Relative Pronouns

We use the relative

pronouns to refer to a
For example:
noun mentioned
before and of which
People who speak two languages are called bilingual.
we are adding * In this example, the relative "who" introduces the relative sentence
more "speak two languages" that describes or gives more information about
the noun "people".
information.
They are used to
join two or
When we talk about people we use that / who
more sentences
and forming in that When we talk about owners we use whose
way what we call
"relative sentences” When we talk about things or ideas we use that / which
When we talk about places we use where

I. Combine the sentences using defining relative pronouns. When the relative pronoun is an
object, it can be omitted.
1 That's the girl. She spoke to me yesterday. __________________________________________________.

2 What's the name of the book? You want me to read it _______________________________________ .

3 We stayed in a hotel. The hotel was very expensive._________________________________________ .

4 I rent a house. It is very small. _________________________________________________________ .

5 The car was stolen. It was a BMW. ______________________________________________________ .

6 The man smoked forty cigarettes a day. He died of a heart attack. _________________________________ .

7 That's the building. I work there. __________________________________________________________ .

8 That's the boy. His mother works in the post office. _____________________________________________ .

9 The businessman was very rich. I saw him last night. ___________________________________________ .

10 That's the dog. Its owner is French. __________________________________________________ .

WHO - WHICH - THAT?

1. Jack Adams, _________ was the man Janice had spoken to on the phone, sat in his seat.

2. The plane in __________ he was travelling was about to land in Zurich, Switzerland.

3. The woman ________ was sitting next to him had just fastened her seat-belt.

4. She looked for a moment at Jack, ___________ was staring out of the window.

5. There was something about him ________ reminded her of another man she had once known.

6. His face, ________ was turned away from her at the moment, looked exhausted.

7. The woman, ______ was a well-known actress, had hardly spoken to Jack during the trip.

8. Jack was staring at the city below ________ stretched for miles and miles, as far as the eye could see.

Choose one of the following relative pronouns who, which or whose from the dropdown
menu.
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) We often visit our aunt 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?

The paper-eater
 Read the text, and fill in the gaps in the exercise using: that, what, when, where, which, who, whose

Did you ever hear about the man ______ eats paper? This is a true story ______ took place in Australia from
_______ I heard. It's the story of a man ______ suffers from some sort of disease_______ makes him crave
cellulose, _________ is the material paper is made of.

He used to eat newspapers, ______ was all he could get, until his wife decided that it would be better if
she made paper for him (so he wouldn't have to eat the ink ________ covers newspapers, you know). She didn't
want to be known as the woman ______ husband was obliged to eat inky newspapers because he had no kind
person to make newsprint for him.

His wife is a woman _______ loves a joke, so she makes him paper _______ has all sorts of exotic
flavours. So, now he only eats the paper ______ his wife makes and only eats ordinary newspapers _______
he is travelling, for instance _________ he is in New York.

He likes to visit New York, because it is ________ the newspapers are the thickest. He is happiest on Sunday,
_______ he is in New York, because that is _______ the newspapers are really thick. Thick newspapers, for
him, are like a banquet at an excellent restaurant.

Relative Pronouns Exercise

Join together each of the following pairs of sentences by means of a relative pronoun.

1. I met a man. He had just lost his job.

2. You need something. I will give you that.
3. We got into a train. I was crowded.
4. This is my friend. I was speaking of him.
5. The officer has informed the police. His car was stolen.
6. The man betrayed me. I trusted him.
7. The boy was very happy. He won a prize.
8. Give me the book. The book is on the table.
9. We praised John. His performance was remarkable.
10. The boys came late. They were punished.
11. You bought a book. Show me the book.
12. You are powerful. You should be kind.
13. They caught the man. He was a thief.
14. The roof of the house was damaged. The house has now been repaired.
15. You are treacherous. You will be punished.
16. Charges have been leveled against him. Bribery is one of them.