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: "This is the house that Jack built."
What word would you use to translate “which”? Which? Or that? Or maybe who?!
It’s easy to get confused in these words if you’re not used to them. Dealing with them is even easier. 🙂 Our article will help. Who, which, that - these are pronouns. When they connect two parts complex sentence
, all three words are translated into Russian by the word “which”. – Here are some cells which
have been affected. (Here are some cells that were damaged.) – This is a man who
takes his responsibilities seriously. (This is a person who takes his responsibilities seriously). – They're the people that
want to buy our house. (These are people who want to buy our house).
This is the difficulty for us - we may not see the difference. So let's start with the contrast between who and which.
The Who-Which Rule, or Be careful not to mix it up! – Here are some cells That's the whole difference. 🙂 Also
used when the subordinate clause does not refer to a specific word, but to the entire sentence: – Here are some cells We're starting to sell electric cars,
is great. (We're starting to sell electric cars, which is great). – They're the people?
But this, of course, is not the end of the article. What about – They're the people In informal speech – This is a man can replace as – Here are some cells, so
. But again, everything is not so simple.
That and which: usage
In some sentences you can use both pronouns: – The movie that/which
I saw last weekend was great. (The movie I saw last weekend was great) – The movie– The table
I bought from ikea was cheap. (The table I bought from Ikea was cheap).
This also applies to our example with Jack: – They're the people– This is the house
Jack built (originally that, but you can use which).
Now compare: –Harry Potter, which , I finished last week
was an excellent book. (Harry Potter, which I finished reading last week, is a wonderful book). –Harry Potter–Toronto , is heavily populated
is a multicultural city. (Toronto, which is densely populated, is a multicultural city). Pay attention: – They're the people in these examples we can no longer use
and separate the subordinate clause with commas. What is the difference?
The movie that/which I saw last weekend was great. (Which movie? Please clarify!)
The table which/that i bought from ikea was cheap. (Which table exactly? I want a cheap table too!)
The second sentences are called Non-defining relative clauses. If we throw out the subordinate clause with – Here are some cells, the sentence will still make sense:
Toronto, which is heavily populated, is a multicultural city.
Harry Potter, which I finished last week, was an excellent book.
You cannot use it in such sentences – They're the people and you need commas. You can look at the same rule (at the same time practice listening).
Using that and who
In informal speech you can use – They're the people instead of – This is a man, although the examiners will not appreciate it. By way of illustration colloquial speech Let's take song examples:
Aerosmith: "I'm the one – They're the people jaded you."
Katy Perry: “I don’t have to say you were the one – They're the people got away."
But here again the story with Non-defining relative clauses repeats itself.
Compare these sentences with examples from songs:
– Alice ,who has worked in Brussels ever since leaving Edinburgh , will be starting a teaching course in the autumn. (Alice, who has been working in Brussels since leaving Edinburgh, will begin her course in the autumn).
– Clare ,who I work with , is doing the London marathon this year. (Claire, who I work with, is organizing the London Marathon this year).
Same rule: if we can throw out part of the sentence - it only carries Additional information, without it the sentence will not lose its meaning - then we do not use – They're the people and separate the subordinate clause with commas.
Who / whose, whom – rule
Whom is the objective case for – This is a man. It is translated as our “which, to whom, by whom, about which.” That is, everything except the nominative case – “which”.
Whom is used when the subordinate clause does NOT refer to the subject (=who performs the action):
– That's the guy whom she is married. (This is the guy she married)
Whom refers to the word guy (guy), but the subject in the subordinate clause is she (she). It was she who got married and performed the action. Even more examples.
Whom – book version, in oral speech usually replaced by – This is a man or – They're the people, or just goes down.
– He was talking to a man (whom, who, that) I have never seen before. (He was talking to a man I had never seen before.)
This is how they react to those who try to use whom :)
Whose– translated as our “whose, whose, whose.”
– She’s now playing a woman whose son was killed in the First World War. (She currently plays a woman whose son was killed in World War I).
When can I lower it?
As we said above, whom can be omitted. The same applies to – Here are some cells, – They're the people And – This is a man. When can this be done? It will be difficult to explain, but I will try.
Do you see the difference? If not, then let's figure it out. Let’s take only subordinate clauses and consider them separately:
…which Carina sent me (which Karina posted to me).
…which was promptly brought (which was brought straightaway).
– In the first case, the subject (= actor) – Carina. Which- addition. In this case – Here are some cells can be omitted.
– In the second case, the subject is the pronoun itself – Here are some cells(that is what was brought). The subject is too important. You can't put it down.
