IELTS grammar. Lesson 7: Relative pronouns.

In this lesson you will refresh your knowledge of relative pronouns. Relative pronouns include such words as who, what, which, how, where and are widely used in IELTS.

Test-takers often confuse different relative pronouns, making grammar mistakes. To improve your grammar skills and avoid such mistakes, complete this online lesson.

Firstly, read the theory in green box. After that, complete the corresponding exercises below.


Hide theory

Relative pronouns (that, who, which, what, how etc) are used to connect 2 parts of a sentence called clauses.

clause 1 +   relative pronoun +   clause 2

Examples:

  • There are a lot of children + who + go to kindergarten.
  • The graph + which + is on the left shows the percentage of female students.
  • The umbrella + that + you bought last week is yellow.

Rules of usage:

  • You can use only one relative pronoun

    Incorrect: he showed me that what had to be done.
    Correct: he showed me what had to be done.

  • That can be used instead of who, whom, which.

  • Relative pronoun may be skipped only if it's the object of a verb.

    The man who is walking is tall. (who is the subject, so it can't be skipped)

    The man whom I saw is tall. (here I is the subject, and who is the object, so it can be skipped) =
    = The man I saw is tall.


Practice. Choose the correct sentence in each pair:

  1. You should do what you think is right.
    You should do that what you think is right.

  2. The flowerbed is near the pond is full of roses.
    The flowerbed that is near the pond is full of roses.

  3. Could you repeat, please? I didn't understand what you meant.
    Could you repeat, please? I didn't understand that you meant.

  4. People which do sport live longer.
    People who do sport live longer.


Tick ALL the possible options for each sentence:

  1. Janny was the only person ........ offered to help.
    who
    what
    which
    that


  2. Is he the man ......... bag was stolen?
    which
    whose
    that
    no pronoun


  3. The only person .......... using my car is my sister.
    whose
    who's
    which is
    that


  4. The day .......... I first met her was warm and sunny.
    that
    when
    on what
    on which


  5. He was a distant cousin ........ Mary had never met.
    that
    who
    whom
    no pronoun


  6. Denny's record in swimming is an achievement of ......... he is very proud.
    which
    what
    that
    whom