Relative Clauses with Whose and What
Relative clauses with whose and what represent two distinct but powerful tools in English grammar. 'Whose' creates sophisticated possessive relationships, allowing you to elegantly connect people and things with what belongs to them, whilst 'what' introduces free relative clauses that function as complete noun phrases, expressing ideas like "the thing that" or "whatever" in a single, flowing construction.
'Whose' eliminates the awkwardness of possessive constructions by seamlessly integrating ownership, relationships, and associations into single sentences. Instead of saying "I met a man. The man's car was stolen," you can create "I met a man whose car was stolen." This creates more natural, sophisticated expression that characterises advanced English communication.
'What' clauses serve a completely different function, creating free relative clauses that don't need antecedent nouns. These constructions express general concepts, unknown things, or whatever happens to be the case. "What you need is rest" and "I don't understand what she means" demonstrate how these clauses function as complete grammatical units whilst maintaining elegant simplicity.
Mastering both whose and what clauses will significantly enhance your English expression. 'Whose' adds sophistication to descriptions of relationships and possession, whilst 'what' clauses provide flexible ways to express abstract concepts, general principles, and unknown quantities with natural fluency that elevates your communication to an advanced level.
Formation
Whose (Possessive Relative Pronoun)
Person/Thing + whose + noun + verb + rest
'Whose' shows possession and replaces possessive forms (his/her/its/their)
People (possessive):
- The woman whose car broke down is waiting.
- Students whose essays are late must explain.
- Anyone whose phone rings should leave.
Things (association):
- The company whose profits fell is struggling.
- Countries whose economies grow attract investment.
- The building whose roof collapsed was old.
What (Free Relative Clauses)
What + subject + verb = "the thing(s) that"
'What' clauses function as complete noun phrases without needing an antecedent
As subject:
- What you said was brilliant.
- What happens next is uncertain.
- What I need is more time.
As object:
- I understand what you mean.
- Show me what you've written.
- Tell me what you think.
Key Differences and Common Confusion
Whose vs Who's:
✅ Whose car is this? (possessive)
❌ Who's car is this?
✅ Who's coming? (who is)
✅ Who's been here? (who has)
What vs That:
✅ I know what you mean. (free relative)
❌ I know that you mean.
✅ The book that you lent me. (defining)
❌ The book what you lent me.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
❌ "The man who's car was stolen called police."
✅ "The man whose car was stolen called police."
Use 'whose' for possession, not 'who's' (who is/has)
❌ "The book what you gave me was brilliant."
✅ "The book that you gave me was brilliant."
Don't use 'what' in relative clauses with antecedents - use 'that' or 'which'
❌ "I know that what you mean."
✅ "I know what you mean."
Don't use 'that' before 'what' clauses - 'what' clauses are complete
❌ "The woman of whose house we stayed was kind."
✅ "The woman whose house we stayed in was kind."
Don't add prepositions before 'whose' - rearrange the sentence structure
Whose: Usage Tips and Patterns
Common nouns that follow 'whose':
People:
family, children, parents, friends, colleagues
Possessions:
car, house, phone, laptop, money
Abstract:
ideas, work, responsibility, reputation
Both defining and non-defining:
Students whose essays are late... (identifies which students)
My brother, whose wife is French,... (adds extra information)
What Clauses: Common Patterns
Subject patterns:
- What + happens/happened + is/was...
- What + you need/want + is...
- What + I think/believe + is...
- What + matters/counts + is...
Object patterns:
- I know what + you mean/want
- Tell me what + you think/need
- Show me what + you've done
- Understand what + is happening
Register and Formality
Whose clauses:
Generally formal and sophisticated in both speech and writing. Common in academic, business, and literary contexts.
What clauses:
Very versatile - from casual conversation ("What I want is...") to formal writing ("What this research demonstrates...").
Professional writing:
Both structures add sophistication and help avoid repetitive, choppy sentences in formal documents.
Quick Reference Guide
Whose:
- Function: Shows possession or association
- Usage: Always followed by a noun
- Replaces: his/her/its/their + noun
- Common mistake: Confusing with who's (who is/has)
What:
- Function: Creates free relative clauses (no antecedent needed)
- Meaning: "The thing(s) that" or "whatever"
- Usage: As subject or object of main clause
- Common mistake: Using in regular relative clauses (use that/which instead)