Relative Clauses with Quantifiers
Use a quantifier with 'of whom' or 'of which' to add sophisticated detail to a group after a comma.
The Rule in 30 Seconds
- Combine a quantifier and 'of whom' or 'of which' after a comma.
- Use 'whom' for people and 'which' for objects or animals.
- This pattern adds extra details about a specific group smoothly.
- Always place a comma before the quantifier to separate the clauses.
Quick Reference
| Quantifier | Pronoun | Refers To | Example Sentence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Many / Some | of whom | People | I met the players, many of whom were tall. |
| All / Most | of which | Things | He bought books, all of which were expensive. |
| None | of whom | People | I have three cousins, none of whom are married. |
| Both / Neither | of which | Two Things | She had two ideas, both of which were great. |
| Several | of whom | People | The staff, several of whom spoke French, helped. |
| Each | of which | Individual Things | I saw five films, each of which was unique. |
Key Examples
3 of 8I have three sisters, all of whom are older than me.
Tengo tres hermanas, todas las cuales son mayores que yo.
He wrote five emails, none of which were answered.
Él escribió cinco correos, ninguno de los cuales fue respondido.
I bought two shirts, both of which are blue.
Compré dos camisas, ambas de las cuales son azules.
The Comma is Key
Always pause before the quantifier. In writing, that pause is a comma. Without it, the sentence feels like it's running a marathon without breathing.
No 'Who' Allowed
Even if it feels natural to say 'some of who', it is grammatically incorrect. Stick to 'whom' to keep the grammar police away!
The Rule in 30 Seconds
- Combine a quantifier and 'of whom' or 'of which' after a comma.
- Use 'whom' for people and 'which' for objects or animals.
- This pattern adds extra details about a specific group smoothly.
- Always place a comma before the quantifier to separate the clauses.
Overview
You are at a big party. You meet many new people. Some of these people are very interesting. How do you say this in one sentence? You could say: I met ten people, some of whom were interesting. This grammar pattern helps you combine ideas. It makes your English sound smooth and professional. It connects a group of things to a specific detail. Think of it like a bridge between two thoughts. It is very common in news and business. It helps you avoid repeating the same words. It is like a grammar upgrade for your sentences.
How This Grammar Works
This pattern uses a quantifier and a relative pronoun. Quantifiers are words like some, many, or all. They tell us how much or how many. The relative pronoun connects back to the first part. We use whom for people. We use which for things or animals. You must always use a comma before the quantifier. This is because the information is extra. It adds detail but doesn't define the noun. It is like adding a side dish to a meal. The main meal is the first clause. The side dish is the relative clause. They work together to make a full sentence.
Formation Pattern
- 1Building these sentences is like following a recipe. Follow these steps carefully:
- 2Write your main sentence first. Example:
I have three brothers. - 3Add a comma after the main sentence. This is very important!
- 4Choose a quantifier. Examples:
all,both,none,many,several. - 5Add the word
ofafter the quantifier. - 6Choose the correct pronoun. Use
whomfor people. Usewhichfor things. - 7Finish the thought with a verb and details.
- 8Example:
I have three brothers, all of whom live in London.
When To Use It
Use this when you want to be precise. It is great for job interviews. Imagine describing your past projects. I managed five projects, two of which won awards. This sounds much better than two short sentences. Use it when ordering food for a group. We ordered six pizzas, most of which were pepperoni. It is perfect for academic writing or reports. It helps you organize data clearly. Use it when you want to sound sophisticated. It shows you have a high level of English. It is like wearing a nice suit for your words.
When Not To Use It
Do not use this in very casual texts. If you are texting a close friend, keep it simple. I have three cats. All of them are crazy. This is better for a quick chat. Using of whom might sound too formal there. It is like wearing a tuxedo to the beach. Avoid it if the sentence becomes too long. If you have three commas already, stop! Break the sentence into two parts instead. Clarity is always more important than complex grammar. Do not use it if you are unsure of the pronoun. Using who instead of whom here is a mistake. If you are confused, use two sentences.
Common Mistakes
Many people forget the comma. This makes the sentence hard to read. Think of the comma as a tiny breath. Another mistake is using who instead of whom. In this specific pattern, whom is the only correct choice. Yes, even native speakers mess this up sometimes! Do not use that in these clauses. All of that is wrong in a relative clause. Another error is using a period instead of a comma. I have two cars. Both of which are red. This is a fragment, not a sentence. It is like a car without an engine. It won't go anywhere!
Contrast With Similar Patterns
Compare this to the standard some of them pattern. I have many friends. Some of them are doctors. This uses two separate sentences. It is simple and clear. The relative clause version is I have many friends, some of whom are doctors. This is one fluid sentence. It feels more connected. It shows the relationship between the friends and their jobs. Another similar pattern is using whose. I know a man whose car is blue. This shows possession. Our pattern shows a quantity of a group. They look similar but do different jobs.
