Do you know what relative pronouns are for?
You relative pronouns they fulfill an important syntactic function, acting as indispensable elements for textual cohesion. They are used to refer to an earlier term called antecedent, thus avoiding unnecessary repetition of words. Among the main relative pronouns is "who”, term that in the sentence will fulfill the role of substantive pronoun.
Many people have doubts when using the “who”, whether in oral or written form. To eliminate possible grammatical mistakes related to the inappropriate use of the relative pronoun “who”, Brasil Escola has prepared a practical and quick guide for you to consult whenever there is a doubt. Enjoy your reading and good studies!
Use of the relative pronoun "who":
1.The pronoun “who” refers to personified persons or things and is used in the clause to refer to the so-called antecedent term, replacing it in the next clause, subordinate to the first. Watch:
She lost her best friend. She was very fond of her friend.
She lost her best friend, from who very much liked.
The prayers “She lost her best friend (1) and I really liked her friend (2)” were combined into a single period, “She lost her best friend, from who I liked it very much”, thus forming a composite period. Thanks to the use of the pronoun “who”, the repetition of the noun “friend” was avoided, thus proving the importance of relative pronouns for textual cohesion.
2. The relative pronoun “who” will always be preceded by a preposition, even when exercising the function of a direct object. In this situation, we will have the direct object prepositioned. Watch:
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The girl what I saw it yesterday at the mall studying in my room.
Replacing the relative pronoun "that", a direct object, by the pronoun "who", we will have:
The girl to whom I saw it yesterday at the mall studying in my room.
Note: The relative pronoun "who" will not only be preceded by a preposition in a single situation: when it exercise the function of subject of the prayer, because in this situation it will have the same value as the following pronouns: what, what, what, what, what, what, what, what, what:
It was him what told me about you → It was him who told me about you.
3. When the relative pronoun “who” appears in the clause with absolute use, that is, without referring to the antecedent, it will be considered as masculine gender and singular number. Furthermore, the comma must not be used between the “who” and the second verb with which the pronoun will agree. Examples:
tell me with who walk and I'll tell you who you are.
Who everything wants everything loses.
Who as iron hurts with iron it will be hurt.
Who believes always achieves.
Who live will see.
Who warns friend is.
By Luana Castro
Graduated in Letters
Would you like to reference this text in a school or academic work? Look:
PEREZ, Luana Castro Alves. "Relative pronoun “who”"; Brazil School. Available in: https://brasilescola.uol.com.br/gramatica/pronome-relativo-quem.htm. Accessed on June 28, 2021.