And when the subject is – This is a man, it not only cannot be omitted, but also replaced with – They're the people:
This is the man who wants to see you. (This is a man who wants meet you).
And in general, be careful when replacing – This is a man on
In today's article we offer a mini-lesson on the use of English pronouns who, whom and whose, which cause serious difficulties even for those who have been studying English for several months.
Personal, objective and possessive pronouns.
To understand how to use who, whom, and whose correctly, you first need to understand the difference between subject, object, and possessive.
The subject expressed by the pronoun performs the action:
She loves knitting.
They admire Pre-Raphaelites.
I am afraid of spiders.
The action is aimed at the complement expressed by the pronoun:
He describes him.
They told her the truth.
We let her in.
Possessive pronouns tell us that something belongs to a person:
Her piano is out of tune.
They had to cancel their tour.
The committee has rejected his offer.
- Who is a personal pronoun.
Who can also be called a subject pronoun because it acts as the subject. It can also be an interrogative pronoun, which is used to find out who has performed an action or is in some state:
Who is ready to speak?
Who is paying at the bar tonight?
Who is fit enough to climb that tree?
- Whom is the object case of the personal pronoun.
Whom is an object personal pronoun in the same group as him, her and us. such as “him”, “her”, “us”. We use the interrogative whom to find out who the action is directed at:
Whom are you planning to call?
Whom did you step on?
Whom did he love in his early twenties?
- Whose is a possessive pronoun.
Whose is part of the group possessive pronouns along with her, his and our. We use whose in a question to find out who owns something:
Whose purse is left on the table unattended?
Whose car alarm has just gone off?
Whose swimsuit is hung up to dry outside?
Who, whom, whose in indirect questions.
The sentence below contains an example of an indirect question:
I don’t care whom he called yesterday.
Such sentences usually begin with phrases like "She is not sure", "I don"t know" or "They don"t care." Ignore the first part of the prepositional question and look carefully at the indirect question to decide whether it is better to insert who, whom or whose. Ask yourself whether the question is asking for a subject, an object, or a possessive pronoun.
She doesn't know – This is a man the headmaster is. (subject)
I don’t care whom you were friends with in the past. (addition)
She is not sure whose credit card she is using. (possessive pronoun)
Who, whom, whose in subordinate clauses.
The following sentence is an example of a complex sentence with a attributive clause:
They were acquainted with the jockey who had won the race.
Subordinate clauses characterize or describe the noun in the main clause. When deciding whether to use who, whom, or whose in it, pay attention to the structure of the subordinate clause and the function of the noun to which it refers:
The singer – This is a man performed tonight is world renowned.
They try to arrange a meeting with the actor whom they are going to interview next week.
She looked up to the colleague whose supervision she was under.
Whom is becoming increasingly rare.
The form whom is rapidly losing popularity in modern English. Many English speakers generally think that "whom" sounds old-fashioned and pompous, and this tendency is especially common in the United States. Especially in combination with prepositions, many people prefer to use "who" instead of "whom", and for most native speakers the examples below will sound quite familiar:
Who did you get the money from?
That is the man – This is a man I had a fight with.
I don't care – This is a man she gave her heart to.
One of the most common questions among people who have decided seriously is when to use whom And – This is a man.
In fact, the difference in the use of these two pronouns is quite obvious, and it is not even entirely clear why students ask this question so often. If you still belong to those who find these pronouns difficult, then continue reading this article. We'll figure it out together.
Who And whoever are subject pronouns, and whom And whoever— object. By the way, the site has already published an article touching on the topic of subjective and object pronouns: when “me” and “I” are used. The situation with “whom” and “who” is almost the same.
Just in case, let's remember once again what subjective and object pronouns are. These words play completely different roles in a sentence.
Who- this is the subject of the action, i.e. it is this pronoun that acts, it acts as the subject.
Whom is the object of action. In a sentence, this pronoun is an object.
Here's a simplified diagram:
Who = He / She
Whom = Him/Her
If you doubt the correctness and appropriateness uses of who or whom, try to mentally replace them with these words. If he/she will be “on topic” in this sentence, then it’s worth putting – This is a man, and if in this case they clearly sound better him/her, then put whom .
By the way, you can also add an analogy here: I = who, me = whom. Therefore, if you have already read the previously mentioned article about, then it will be much easier for you to understand the differences between relative “who” and “whom”.
Let's back up the theory with practice. A few examples:
Alexa is the girl who got the job in New York = She got the job in New York
Alexa is the girl who got the job in New York = She got the job in New York.
