First Grammar Lessons: Part IV, Lesson XII

First Grammar Lessons: Part IV, Lesson XII

Lesson XII

When we speak of things, we use which instead of both who and whom.

That is a relative pronoun when we can put who or which instead of it.

The boy that fell down.
The boy who fell down.
The book that you read.
The book which you read.

What is a relative too, and a rather puzzling one. It means the thing which, so we call thing the antecedent, and which its relative. He does not know what he is to do, means He does not know the thing which he is to do.

To be learnt.

“Which,” “that” and “what” are relatives.

Exercise XII

1. Point out the particular use of which in given sentences, such as:

The plant which blossoms first is the most admired.
Have you seen the book which I bought yesterday?

2. Replace that by who, whomwhich in the following sentences:

The stone that you found is valuable.
The boy that cries is a coward.
The man that you met was my uncle.

3. Give the meaning of what in the following:

Do tell me what I am to say.
Did you see what I pointed out?