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Relatives: basic information

who, whom and which​

The relative pronouns who and whom refer to people; which refers to things.

  • What’s the name of the tall man who just came in? (not … the tall man which …)
  • It’s a book which will interest children of all ages. (not … a book who …)

Subject and object​

Who and which can be the subjects of verbs in relative clauses.

  • I like people who smile a lot.
  • This is the back door key, which also opens the garage.

Who(m) and which can also be the objects of verbs in relative clauses. Whom is unusual in an informal style (see here).

  • Do you remember the people who we met in Italy? (Who is the object of met.)
  • I forget most of the films which I see. (Which is the object of see.)

that = who/which​

We often use that instead of who or which, especially in an informal style.

  • I like people that smile a lot.
  • This is the key that opens the garage.
  • Do you remember the people that we met in Italy?
  • I forget most of the films that I see.

all that, only … that, etc​

That is especially common after quantifiers like all, every(thing), some(thing), any(thing), no(thing), none, little, few, much, only, and after superlatives.

  • Is this all that’s left? (More natural than … all which is left?)
  • Have you got anything that belongs to me? (More natural than … anything which …)
  • The only thing that matters is to find our way home.
  • I hope the little that I’ve done has been useful.
  • It’s the best film that’s ever been made about madness.

Note that what (see here) cannot be used in these cases.

  • All that you say is certainly true. (not All what you say …)

Leaving out object pronouns: the people we met​

Object pronouns can often be left out.

  • Do you remember the people we met in Italy?
  • I forget most of the films I see.
  • All I want is your happiness.

This is not possible in all relative clauses: (see here).

One subject or object is enough​

As subjects or objects, who(m), which and that replace words like she, him or it: one subject or object in a relative clause is enough. Compare:

  • He’s got a new girlfriend. She works in a garage.
    He’s got a new girlfriend who works in a garage. (not … who she works in a garage.)
  • This is Mr Rogers. You met him last year.
    This is Mr Rogers, whom you met last year. (not … whom you met him last year.)
  • Here’s an article. It might interest you.
    Here’s an article which might interest you. (not … which it might interest you.)

Prepositional verbs, like others, only have one object.

  • Are there any papers that I can look at? (not … that I can look at them?)
  • I’ve found the keys that you were asking about. (not … that you were asking about them.)

whose: a girl whose hair …​

Whose is a possessive relative pronoun, used as a determiner before nouns. It replaces his/her/its. For more details, (see here).

  • I saw a girl whose hair came down to her waist. (not … whose her hair came down …)

which referring to a whole clause​

Which can refer not only to a noun, but also to the whole of a previous clause. Note that what cannot be used in this way.

  • He got married again a year later, which surprised everybody. (not … , what surprised everybody.)
  • She cycled from London to Glasgow, which is pretty good for a woman of 75. (not She cycled … , what is pretty good …)

Relative when, where and why​

When and where can introduce relative clauses after nouns referring to time and place. They are used in the same way as preposition + which.

  • I’ll never forget the day when I first met you. (= … the day on which …)
  • Do you know a shop where I can find sandals? (= … a shop at which …)

Why is used in a similar way after reason.

  • Do you know the reason why she doesn’t like me? (= … the reason for which …)