Practice Makes Perfect

There are specific uses for that, who, and which; however, in casual speech the relative pronoun

thatcan be substituted for whoor whichexcept when the relative pronoun shows possession.

Look at these examples with inanimate nouns:

Use in a

Sentence Pairs of Sentences Relative Clauses Formed

subject I found the money. The money I found the money that was lost.

was lost. I found the money which was lost.

direct object I found the money. Bree lost the I found the money that Bree lost.

money. I found the money which Bree lost.

indirect object N/A N/A

preposition I found the money. They spoke I found the money that they spoke

about the money. about.

I found the money about which

they spoke.

possessive I found the money. The color of I found the money the color of

the money is green. which is green.

It is possible to substitute whosefor a prepositional phrase starting with ofwith inanimate objects:

I found the money whose color is green.

Now look at similar examples with animate nouns:

Use in a

Sentence Pairs of Sentences Relative Clauses Formed

subject I found the boy. The boywas I found the boy that was lost.

lost. I found the boy who was lost.

direct object I found the boy. Kim met the boy. I found the boy that Kim met.

I found the boy whom Kim met.

indirect object I found the boy. They gave the I found the boy that they gave a

boya gift. gift to.

I found the boy to whom they gave

a gift.

preposition I found the boy. They spoke I found the boy that they spoke

about the boy. about.

I found the boy about whom they

spoke.

possessive I found the boy. The boy’sfather I found the boy whose father is a

is a soldier. soldier.

Careful! If whomor whichis part of a prepositional phrase, the preposition can stand in front of

whomor which, or it can stand at the end of the relative clause:

I like the man for whomI work.

I like the man whomI work for.

These are the books about whichshe spoke.

These are the books whichshe spoke about.

78 Practice Makes Perfect: English Grammar for ESL Learners

05 (077-098) Units 14-19 11/3/04 1:41 PM Page 78