What is the function of 'whose' in relative clauses?

Relative Clauses Questions Long



62 Short 71 Medium 80 Long Answer Questions Question Index

What is the function of 'whose' in relative clauses?

The function of 'whose' in relative clauses is to indicate possession or ownership. It is a possessive pronoun that is used to refer to a person, animal, thing, or idea that is the possessor or owner of something mentioned in the relative clause. 'Whose' is used to connect the noun it modifies with the relative clause, providing additional information about the noun.

For example, in the sentence "The man whose car was stolen reported the incident to the police," 'whose' is used to show that the car belongs to the man. It connects the noun 'man' with the relative clause 'car was stolen' and indicates that the man is the owner of the car.

In another example, "The book, whose cover is torn, is still worth reading," 'whose' is used to show that the book is the possessor of the torn cover. It connects the noun 'book' with the relative clause 'cover is torn' and indicates that the book is the one with the torn cover.

Overall, the function of 'whose' in relative clauses is to express possession or ownership and provide additional information about the noun it modifies.