Relative pronouns
Who: people
Which: things
That: both people and things. Never between comas.
Whose: possesion (cuyo)
What
When
Where
Why
Whom: Formal English. Same as who when the object of the relative clause is a person. E.g.: "The
person who/whom the police were questioning has now been released." However, you can't always use both: When you can replace the object that the verb or the preposition of the sentence refers to by "him" or "her", use whom. If you can't, Use who. E.g.: "Whom do you believe?" / "Who would you like to go on vacation?"
The pronouns who, which and that are likely to be left out when there is a subject directly after it.
- The man who Vicky saw
at the
concert is Sarah’s boss
- The man Vicky saw
at the
concerts is Sarah’s boss.
Defining and Non-defining
Defining: not between comas because the information given is necessary for the meaning of the sentence.
E.g.: The man that is going to marry Mary is
called Bruce.
Non-defining: between comas. It
gives
extra information. E.g.: Bruce, who
is
going
to
marry
Mary, is
a car salesman.
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