English guide
Practise who, whom, whose, which and that with workplace examples, 20 original questions, explanations for every option and five transfer exercises.
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Prepared with AI assistance and published by English AIdol. No human expert review is claimed.
What this guide covers
Identify the person, thing or event described by the relative clause.
Check whether the clause needs a subject, object, possessive form or prepositional complement.
Use commas and any fronted preposition to test the available choices.
Review every option explanation and rewrite new sentences without the answer visible.
A relative word connects information to a person, thing or event. To choose it, look at both its reference and the job it performs in the clause. This lesson offers 20 original workplace questions, four explanations per question, and five transfer exercises.
Independent, untimed practice: English AIdol prepared this material with AI assistance. These are not official or recalled ETS items. No human expert or examiner review, ETS endorsement, or calibrated difficulty level is claimed. Record answers in your own notes; this page does not save them or convert a result into a TOEIC score.
The standard TOEIC Listening and Reading test has 30 Part 5 Incomplete Sentences questions with four response options. The complete Reading section has 100 questions and 75 minutes shared across its parts. This lesson is a focused grammar exercise, not a full section. ETS: About the TOEIC Listening and Reading Test; ETS: TOEIC Listening & Reading Score User Guide (PDF), printed page 5.
ETS converts each section’s correct-answer count to a 5–495 scale and applies no penalty for incorrect answers. Our 20 items have not been equated to an official test form, so a local answer count cannot be used as a Reading score prediction. ETS: TOEIC Listening & Reading Score User Guide (PDF), printed page 9.
Find the noun being described, then locate the missing part of the relative clause. Who refers to a person; which refers to a thing. Either can fill a subject or object role. In an identifying clause, that can also refer to people or things. Do not add another he, she or it to repeat the relative pronoun’s job.
Grammar reference: British Council: Defining relative clauses.
A defining clause identifies the person or thing intended. A non-defining clause adds information and is separated by commas. Use who or which as appropriate in the latter; that cannot introduce it. Whose and object whom can also introduce added information. Read the punctuation already printed in a question.
Grammar reference: British Council: Non-defining relative clauses.
Whose connects someone or something to a following noun: whose signature, whose entrance, whose schedule. It can refer to things as well as people. Who’s is a contraction of who is or who has, so expanding that contraction is a useful check.
Grammar reference: British Council: Non-defining relative clauses.
Whom is an object form for people, especially in formal writing. Who is also widely used as an object, so both may be grammatical in the same sentence. In a defining clause, an object relative pronoun can often be omitted; a subject relative pronoun cannot. Keep the relative word in a non-defining clause.
Grammar reference: British Council: Relative pronouns and relative clauses; British Council: Defining relative clauses.
In formal patterns such as for whom and with which, the pronoun follows a preposition. Use whom for a person and which for a thing in these examples. That cannot follow a fronted preposition. Moving a preposition changes the available construction: compare “the tool with which we cut the tiles” and “the tool that we cut the tiles with.”
Grammar reference: British Council: Relative pronouns and relative clauses.
Where supplies a location relationship; when supplies a time relationship. They are relative adverbs, not interchangeable substitutes for every which. If the clause needs a subject or direct object, use an appropriate pronoun. If in, at or during is already before the gap, a second location or time word is usually the wrong structure.
Grammar reference: British Council: Non-defining relative clauses.
Expressions such as several of whom refer to people within a group; several of which refer to things. They can introduce an added relative clause after a comma. Several of them can start an independent statement, but it cannot simply replace the relative expression while leaving the comma and sentence structure unchanged.
Grammar reference: British Council: Relative pronouns and relative clauses.
A comma followed by which can introduce a comment about an entire preceding clause, rather than one noun. That and what do not introduce this kind of supplementary relative clause. Ask whether the new information describes an object or the result of what happened.
Grammar reference: Purdue OWL: Defining vs. Non-Defining and ESL Tips.
The sculptor, ___ work appears in the hotel’s courtyard, will attend the opening. Options: (A) who · (B) whose · (C) whom · (D) which.
This demonstration is separate from the 20 questions. For every answer below, try writing “reference + role” before opening the explanation.
Select the one option that completes the sentence in standard written English. Keep all printed words and punctuation unchanged. Some sentences have other valid completions outside the options; the explanations acknowledge those alternatives. The stages organise learning and are not official difficulty ratings.
Questions 1–7: decide what the relative word refers to and whether the clause needs a subject, object or possessive form.
The florist ___ prepares the lobby arrangements arrives before opening.
(A) whose
(B) who
(C) whom
(D) where
Answer: (B) who
Completed sentence: The florist who prepares the lobby arrangements arrives before opening.
Reference and role: The florist; the gap is the subject of prepares. Review this rule.
The digital scale ___ stands beside the packing bench needs a new battery.