To whom should I complain about the service? = You should complain to him.
Who should I complain to about the service? = You should complain to him.
It's important to note that whom- more formal and not as often used in spoken English. In everyday conversation, most English speakers are more likely to say: “who should I complain?”
And here is a comic on the topic . The same rules, but in English and in pictures. It will help you consolidate the material you have covered and better understand the theory learned in this lesson.
When we want to clarify information, we usually ask additional questions with the words “who, to whom, what, which”:
"What movie to see? Who gave this to you? What did you buy? What dress should I buy?
In English we use the interrogative pronouns who, what, which, whose, whom. Often these pronouns cause confusion and confusion about when to use which word.
In the article I will talk in detail about each pronoun and give you a general table of the use of these words.
From the article you will learn:
What are interrogative pronouns?
Interrogative pronouns- these are words that indicate a person, object or signs unknown to the speaker.
For example:
Who baked this cake? (point to the person)
What did you bring? (point to the object)
What shoes should I wear? (point to the sign)
As you understand, such pronouns are used in interrogative sentences.
In English, the most common interrogative pronouns are:
- who - who, whom
- whose - whose
- what - what, which
- which - which
- whom - whom
Let's look at each of these words in detail.
Interrogative pronoun who
Translation: who will win
Pronunciation:/ [huu]
Usage: We use who when asking about people (sometimes pets).
The word who can:
- Replace the actor in a sentence
In this case, we translate who as “who”. By asking such a question, we find out who did or did not do specific action. For example: Who came?
Who broke the window?
Who broke the window?
Who called me?
Who called me?
Please note that such sentences are constructed as a question to the subject. That is, we do not use auxiliary verbs (did, does, do, etc.).
- Replace an additional member of a sentence
In this case, we translate who as “whom, to whom.” By asking such a question, we find out who a certain action was aimed at. For example: Who did you congratulate?
Who did you call?
Who did you call?
Who did you invite?
Who did you invite?
Note! Such proposals are constructed as special questions. That is, we use auxiliary verbs.
Interrogative pronoun whom
Whom
Translation: whom, whom
Pronunciation:/ [huum]
Usage: We use whom when asking about people (sometimes pets). In such sentences we find out who the action is directed at. For example: Who are you waiting for?
Whom did you meet?
Who did you meet?
Whom will you write?
Who will you write to?
The words who and whom are similar. Let's look at the difference between them and then move on to the rest of the words.
What is the difference between who and whom?
As you noticed, both words who and whom can be translated as “whom” and used in the same situations. But there is a slight difference between them.
Whom most often used in formal (official) speech or writing.
Who usually used colloquially.
Interrogative pronoun whose
Whose
Translation: whose, whose, whose
Pronunciation:/ [huuz]
Usage: We use the word whose when we talk about belonging to someone. We can talk about both the belonging of an object and a person. For example: Whose gift did you like best?
Whose book is this?
Whose book is this?
Whose friend is he?
Whose friend is he?
Interrogative pronoun what
What
Translation: what, what
Pronunciation:[?w?t] / [wat]
Usage: We use the word what when we talk about inanimate objects, animals or abstract concepts.
The word what can replace:
- Item
In this case we translate what as “what”. For example: What did you bring?
What do you read?
What are you reading?
What did she draw?
What did she draw?
- Item attribute
In this case we translate what as “which”. After what in this case comes the subject we are asking about. For example: What kind of music do you listen to?
What books do you like?
What books do you like?
What bag should I buy?
Which bag should I buy?
Interrogative pronoun which
Which
Translation: which, which
Pronunciation:/[vich]
Usage: We use the word which, both with people and with objects. This word suggests a choice from several items. For example, a girl has 3 dresses. She asks: Which dress should I wear?
Which is your luggage?
Which luggage is yours?
Which phone is broken?
Which phone is broken?
Let's look at the difference between the words what and which.
What is the difference between what and which?
The words what and which are often confused. Since both words can be translated as “which”. But there is a difference between them.
What we use when we talk about unlimited choice. For example, you ask: “What shoes should I buy?” The answer options can be anything: blue, red, black, etc. You do not limit a person's choice.
Which we use when choosing from some specific options. For example, you choose between red, black and yellow shoes. You ask: “Which shoes should I buy?” The interlocutor must choose between these 3 options.
