Use relative pronouns: who and whom

Key Notes:

💎 A relative pronoun introduces a dependent (or relative) clause that describes a noun or pronoun.

💎 The relative pronouns who and whom give information about people.

💎 To figure out whether to use who or whom, restate the dependent clause with a personal pronoun. If the clause uses a subject pronoun (he, she or they), use who. If the clause uses an object pronoun (him, her, or them), use whom.

  • he woman who lives next door grows tomatoes in her garden.
  • She lives next door.
  • Peter, whom you met yesterday, has four younger brothers.
  • You met him yesterday.

Learn with an example

1)Complete the sentence with the best relative pronoun.
Will the prince_____ just got married soon be crowned king?

  • The dependent clause gives information about a person. You can restate the dependent clause with the subject pronoun he, so use the relative pronoun who.
    Will the prince who just got married soon be crowned king?
  • The dependent clause can be restated as ‘He just got married.’

2)Complete the sentence with the best relative pronoun.
Lexie is an experienced nurse ________the hospital was eager to hire.

  • The dependent clause gives information about a person. You can restate the dependent clause with the object pronoun her, so use the relative pronoun whom.
    Lexie is an experienced nurse whom the hospital was eager to hire.
  • The dependent clause can be restated as ‘The hospital was eager to hire her.’

3)Complete the sentence with the best relative pronoun.
Ken, ______we all voted for, will be the new club president.

  • The dependent clause gives information about a person. You can restate the dependent clause with the object pronoun him, so use the relative pronoun whom.
    Ken, whom we all voted for, will be the new club president.
  • The dependent clause can be restated as ‘We all voted for him.’

Let’s practice!🖋️