Module 3
Correspondence Mechanics

Click on the links below to go to that section of the module.

Relative Pronouns

Another common difficulty for writers is using relative pronouns correctly. These pronouns help to build connections between parts of a sentence, so using them correctly adds coherence to your writing.

Using Which, That, and Who

The words which, that, and who are all relative pronouns. This means they relate groups of words to other nouns or pronouns. In the examples below, click on the relative pronoun to find out which word or group of words each one relates to.

I’ve never been to Dakar, which is reputed to be very beautiful.

[“Which” relates to “Dakar.”]

The books that hold the greatest appeal were not the ones recommended by our teacher.

[“That” relates to “the books.”]

I would like to speak with the consultant who wrote this report.

[“Who” relates to “the consultant.”]

Establishing the purpose of a descriptive clause before you actually construct it will help you to use that and which effectively and reduce the chance of possible misinterpretations.