General table of use of interrogative pronouns
Let's take another look at the general table of use of all these pronouns.
| Pronoun | What replaces | Usage | Examples |
| Who - who, whom/to whom | 1. Who did or didn't specific action 2. On whom was it |
Who helps her? Who did she meet? |
|
| Whom - whom, to whom | People, sometimes pets | Who was it for? directionally specific action (official, written version) |
Whom will you invite? Whom did they see? |
| Whose - whose | People, animals, objects |
Asking about affiliation to someone |
Whose dog is it? Whose book is this? |
| What - what, which | Objects, animals, abstract concepts | 1. Ask about the subject 2. Ask about the attribute of the object |
What did you read? What color do you like? |
| Which - which, which | People, animals, objects | Please select from some specific options |
Which dog is yours? Which book is better? |
So, we've covered the theory, and now let's move on to practice.
Reinforcement task
Translate the following sentences into English.
1. Who brought this?
2. Which sweater should I wear?
3. Whose cat is this?
4. Which writer do you like?
5. What did you bring?
6. Who did you meet?
In the English language you can find a number of pronouns that can not just replace nouns, but serve to combine two sentences into one - the main one and the subordinate clause. First of all, we mean the English pronouns who, which and that. These pronouns are usually called connective or relative. Often this group includes whom.
To begin with, you should understand that relative (Relative pronouns) and connecting (Conjunctive pronouns) pronouns are different groups.
I have a friend who can draw well. - I have a friend who draws great./ That is, we will find out exactly what kind of friend this is - a good drawer.
Do you know who wrote this book? - Do you know who wrote this book?/ Here the pronoun joins two clauses and does not define anyone.
Although they may be expressed in the same words and even have the same translation into Russian, these pronouns serve different functions in a sentence. The main purpose of our article is to help you choose the right word, and not to provide a classification of pronouns. Based on this, we will talk about the features of each word, regardless of their group.
Each of the presented pronouns can be translated from English as “which”, “which”. Pronouns are NOT interchangeable. We will talk about the reasons further.
English pronoun Who
This pronoun can only be used to refer to a person. Remember, in English it is not enough to be an animate noun, such as cat or horse. Many grammatical rules related to pronouns divide nouns into the category “person” and “non-person”.
This is a song about a man who sold the world. - This is a song about a man who sold the world.
Let's find out who killed who. - Let's find out who killed whom.
Since the word that performs the function of the subject presupposes a person, a person, we use the pronoun ‘who’.
This pronoun has a case form ‘ whom’ - “which”, “which”. This is the word in English sentence expresses the addition in the subordinate clause:
Do you remember whom did you tell about it? - Do you remember who you told about this?
However, many linguists and philologists consider this form to be bookish. In colloquial speech it is most often replaced by 'that'.
English pronoun Which
The pronoun ‘which’ is also translated “which”, “which”, but unlike the previous word it can only be used in relation to inanimate objects and animals, that is, to “non-people”.
Sally don’t remember which way to go. - Sally didn’t remember which road to take.
It is generally accepted that the pronoun ‘which’ is more book version‘that’, which can be found more often in colloquial speech. However, these words cannot always replace each other. ‘That’ will never be used as the subject of a subordinate clause:
Tell me, which car is yours? - Tell me, what car is yours?
This important point, which you should pay attention to. The pronoun ‘that’, which we will now discuss, very often replaces ‘who’ or ‘which’ in speech if they are relative.
BUT 'that' is never used as a connecting pronoun.
English pronoun That
So, we have decided what it is English pronoun is relative. Its beauty lies in the fact that it can replace almost any relative pronoun, regardless of what noun it is attached to - animate or inanimate, be it a person or an animal:
There's a look on your face that I would like to knock out. -Your face has such an expression that I want to punch you (which I just want to knock out).
In this sentence, the English pronoun 'that' refers to the inanimate noun 'look'.
Let's consider another proposal:
Do you have someone that you love to distract? - Do you have someone you love madly?
IN in this example The pronoun 'that' refers to the word 'someone', denoting a person, a person.
Let’s talk about another niche occupied by the English pronoun ‘that’. There are several cases where we can only use this word:
- after ordinal numbers
- after construction with a superlative adjective
- after the words everything, all, any, every
The first rule that you should remember is - there are no rules. - The first rule you need to remember is that there are no rules.
This is the most beautiful painting that I’ve ever seen. - This is the most beautiful picture, which I have ever seen.
All that you need is love. - All you need is Love.
This choice is due to the fact that ‘that’, like the definite article ‘the’, refers to an object, one of a kind, concrete, given.
So, we hope that this article will significantly help you in choosing the right pronoun.
We wish you interesting and useful English!
Victoria Tetkina