English Language Arts
Grade 4
15 min
Use relative pronouns: who, whom, whose, which, and that
Use relative pronouns: who, whom, whose, which, and that
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Introduction & Learning Objectives
Learning Objectives
Define what a relative pronoun is and its purpose in a sentence.
Identify the five main relative pronouns: who, whom, whose, which, and that.
Choose the correct relative pronoun to refer to people (who, whom, whose).
Choose the correct relative pronoun to refer to animals or things (which, that).
Use a relative pronoun to combine two simple sentences into one more detailed, complex sentence.
Use 'whose' correctly to show possession or ownership.
Differentiate between 'who' as a subject and 'whom' as an object in simple contexts.
Do you want to make your sentences more descriptive and exciting without making them too long and choppy? 🦸 Let's learn about special connector words that add amazing details!
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Key Concepts & Vocabulary
TermDefinitionExample
Relative PronounA special word that starts a clause to give more information about a noun in the sentence. It acts like a bridge connecting a detail to the person or thing it's about.The girl who is wearing the red hat is my sister. ('who' is the relative pronoun)
WhoA relative pronoun used for people when they are the subject (the one doing the action).The chef who baked the cake is very talented.
WhomA relative pronoun used for people when they are the object (the one receiving the action).The student whom the teacher praised was very happy.
WhoseA relative pronoun that shows ownership or that something belongs to someone or something.That is the boy whose dog won the competition.
WhichA relative pronoun used for animals and things.My bike, which is...
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Key Rules & Conventions
The People vs. Things Rule
Use 'who', 'whom', and 'whose' for people. Use 'which' and 'that' for animals and things.
This is the most important rule for choosing the right pronoun. Always ask yourself if you are talking about a person or a thing first.
The Ownership Rule
Use 'whose' to show possession.
When you want to show that something belongs to a person or thing you are describing, 'whose' is the perfect tool. It answers the question 'Whose is it?'.
The 'Who' vs. 'Whom' Trick
If you can replace the word with 'he' or 'she', use 'who'. If you can replace it with 'him' or 'her', use 'whom'.
This simple trick...
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Challenging
Look at the sentence: "The girl found her lost keys, and she was very relieved." To combine these ideas using a relative pronoun, first identify the noun the new clause will describe, and then choose the correct new sentence.
A.The girl, which found her lost keys, was very relieved.
B.The girl who found her lost keys was very relieved.
C.The girl whose keys were lost was very relieved after finding them.
D.The girl was very relieved, and she found her lost keys.
Challenging
A student wrote: "My bike, whom has a flat tire, is in the garage." What is the main reason this sentence is incorrect?
A.The comma should not be there.
B.The word 'whom' is used for people as an object, but 'bike' is a thing.
C.The word 'garage' is spelled incorrectly.
D.The verb 'has' should be 'have'.
Challenging
In which of these sentences can the relative pronoun 'that' be removed without changing the meaning or making the sentence incorrect?
A.The dog that is barking belongs to my neighbor.
B.The homework that my teacher assigned is difficult.
C.The girl that won the prize is my best friend.
D.The key that opens the front door is on the table.
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