In English grammar, relative pronouns like who, which, that, whose, and whom are used to join two ideas together. They connect a noun (called the antecedent) with a clause that gives more meaning to the sentence. Sometimes this clause defines the noun clearly, and sometimes it only adds extra information. These two uses are called Restrictive (Defining) and Continuative (Non‑Defining).
English grammar ਵਿੱਚ relative pronouns ਜਿਵੇਂ who, which, that, whose, ਅਤੇ whom noun (antecedent) ਨੂੰ clause ਨਾਲ ਜੋੜਦੇ ਹਨ। ਇਹ sentence ਨੂੰ ਹੋਰ ਸਪਸ਼ਟ ਬਣਾਉਂਦੇ ਹਨ। ਕਈ ਵਾਰ clause noun ਨੂੰ define ਕਰਦਾ ਹੈ, ਤੇ ਕਈ ਵਾਰ ਸਿਰਫ਼ ਵਾਧੂ ਜਾਣਕਾਰੀ ਦਿੰਦਾ ਹੈ। ਇਹ ਦੋ ਤਰੀਕੇ Restrictive (Defining) ਅਤੇ Continuative (Non‑Defining) ਨਾਲ ਵਰਤੇ ਜਾਂਦੇ ਹਨ।
In English grammar, relative pronouns such as who and which are used in two main ways:
English grammar ਵਿੱਚ relative pronouns ਜਿਵੇਂ who ਅਤੇ which ਦੋ ਮੁੱਖ ਤਰੀਕਿਆਂ ਨਾਲ ਵਰਤੇ ਜਾਂਦੇ ਹਨ:
- Restrictive use (Defining clause)
- Continuative use (Non‑defining clause)
These two uses help us understand whether the clause is essential to the meaning of the noun or whether it is just giving extra information.
ਇਹ ਦੋਵੇਂ ਤਰੀਕੇ ਇਹ ਸਮਝਣ ਵਿੱਚ ਮਦਦ ਕਰਦੇ ਹਨ ਕਿ clause noun ਦੀ ਮੁੱਖ ਪਰਿਭਾਸ਼ਾ ਦਿੰਦਾ ਹੈ ਜਾਂ ਸਿਰਫ਼ ਵਾਧੂ ਜਾਣਕਾਰੀ ਜੋੜਦਾ ਹੈ।
Restrictive Use of Relative Pronouns
A restrictive clause is a clause formed with a relative pronoun (who, which, that) that defines or limits the noun (antecedent) before it.
Restrictive clause ਉਹ clause ਹੈ ਜੋ relative pronoun (who, which, that) ਨਾਲ ਬਣਦਾ ਹੈ ਅਤੇ noun (antecedent) ਨੂੰ ਸੀਮਿਤ ਜਾਂ ਪਰਿਭਾਸ਼ਿਤ ਕਰਦਾ ਹੈ।
- It works like an adjective clause, describing the noun’s special quality.
ਇਹ noun ਦੀ ਵਿਸ਼ੇਸ਼ਤਾ ਦੱਸਦਾ ਹੈ ਅਤੇ adjective clause ਵਾਂਗ ਕੰਮ ਕਰਦਾ ਹੈ। - This use is also called the Defining use.
ਇਸਨੂੰ Defining use ਵੀ ਕਿਹਾ ਜਾਂਦਾ ਹੈ। - No comma is placed between the noun and the relative pronoun.
Noun ਅਤੇ relative pronoun ਵਿਚਕਾਰ comma ਨਹੀਂ ਲਗਦਾ। - The sentence becomes a complex sentence because the meaning depends on the clause.
Sentence complex sentence ਬਣ ਜਾਂਦਾ ਹੈ ਕਿਉਂਕਿ noun ਦੀ meaning clause ’ਤੇ ਨਿਰਭਰ ਕਰਦੀ ਹੈ।
Examples:
- The man who lived there died yesterday.
- This is the man who has stolen my watch.