Quick FAQ
Q. Can I use many of who?
A. No, you must use whom after of.
Q. Is this only for formal writing?
A. Mostly, but it is useful in professional speech too.
Q. Can I use none of which for people?
A. No, use none of whom for people.
Q. Do I always need a comma?
A. Yes, the comma is mandatory here.
Q. Is it okay to use both?
A. Yes, both of whom is perfect for two people.
Reference Table
| Quantifier | Pronoun | Refers To | Example Sentence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Many / Some | of whom | People | I met the players, many of whom were tall. |
| All / Most | of which | Things | He bought books, all of which were expensive. |
| None | of whom | People | I have three cousins, none of whom are married. |
| Both / Neither | of which | Two Things | She had two ideas, both of which were great. |
| Several | of whom | People | The staff, several of whom spoke French, helped. |
| Each | of which | Individual Things | I saw five films, each of which was unique. |
The Comma is Key
Always pause before the quantifier. In writing, that pause is a comma. Without it, the sentence feels like it's running a marathon without breathing.
No 'Who' Allowed
Even if it feels natural to say 'some of who', it is grammatically incorrect. Stick to 'whom' to keep the grammar police away!
Formal Flavor
Use this in emails to your boss. Instead of 'I finished the reports. They are on your desk,' try 'I finished the reports, all of which are on your desk.'
Native Habits
Native speakers often avoid this in casual speech because it sounds 'fancy'. If you use it correctly, you'll sound very educated!
Exemples
8I have three sisters, all of whom are older than me.
Focus: all of whom
Tengo tres hermanas, todas las cuales son mayores que yo.
Use 'whom' because sisters are people.
He wrote five emails, none of which were answered.
Focus: none of which
Él escribió cinco correos, ninguno de los cuales fue respondido.
Use 'which' for emails.
I bought two shirts, both of which are blue.
Focus: both of which
Compré dos camisas, ambas de las cuales son azules.
'Both' is used specifically for two items.
The company hired ten people, half of whom are interns.
Focus: half of whom
La empresa contrató a diez personas, la mitad de las cuales son pasantes.
Fractions like 'half' work perfectly here.
The committee interviewed six candidates, several of whom had PhDs.
Focus: several of whom
El comité entrevistó a seis candidatos, varios de los cuales tenían doctorados.
Very common in professional or academic reporting.
✗ I have two dogs, both of who are black. → ✓ I have two dogs, both of which are black.
Focus: both of which
Tengo dos perros, ambos de los cuales son negros.
Use 'which' for animals and never use 'who' after 'of'.
✗ He has many friends all of whom live nearby. → ✓ He has many friends, all of whom live nearby.
Focus: ,
Él tiene muchos amigos, todos los cuales viven cerca.
The comma is essential for the sentence to be grammatically correct.
The storm damaged many houses, the roofs of which were blown off.
Focus: the roofs of which
La tormenta dañó muchas casas, cuyos techos fueron arrancados.
You can use a noun before 'of which' to show possession.
Test Yourself
Choose the correct phrase to complete the sentence about a job interview.
The manager asked me ten questions, ___ were very difficult.
Questions are things, so we use 'which'. 'Whom' is only for people.
Complete the sentence about a group of friends.
I invited twenty guests, ___ arrived on time.
Guests are people, so we use 'whom'. 'That' is never used in this pattern.
Select the correct punctuation and phrase.
She has two brothers ___ are doctors.
We need a comma before the quantifier, and 'whom' for brothers.
🎉 Score: /3
Visual Learning Aids
Whom vs. Which
Building the Sentence
Is it a person?
Did you add a comma?
Is it after a preposition like 'of'?
Common Quantifiers
Total
- • All of
- • Each of
Partial
- • Some of
- • Many of
- • Most of
Zero
- • None of
- • Neither of
Frequently Asked Questions
21 questionsA quantifier is a word that shows the amount of something. Examples include all, some, many, and none.
We use whom because it follows a preposition, which is the word of. In English, prepositions require the object form of the pronoun.
Yes, usually we use which for animals. For example, I have three dogs, all of which are friendly.
Yes, it is much more formal. All of them is used in two separate sentences, while all of whom creates one complex sentence.
No, you cannot use that in this specific pattern. You must use which for objects.
The comma always goes right before the quantifier. For example, ...my friends, many of whom....
Yes, you can use specific numbers. For example, I have five pens, two of which are red.
You should use both of whom or neither of whom. These are specific for groups of two.
It is usually treated as plural in modern English. For example, None of whom are here.
No, that is not a standard pattern. Use some of whom or some of which instead.
We rarely use much of which for countable items. It is better for uncountable things like The water, much of which was dirty....
No, this is a relative clause. It must be attached to a main sentence after a comma.
Yes, it is common in both British and American English, especially in news and formal documents.
It usually translates to de los cuales or de quienes. For example, algunos de los cuales.
Yes, each of whom focuses on the individuals in a group. It is very precise.
The most common mistake is forgetting the comma or saying some of who. Always remember the 'm' in whom!
Yes, you can say The team, all of whom were tired, lost the game.
Many European languages have similar structures using relative pronouns and quantifiers. However, the whom/which distinction is uniquely English.
Absolutely! It makes your presentation sound very organized and professional.
Yes! I ate the pizza, half of which was covered in mushrooms.
Most people will still understand you, but it will look like a mistake in writing. Just correct it next time!
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