Relative Pronouns in English

The principles and examples of the use of relative pronouns who, whose, which, that and as. Their use with animate and inanimate nouns.

Relative pronouns in English are: who, whose, which, that, as. Relative pronouns not only indicate to a preceding noun or a preposition, but also perform the connection function.

1. The “who” pronoun is used with animate objects.

He, who always hated doing homework, was sitting at the table and writing a composition with enthusiasm.

2. The “whose” pronoun in English usually refers to animate objects.

I wanted to help him, whose eyes were full of sadness.

3. The “which” pronoun refers only to inanimate objects.

Please, give me back the tool, which I lent you some days ago.

4. The “that” pronoun can refer to both animate and inanimate objects.

The wall, that was build centuries ago, was almost destroyed.

He went with the multitude, that tried to break through the gates.

5. The “as” pronoun is almost not used any more without a demonstrative pronoun “such”.

There were a lot of prisoners, such as him.