In the first example, “who lived there” tells us which man is meant. Without this clause, the meaning is incomplete.
ਪਹਿਲੇ example ਵਿੱਚ “who lived there” noun man ਨੂੰ define ਕਰਦਾ ਹੈ।
In the second example, “who has stolen my watch” defines the man clearly.
ਦੂਜੇ example ਵਿੱਚ “who has stolen my watch” noun man ਨੂੰ ਸਪਸ਼ਟ ਕਰਦਾ ਹੈ।
Continuative Use of Relative Pronouns
A continuative clause formed with a relative pronoun does not restrict or define the antecedent (noun before it).
Continuative clause relative pronoun ਨਾਲ ਬਣਿਆ antecedent (noun) ਨੂੰ ਸੀਮਿਤ ਜਾਂ ਪਰਿਭਾਸ਼ਿਤ ਨਹੀਂ ਕਰਦਾ।
- Instead, it gives additional information about the antecedent.
ਇਹ ਸਿਰਫ਼ ਵਾਧੂ ਜਾਣਕਾਰੀ ਦਿੰਦਾ ਹੈ। - This use is also called the Non‑defining use.
ਇਸਨੂੰ Non‑defining use ਵੀ ਕਿਹਾ ਜਾਂਦਾ ਹੈ। - A comma is placed between the noun and the relative pronoun.
Noun ਅਤੇ relative pronoun ਵਿਚਕਾਰ comma ਲਗਦਾ ਹੈ। - The sentence becomes a compound sentence, because the clause continues the meaning rather than limiting it.
Sentence compound sentence ਬਣ ਜਾਂਦਾ ਹੈ ਕਿਉਂਕਿ clause noun ਦੀ meaning ਨੂੰ continue ਕਰਦਾ ਹੈ।
Examples:
- I have seen my friend, who recognised me at once.
- He has bought a car, which is white.
In Example (1), the clause “who recognised me at once” does not define friend; it simply adds extra information.
Example (1) ਵਿੱਚ “who recognised me at once” noun friend ਨੂੰ define ਨਹੀਂ ਕਰਦਾ, ਸਿਰਫ਼ ਵਾਧੂ ਜਾਣਕਾਰੀ ਦਿੰਦਾ ਹੈ।
In Example (2), the clause “which is white” adds information about the car, but the car is already identified.
Example (2) ਵਿੱਚ “which is white” noun car ਬਾਰੇ ਵਾਧੂ ਜਾਣਕਾਰੀ ਦਿੰਦਾ ਹੈ।
Difference Between Restrictive and Continuative Use
Relative pronouns can be used in two ways — Restrictive and Continuative. The difference lies in how the clause connects to the noun (antecedent).
Relative pronouns ਦੇ ਦੋ ਤਰੀਕੇ ਹਨ — Restrictive ਅਤੇ Continuative। ਫਰਕ noun (antecedent) ਨਾਲ clause ਦੇ ਜੋੜ ’ਚ ਹੈ।
Restrictive use:
- No comma between antecedent and relative pronoun.
Antecedent ਅਤੇ relative pronoun ਵਿਚਕਾਰ comma ਨਹੀਂ ਹੁੰਦਾ। - Relative clause acts as an Adjective clause, defining or limiting the noun.
Relative clause adjective clause ਵਾਂਗ ਕੰਮ ਕਰਦਾ ਹੈ, noun ਨੂੰ define ਜਾਂ limit ਕਰਦਾ ਹੈ। - Structure: Noun + No Comma + Relative clause.
- Sentence type: Complex sentence.
Sentence ਕਿਸਮ: Complex sentence। - Example: The travellers who knew about the floods took another road.
Only those travellers who knew about the floods took another road.
ਸਿਰਫ਼ ਉਹ ਯਾਤਰੀ ਜਿਨ੍ਹਾਂ ਨੂੰ ਬਾੜ੍ਹ ਬਾਰੇ ਪਤਾ ਸੀ, ਦੂਜੀ ਸੜਕ ਤੇ ਗਏ।
Continuative use:
- Comma is used between antecedent and relative pronoun.
