/Relative Clauses
B2Relative Clauses

Compound Relative Pronouns

1

What is it?

Compound relative pronouns are formed by adding "-ever" to a relative pronoun or adverb: whoever, whatever, whichever, wherever, whenever, however. They mean "any person/thing/place/time that..." and introduce clauses without a specific antecedent noun. They can act as subjects, objects, or adverbs within a sentence and often carry the sense of "it doesn't matter who/what/where...".

2

How to form it

SubjectPositiveNegativeQuestion
whoever (any person)Whoever arrives first can start without us.Whoever didn't sign in will not get credit.Can whoever wants to join come along?
whatever (any thing)Take whatever you need.Whatever I say, he disagrees.Is whatever you decide fine with everyone?
whichever (any one of a group)Choose whichever seat you like.Whichever option she picks, it will be costly.Whichever route works best for you?
wherever (any place)I'll follow you wherever you go.Wherever we looked, the door was locked.
whenever (any time)Call me whenever you need help.
however (any way/degree)However hard he tries, he never wins.
  • • "Whoever" = any person who / no matter who. It can be a subject or object.
  • • "Whatever" = any thing that / no matter what.
  • • "Whichever" = any one (from a defined or undefined group) / no matter which.
  • • "Wherever" = any place / no matter where.
  • • "Whenever" = any time / no matter when.
  • • "However" = in any way / no matter how — often followed by an adjective or adverb.
  • • Compound relative pronouns introduce noun clauses (acting as subject or object of the main verb) or adverbial clauses.
3

When to use it

  1. 1

    "Whoever" as subject

    Whoever calls first gets the job.

  2. 2

    "Whatever" as object

    You can borrow whatever you want from the library.

  3. 3

    "Whichever" with a choice

    Take whichever jacket fits you best.

  4. 4

    "However" + adjective/adverb

    However tired I am, I always go to the gym.

  5. 5

    "Wherever" for unspecified place

    She feels at home wherever she goes.

4

Common mistakes

Whoever will arrive first can start.

Whoever arrives first can start.

After compound relative pronouns, use present simple (not "will") for future reference in the subordinate clause.

However you are tired, you should rest.

However tired you are, you should rest.

"However" is followed directly by an adjective/adverb, then subject + verb.

Take whichever one do you want.

Take whichever one you want.

Use statement word order (subject + verb) after compound pronouns, not question word order.

5

Quick reference

  • "Whoever" = any person / no matter who.
  • "Whatever" = any thing / no matter what.
  • "Whichever" = any one of a set / no matter which.
  • "Wherever" = any place / no matter where.
  • "Whenever" = any time / no matter when.
  • "However" + adj/adv = no matter how + adj/adv.
6

Natural conversation example

Two people plan a flexible road trip.

R

Rob

So, where exactly are we going on this trip?
L

Liz

Wherever the road takes us! I don't want to plan every detail.
R

Rob

OK, but we need to pack. What should I bring?
L

Liz

Whatever you think you'll need. Keep it light though.
R

Rob

And what about accommodation — did you book anything?
L

Liz

No. We'll find somewhere whenever we get tired of driving.
R

Rob

Fine. But whoever drives first has to pick the music.
L

Liz

Deal. And however long it takes, I'm not rushing.

Practice Exercises

Fill in: whoever, whatever, whichever, wherever, whenever, or however.

  1. 1.
    __ you decide, I'll support you.
  2. 2.
    __ long it takes, we need to finish this today.
  3. 3.
    __ is responsible for this mess needs to clean it up.
  4. 4.
    I visit my parents __ I can.
  5. 5.
    __ you sit, make sure you can see the screen.
  6. 6.
    Take __ option seems best to you.
  7. 7.
    __ hard the exam is, try your best.
  8. 8.
    __ finishes the report first can leave early.
  9. 9.
    __ the weather is like, the event will go ahead.
  10. 10.
    I'll meet you __ you like — just name the place.
Relative PronounsAll TopicsDropping the Relative Pronoun

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