Uses Of Relative Pronouns ? Ielts Exams Preparation English Grammar
Uses Of Relative Pronouns | Before we start to read ,we must be familiar of basic grammar.
1-What refers to things only. It is expressed without an antecedent expressed, and is
equivalent to that which (or the thing which).
What (= that which) cannot be repaired must be endured.
In English ‘as‘ was used as a relative pronoun after such; as,
These apples are not such as I bought yesterday.
2-Difference between “The same as” and “The same”
‘The same that’ means ‘one and the same’.
Omission of the Antecedent
3-In older English the Antecedent of a Relative Pronoun was sometimes left out ; as,
Who works not shall not eat.
= (He) who works shall not eat.
Agreement of the Relative Pronoun and its Antecedent
4-Relative Pronoun refers to a Noun or Pronounit must be of the same number and person as its Antecedent.
• The boy who was lazy was punished.
You who arc mighty, should be merciful.
• You who seek wisdom, should be humble.
5-As the Relative Pronoun that has a restrictive force it sometimes becomes unsuitable as the substitute for who or which. Thus we cannot say
- My mother that is a tailress is forty years old.
I must say - My mother who is tailress, is forty years old.
6- The Relative Pronoun that is used in preference to who or which After Adjectives in the Superlative Degree; as,
- He was the most beautiful that I ever seen.
7-After the words same, any, none,all, nothing, (the) only; as,
- All is not gold that glitters.
8-After the Interrogative Pronouns who, what; as,
- Who that had seen him did not pity him?
9-After two antecedents, one denoting a person and the other denoting an animal or a thing; as,
- The girl and cat that were walking on the floor were turned out.
10-Position of the Relative Pronoun
To avoid bad sentence structure, the Relative Pronoun should be placed as near as possible to its Antecedent; as,
- The girl who won the first prize in English is the son of my friend.
