Adjective Clauses - 11

Avoid these Mistakes Part 2

Adjective clauses are very useful in both speaking and writing, but you should be careful with them. We've already seen two errors that are common when using adjective clauses. Here are two more:

1. Don't use personal pronouns and relative pronouns to refer to the same word.
Relative pronouns are used to make a connection to a noun phrase. The main noun in the noun phrase
can be a subject, object, or possessive and it can be replaced by a subject, object, or possessive pronoun. There are also subject, object, and possessive forms for relative pronouns. Don't connect to the main noun twice by using both personal pronouns and relative pronouns.


Examples
Incorrect: Robin is the person *who he was talking to me at the football game.
Correct: Robin is the person who was talking to me at the baseball game.
Incorrect: Robin is the person *who(m) I was talking to him at the baseball game.
Correct: Robin is the person who(m) I was talking to at the baseball game.
Correct-formal: Robin is the person to whom I was talking at the baseball game.
Incorrect: Robin is the person *who his brother was pitching in the second inning.
Correct: Robin is the person whose brother was pitching in the second inning.

2. Do not confuse whose with who's or with who he/she is.
Whose is a possessive relative pronoun. Who's or who he/she is may have similar sounds, but
they have very different grammar and meanings.



Examples
Incorrect: Janet is the one *who her car was stolen last night.
Incorrect: Janet is the one *who's car was stolen last night.
Correct: Janet is the one whose car was stolen last night.
Incorrect: No, I don't know anyone *who his name is Jack Spencer.
Incorrect: No, I don't know anyone *who's name is Jack Spencer.
Correct: No, I don't know anyone whose name is Jack Spencer.