(A) where
(B) whom
(C) which
(D) whose
Answer: (C) which
Completed sentence: The digital scale which stands beside the packing bench needs a new battery.
Reference and role: The digital scale; the gap is the subject of stands. Review this rule.
We contacted the illustrator ___ portfolio matched the campaign’s visual style.
(A) whose
(B) who
(C) whom
(D) which
Answer: (A) whose
Completed sentence: We contacted the illustrator whose portfolio matched the campaign’s visual style.
Reference and role: The illustrator’s portfolio; the gap marks possession before portfolio. Review this rule.
The product catalogue ___ you requested is attached to this message.
(A) who
(B) where
(C) whose
(D) that
Answer: (D) that
Completed sentence: The product catalogue that you requested is attached to this message.
Reference and role: The product catalogue; you is the subject of requested and the gap is its object. Review this rule.
Mr Okafor, ___ coordinates our apprenticeship programme, will lead the workshop.
(A) whom
(B) who
(C) that
(D) whose
Answer: (B) who
Completed sentence: Mr Okafor, who coordinates our apprenticeship programme, will lead the workshop.
Reference and role: Mr Okafor; the comma-separated clause needs the subject of coordinates. Review this rule.
The emergency staircase, ___ was inspected yesterday, will remain open during renovation.
(A) that
(B) where
(C) whose
(D) which
Answer: (D) which
Completed sentence: The emergency staircase, which was inspected yesterday, will remain open during renovation.
Reference and role: The emergency staircase; the gap is the subject of the passive verb was inspected. Review this rule.
The caterer ___ menu includes vegan dishes has been shortlisted.
(A) whom
(B) which
(C) whose
(D) who
Answer: (C) whose
Completed sentence: The caterer whose menu includes vegan dishes has been shortlisted.
Reference and role: The caterer’s menu; whose menu is the subject of includes. Review this rule.
Questions 8–14: read prepositions, commas and the words after the gap. A place noun does not automatically require where.
The conference venue at ___ we will hold the awards dinner has free parking.
(A) which
(B) that
(C) where
(D) whose
Answer: (A) which
Completed sentence: The conference venue at which we will hold the awards dinner has free parking.
Reference and role: The conference venue; the gap is the complement of at. Review this rule.
The mentor to ___ the trainee addressed her question replied after the session.
(A) whose
(B) which
(C) that
(D) whom
Answer: (D) whom
Completed sentence: The mentor to whom the trainee addressed her question replied after the session.
Reference and role: The mentor; the gap is the person receiving the question, after to. Review this rule.
The editor, ___ the magazine hired in June, has approved the cover.
(A) that
(B) whose
(C) whom
(D) which
Answer: (C) whom
Completed sentence: The editor, whom the magazine hired in June, has approved the cover.
Reference and role: The editor; the magazine is the subject of hired and the gap is its object. Review this rule.
The technicians ___ repaired the lift left a maintenance report.
(A) that
(B) whose
(C) whom
(D) which
Answer: (A) that
Completed sentence: The technicians that repaired the lift left a maintenance report.
Reference and role: The technicians; the gap is the subject of repaired. Review this rule.
The showroom ___ displays our newest furniture is closed for repainting.
(A) whose
(B) which
(C) where
(D) whom
Answer: (B) which
Completed sentence: The showroom which displays our newest furniture is closed for repainting.
Reference and role: The showroom; the gap is the subject of displays, despite showroom naming a place. Review this rule.
The coastal depot, ___ roof was damaged by the storm, is using temporary storage.
(A) whose
(B) which
(C) who’s
(D) whom
Answer: (A) whose
Completed sentence: The coastal depot, whose roof was damaged by the storm, is using temporary storage.
Reference and role: The depot’s roof; the gap marks a relationship between a thing and one of its parts. Review this rule.
The safety seminar during ___ participants practised using fire extinguishers lasted two hours.
(A) when
(B) that
(C) where
(D) which
Answer: (D) which
Completed sentence: The safety seminar during which participants practised using fire extinguishers lasted two hours.
Reference and role: The safety seminar; the gap follows the time preposition during. Review this rule.
Questions 15–20: handle quantities, whole-clause references and mixed review.
The agency interviewed six translators, two of ___ had experience in medical publishing.
(A) whose
(B) whom
(C) which
(D) them
Answer: (B) whom
Completed sentence: The agency interviewed six translators, two of whom had experience in medical publishing.
Reference and role: Six translators; two of the people in that group. Review this rule.
The architect submitted three floor plans, all of ___ met the client’s accessibility requirements.
(A) them
(B) that
(C) which
(D) whose
Answer: (C) which
Completed sentence: The architect submitted three floor plans, all of which met the client’s accessibility requirements.
Reference and role: Three floor plans; all of the things in that group. Review this rule.
