Relative Clauses Questions Long
In relative clauses of purpose, 'who' and 'whom' play the role of introducing or referring to a person or people who are the subject or object of the purpose clause. These pronouns are used to connect the main clause with the purpose clause, providing additional information about the person or people involved.
'Who' is used when the person being referred to is the subject of the purpose clause. For example:
- The woman who is studying medicine wants to become a doctor.
In this sentence, 'who' introduces the purpose clause "is studying medicine" and refers to the woman who is the subject of that clause.
'Whom' is used when the person being referred to is the object of the purpose clause. For example:
- He hired a lawyer whom he could trust.
In this sentence, 'whom' introduces the purpose clause "he could trust" and refers to the lawyer who is the object of that clause.
It is important to note that 'whom' is less commonly used in modern English, and 'who' is often used in both subject and object positions. However, in formal writing or when emphasizing clarity and precision, 'whom' is still used to indicate the object of the purpose clause.
Relative clauses of purpose are commonly used to provide additional information about the reason or intention behind an action or situation. They help to clarify the purpose or goal of the person or people involved in the main clause. By using 'who' or 'whom' in these clauses, we can create more detailed and descriptive sentences.