Relative pronouns serve the purpose of introducing relative clauses, which offer supplementary information about a noun or noun phrase in a sentence. They establish a connection between the relative clause and the main clause, clarifying the relationship between the two.

Here are the commonly used relative pronouns in English:

Who: Used to refer to people.

“The woman who lives next door is a doctor.”

“The students who studied hard got excellent grades.”

“I have a friend who loves to travel.”

Whom: Also used to refer to people, particularly as the object of a verb or preposition.

“The woman whom I met yesterday is a famous actress.”

“The teacher to whom I gave the gift was very grateful.”

“He has a neighbor whom he often helps with gardening.”

Whose: Indicates possession and refers to people or things.

“The boy whose bicycle was stolen reported it to the police.”

“The house whose roof is red belongs to my friend.”

“I read a book whose author is highly acclaimed.”

Which: Used to refer to things or animals.

“The car which is parked in front of the house is mine.”

“The movie which we watched last night was very entertaining.”

“I have a dog which loves to play fetch.”

That: Can refer to both people and things and is commonly used in both restrictive (essential) and non-restrictive (non-essential) clauses.

Example of a restrictive clause: “The book that I borrowed from the library is very informative.”

Example of a non-restrictive clause: “John, who is my neighbor, invited me to his party.”

Relative pronouns facilitate the introduction of additional information, aiding in the description and contextualization of the noun or noun phrase being referenced. They act as a link between the main clause and the relative clause, which expands on the subject matter.

The selection of a relative pronoun depends on the noun being referred to and its role within the sentence. Relative pronouns enhance sentence structure by providing descriptive details and adding clarity and depth to the intended meaning.