The last bus was cancelled, ___ forced the night-shift workers to arrange taxis.
(A) what
(B) that
(C) who
(D) which
Answer: (D) which
Completed sentence: The last bus was cancelled, which forced the night-shift workers to arrange taxis.
Reference and role: The preceding event: the cancellation of the last bus. Review this rule.
Please use the secure folder in ___ the payroll team stores tax documents.
(A) which
(B) where
(C) that
(D) whose
Answer: (A) which
Completed sentence: Please use the secure folder in which the payroll team stores tax documents.
Reference and role: The secure folder; the gap completes in. Review this rule.
The award went to Ms Chen, ___ proposal reduced the amount of packaging used.
(A) who’s
(B) whom
(C) whose
(D) who
Answer: (C) whose
Completed sentence: The award went to Ms Chen, whose proposal reduced the amount of packaging used.
Reference and role: Ms Chen’s proposal; the gap marks possession before proposal. Review this rule.
The return labels ___ were printed this morning contain the updated warehouse address.
(A) where
(B) that
(C) whose
(D) whom
Answer: (B) that
Completed sentence: The return labels that were printed this morning contain the updated warehouse address.
Reference and role: The return labels; the gap is the subject of were printed. Review this rule.
For each error, record the question number, your original choice and the clue you missed: reference, clause role, possession, punctuation or preposition. Then close the explanation and say why each rejected option fails in that exact sentence. A remembered letter is not evidence that you can use the pattern in a new context.
Combine these sentences into one defining relative clause in two ways, first keeping a pronoun and then omitting it: “The brochure is on the counter. You asked for the brochure.”
The brochure that you asked for is on the counter. The brochure you asked for is on the counter.
Which is also acceptable instead of that. You is the subject of asked; the relative pronoun is the object of for, with the preposition at the end. It can be omitted in this defining construction.
Combine these sentences using whose and commas: “The exhibition hall reopened today. Its lighting system was replaced last month.”
The exhibition hall, whose lighting system was replaced last month, reopened today.
Whose connects the hall to its lighting system. It is not limited to human owners. The two commas enclose the added information.
Rewrite with the preposition immediately before the relative pronoun: “The specialist that we sent the samples to will call tomorrow.”
The specialist to whom we sent the samples will call tomorrow.
To moves in front of whom, the formal object form referring to the specialist. That cannot stay after the fronted to.
Repair the relative word without changing the rest: “The loading bay where has an automatic door is reserved for large deliveries.” Then write a different sentence in which where would be correct.
The loading bay which has an automatic door is reserved for large deliveries. A possible new sentence is: The loading bay where we unload large deliveries has an automatic door.
That also works in the repaired sentence. Which or that supplies the subject of has. In the new sentence, we supplies the subject of unload and where supplies the location.
Join these sentences using two of and a relative pronoun, keeping one sentence: “Four auditors attended the briefing. Two of them had worked with the supplier before.”
Four auditors attended the briefing, two of whom had worked with the supplier before.
Whom connects the two people to the group of four auditors. Keeping them would require different punctuation or a conjunction because it would leave two independent clauses.
Write three sentences about a fictional event: identify a person with a defining relative clause, add information about an item using commas, and connect an owner or organisation to a noun using whose. Underline each relative word and label its role. Remove any repeated subject or object pronoun. If you use who or which in an object role, check whether another version with that or no relative pronoun is possible without changing the punctuation.
For a shorter foundation exercise, open the relative clauses grammar lesson. Continue with the TOEIC Reading practice guide or TOEIC practice hub when you are ready to combine this grammar skill with broader reading. This lesson does not cover every vocabulary or grammar decision in Part 5.
Source information checked on . ETS references support the format and scoring facts. British Council and Purdue references support the grammar principles; they did not write, review or endorse this question set. The examples, questions, options, explanations and transfer tasks are original English AIdol material prepared with AI assistance.
An independent AI content review checked all 20 answer keys and 80 option explanations, possible alternative answers, the rules and transfer tasks, and the official exam citations. This does not establish psychometric validity or predict test performance. No human expert or examiner review is claimed.
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Yes. In a defining relative clause, that can refer to a person or a thing. It cannot introduce a non-defining clause separated by commas or directly follow a fronted preposition. The structure decides; “person always means who” is too narrow.
No. Who is widely used as an object; whom is common in more formal object constructions. These questions avoid treating two acceptable forms as a single-answer contrast. Read the explanation and the printed options together.
No. These are original, untimed English AIdol practice questions prepared with AI assistance. The standard ETS Part 5 contains 30 questions, and this set covers only relative-pronoun decisions. No ETS affiliation, human examiner review or test calibration is claimed.
No. ETS scales performance on a full section. This narrow practice set has no score conversion; use your missed patterns to choose what to review and then attempt the separate transfer exercises.