Using Relative Pronouns
Using Relative Pronouns
Lesson duration is: 45 minItems in this lesson
Using Relative Pronouns
Open with the idea that students already join ideas in speech, for example: 'The girl is my cousin. She lives next door.' This lesson shows how relative pronouns join those ideas more clearly in writing.
Learning goal
I can choose and use relative pronouns correctly in sentences.
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Which relative pronouns do you already know?
Use this to surface prior knowledge. Expect words such as who, which, where, whose, and that, plus example nouns like person or place.
Relative pronouns join ideas
A relative pronoun links a relative clause to a noun.
noun: the person, thing, or place we mean
relative clause: extra information about that noun
relative pronoun: the word that joins them
The boy who won the race smiled.
Here, who won the race tells us more about the boy.
Keep the metalanguage simple: noun first, then extra information, then the joining word. Avoid introducing too many grammar labels at once.
Why relative pronouns matter
They make writing smoother.
They help us avoid repetition.
They show exactly what noun the clause describes.
Instead of: I saw a girl. She was carrying a violin.
Write: I saw a girl who was carrying a violin.
Stress clarity as well as style. Relative pronouns are not only about sounding better; they help readers follow meaning.
The main relative pronouns
who - for people
which - for things and animals
that - for people or things in defining clauses
where - for places
whose - for possession
For people and things
For places and possession
This is the overview slide. Later slides unpack each pronoun with examples and contrasts.
Who for people
Use who when the noun is a person.
The teacher who helped me was kind.
The player who scored is my brother.
I know the girl who drew that picture.
Who tells us that the clause is about a person, not a thing or place.
Students may say 'the person that...' in speech. That can be correct in defining clauses, but introduce who first as the clearest choice for people.
Which for things and animals
Use which when the noun is a thing or an animal.
The book which I borrowed was exciting.
The phone which rang was mine.
The dog which barked ran away.
Which links the clause to something that is not a person.
For KS3 at this level, treating animals with which is fine and consistent. You can note that in real use, people may sometimes use who for pets, but keep the rule simple on the slide.
Which relative pronoun do we use for a person?
which
who
where
whose
Checks the first rule from the overview and examples: who links a clause to a person.
Choose the correct relative pronouns
A relative pronoun links a clause to a noun. We use who for people and which for things or animals. These words help us avoid repetition in writing.
This check-in covers the first teaching block: what relative pronouns do and the basic contrast of who/which.
Where for places
Use where when the noun is a place.
This is the park where we play.
I remember the town where my aunt lives.
That is the room where we had lunch.
Make clear that where links to a place noun such as park, town, room, school, or house.
Whose for possession
Use whose to show possession.
The boy whose bag is red is late.
I met a writer whose stories are funny.
We visited a family whose house is by the sea.
Whose means belonging to.
Students often confuse whose with who's. You may mention that who's means 'who is' or 'who has', but keep the main focus on possession.
That in defining clauses
Use that for people or things in defining clauses.
A defining clause is necessary to show exactly which person or thing we mean.
The coat that I bought is blue.
The girl that sits by the window is my friend.
The film that we watched was long.
Keep 'defining clause' practical: it identifies exactly which noun is meant. No need to go into non-defining clauses unless students are ready.
Who or that?
For people in defining clauses, both can be correct.
The boy who won is here.
The boy that won is here.
Both sentences mean the same thing.
In careful school writing, who is often clearer for people.
This slide helps students see that grammar choices can vary without changing the main meaning. Encourage consistency and clarity.
Which or that?
For things in defining clauses, which and that are often both possible.
The bike which was stolen has been found.
The bike that was stolen has been found.
Both sentences point to the same bike.
That is common in everyday English.
Do not overcomplicate with style rules. At this level, the key point is that both can be correct when the clause defines the noun.
Which sentence is correct?
The town whose I know is small.
The town who I know is small.
The town where I know is small.
The town where my aunt lives is small.
Targets where for places. The wrong options reflect common mix-ups with people, possession, and faulty place use.
Complete the sentences
We visited a family whose house is by the sea. The girl that sits by the window is my friend. Both clauses give extra information, but only whose shows possession.
Reinforces whose for possession and that in defining clauses after the comparison slides.
Why might who be clearer than that for people?
Expected answer elements: students should explain that both who and that can be correct for people in defining clauses, but who is often clearer in school writing.
How the pronoun changes meaning
The pronoun must match the noun.
The teacher who spoke ... → a person spoke
The machine which broke ... → a thing broke
The village where we stayed ... → a place we stayed in
The artist whose painting won ... → the painting belongs to the artist
The wrong pronoun can make a sentence sound unclear or incorrect.
This is the key meaning slide: the pronoun is not random; it signals the role of the noun in the clause.
Common error: who and which
Do not mix up who and which.
Correct: The boy who called is my cousin.
Incorrect: The boy which called is my cousin.
Correct: The cake which was baked tastes good.
Incorrect: The cake who was baked tastes good.
Students often choose by sound rather than meaning. Bring them back to the noun: person = who, thing = which.
Common error: where for a place
Where works only when the noun is a place.
Correct: The café where we met is nearby.
Incorrect: The café which we met is nearby.
But do not use where for everything.
Incorrect: The day where we met was rainy.
Better: The day that we met was rainy.
The key misconception is overusing where whenever a sentence feels like it needs a link. Remind students that where refers to places, not times or people.
Choosing the right pronoun
Use the noun to guide your choice.
person → who
thing or animal → which
place → where
possession → whose
defining clause with person or thing → that can often be used
This is the decision summary. You can ask students to test each sentence by finding the noun first, then choosing the pronoun.
Which sentence uses the wrong relative pronoun?
The artist whose painting won smiled.
The machine which broke is old.
The day where we met was rainy.
The boy who called is my cousin.
Checks the error block. Students must spot that where should not be used for time here; that is better.
Choose the best pronouns
The pronoun must match the noun. The teacher who spoke was kind, the village where we stayed was quiet, and the artist whose painting won was famous.
This final content check uses the summary rule: find the noun first, then choose the pronoun.
What is one rule you will remember?
Look for students naming one rule or contrast clearly, such as who for people, where for places, or whose for possession.
Which part felt hardest today?
Encourage honest reflection. Students may mention confusion between who/which, where for places, or whose/who's.
Glossary
relative pronoun - a word that links a relative clause to a noun
relative clause - a part of a sentence that gives more information about a noun
noun - a word for a person, thing, place, or idea
defining clause - a clause that is needed to show exactly which person or thing is meant
possession - ownership or belonging
pronoun - a word used in place of a noun or to refer back to it
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