Relative pronouns

Tommy: Hello, guys! Welcome to our grammar lessons!

Today we're all explorers. We are going orienteering!

Orienteering is a sport that exercises the mind as well as the body. We’ll work in a team of four and look at the special map which has points marked on it. The people who visit all the points marked on the map in the quickest time will win the prize.

It isn’t just for people that are very young and healthy. My grandparents also take part in the treasure hunt. There are many places where you can practise orienteering: in woods, in the countryside or even in the park or playgrounds.

We might win the prize!

Martin: Right, let’s find this flag first. We just have to go north for one kilometer.

One hour later …

Maddie: We have been walking for a long time! Where is the flag?

Martin: Are you sure we are going north, Tommy?

Tommy: North? I thought you said south!

Kristie: Oh, no! It’s starting to rain! It looks like a storm. We need to find a shelter.

Tommy: How about that cave?

The underlined words are called relative pronouns. In today’s lesson we’ll try to find the easiest and quickest way of learning them.

Relative pronouns are used to connect sentences, and give more details about the noun they describe.

Relative pronouns can refer to something or someone in either singular or plural. Some relative pronouns can be used only with people, others only with things and some can be used with both.

We use relative pronoun in the beginning of a relative clause.

Here is a list of the relative pronouns and their uses.

We use WHO or THAT for people.

For example:

This is Mr. Gordon. He organized treasure hunt in our town.

This is Mr. Gordon who/that organized treasure hunt in our town.

Some more examples:

The people who visit all the points marked on the map in the quickest time will win the prize.

It isn’t just for people that are very young and healthy.

We use WHOM for people when the person is the object of the verb.

The police found a boy. He had lost.

The police found a boy whom had lost.

Some more examples:

He is a famous explorer whom I had read a lot about.

This is a guy, whom I had given my compass.

We use WHICH or THAT for animals and things.

For example:

Orienteering is a sport. It exercises the mind as well as the body.

Orienteering is a sport that/which exercises the mind as well as the body.

We look at the special map that/which has points marked on it.

We use WHERE for place

For example:

The points mark the place where the treasure is hidden.

There are many places where you can practise orienteering.

We use WHEN for time

For example:

Saturday is the day when orienteering takes place.

We use WHY for reasons.

For example:

This is why I asked you to be careful!

We use WHOSE to show possession both for people and things.

For example:

This is the boy whose bike has been broken.

This is the bike whose tire needs to be changed.

Warning:

We don’t use WHAT as a relative pronoun:

Another activity which/that she has chosen is climbing.

NOT: Another activity what she has chosen is climbing.

Now it’s time to practice!

Tommy: This is the place, where we can wait for the rain to stop.

Maddie: It’s not very comfortable in here. And it’s very dark. I don’t like it. Let’s stay near the entrance. There’s more light there.

Tommy: Have you taken a torch that Dad presented to you for birthday?

Maddie: Yes, let’s see where this cave is.

Aha, this is the park where we started the way. Then we went south for some time. Here we met a farmer who was working in the garden and waved his hand to us.

After that we stopped at the picnic area, where we had cheese sandwiches, which Mrs Willson had made for us. By the way, is there anything left? I’m so hungry.

Maddie: Tommy, you won’t get anything until we get back home!

Oh, It’s raining really hard now. Look! The holes in the wall let the water come through.

Martin: Look out! The cave wall is coming down! Everyone, stand back!

Tommy: Hey, there’s something in there, that looks like a treasure chest!

Martin: Well, we didn’t find any flags but we did found many coins which look very ancient.

Tommy: Wow! We are in the newspaper! We’re famous!

Kristie: And the museum, where the coins were placed, is really pleased to have so many visitors.

Tommy: It’s thanks to me. If I hadn’t have got lost, we wouldn’t have found the treasure.

Complete the sentences with relative pronouns.

Now check yourselves:

1.                This is the place, where we can wait for the rain to stop.

2.                Have you taken a torch that/which Dad presented to you for birthday?

3.                Here we met a farmer who was working in the garden and waved his hand to us.

4.                After that we stopped at the picnic area, where we had cheese sandwiches, that/which Mrs Willson had made for us.

5.                Hey, there’s something in there, that/which looks like a treasure chest!

6.                Well, we didn’t find any flags but we did found many coins which/that look very ancient.

7.                And the museum, where the coins were placed, is really pleased to have so many visitors.

That`s all for today.

Join us at our grammar lessons at videouroki.net and we’ll teach you orienteering in grammar jungles.