Antecedent ਅਤੇ relative pronoun ਵਿਚਕਾਰ comma ਹੁੰਦਾ ਹੈ। - Relative clause acts as a Principal clause, adding extra information.
Relative clause principal clause ਵਾਂਗ ਕੰਮ ਕਰਦਾ ਹੈ, ਵਾਧੂ ਜਾਣਕਾਰੀ ਦਿੰਦਾ ਹੈ। - Structure: Noun + Comma + Relative clause.
- Sentence type: Compound sentence.
Sentence ਕਿਸਮ: Compound sentence। - Example: The travellers, who knew about the floods, took another road.
All travellers knew about the floods, and they took another road.
ਸਾਰੇ ਯਾਤਰੀ ਬਾੜ੍ਹ ਬਾਰੇ ਜਾਣਦੇ ਸਨ ਅਤੇ ਉਹ ਦੂਜੀ ਸੜਕ ਤੇ ਗਏ।
Forms of Relative Pronouns
| Case | Masculine/Feminine (Singular & Plural) | Neuter (Singular & Plural) |
|---|---|---|
| Nominative | who | which |
| Objective/Accusative | whom | which |
| Possessive/Genitive | whose | whose / of which |
Examples:
- This is the boy who works hard.
- This is the girl whom all praise.
- This is the boy whose exercise is done well.
- This is the house which belongs to my uncle.
- The house which my father built was grand.
- A triangle whose three sides are equal is called an equilateral triangle.
Special Note on the Relative Pronoun “That”
The relative pronoun “that” has some special rules in English grammar:
Relative pronoun “that” English grammar ਵਿੱਚ ਕੁਝ ਖਾਸ ਨਿਯਮਾਂ ਨਾਲ ਵਰਤਿਆ ਜਾਂਦਾ ਹੈ:
- In both nominative (subject) and objective (object) cases, whether singular or plural, the form remains the same — always that.
Nominative (subject) ਅਤੇ objective (object) case ਵਿੱਚ, singular ਅਤੇ plural ਦੋਵੇਂ ਲਈ, ਇਸਦਾ ਰੂਪ ਇੱਕੋ ਹੀ ਰਹਿੰਦਾ ਹੈ — that. - It does not have a possessive form. To show possession, we use whose or of which.
ਇਸਦਾ possessive form ਨਹੀਂ ਹੁੰਦਾ। ਜਦੋਂ possession ਦਿਖਾਉਣੀ ਹੋਵੇ ਤਾਂ whose ਜਾਂ of which ਵਰਤਿਆ ਜਾਂਦਾ ਹੈ। - “That” can be used in place of who, whom, or which, but it cannot replace whose.
“That” ਨੂੰ who, whom, which ਦੀ ਥਾਂ ਵਰਤਿਆ ਜਾ ਸਕਦਾ ਹੈ, ਪਰ whose ਲਈ ਨਹੀਂ।
Case Table:
| Case | Persons/Things (Singular & Plural) |
|---|---|
| Nominative | that |
| Objective | that |
| Possessive/Genitive | of which / whose |
Examples:
- He that is content is rich. → Here, that is used as the subject.
- Take anything that you like. → Here, that is used as the object.
- The girl whose brother studies in my class is my classmate. → Possessive is shown by whose, not that.
In short, “that” is flexible for subject and object roles, but for possession we must use whose or of which.
ਸਾਰ ਵਿੱਚ, “that” subject ਅਤੇ object ਲਈ ਵਰਤਿਆ ਜਾ ਸਕਦਾ ਹੈ, ਪਰ possession ਦਿਖਾਉਣ ਲਈ whose ਜਾਂ of which ਵਰਤਿਆ ਜਾਂਦਾ ਹੈ।