______ I used to live in was not very big.
8. The people _______ house I am staying at are very kind to me.
9. Is this store _______ you said you bought the fishing equipment?
10. Here is the place _______ grandpa always used to talk about.
11. I am in need of a coat _______ will keep me warm.
12. We don't have a big enough room in _______ we can apply sample tests.
13. Why don't you consult someone _______ has experienced the same troubles?
14. The woman _______ husband is a football player always complains about the
stains _______ never come off easily.
15. Here is a big thank you to all _______ contributed to this wonderful website.
16. What I'm now going to tell you is something _______ you'll never foget in your life.
17. The severe drought _______ occured last summer ruined the crop.
18. The voters were overwhelmingly against the canditate _______ proposals called for
higher taxes.
