Relative Pronouns that refer to Persons and Things
Incorrect: The student which receives the highest score will be awarded a scholarship.
Correct: The student who receives the highest score will be awarded a scholarship.
Incorrect: This is the machine who works very well.
Correct: This is the machine that works very well.
Note: who- ব্যক্তির পরিবর্তে বসে; which- বস্তুর পরিবর্তে বসে; that- ব্যক্তি, বস্তু উভয়ের পরিবর্তে বসে।
Reflexive Pronouns
Incorrect: Be careful or you will hurt you.
Correct: Be careful or you will hurt yourself.
Incorrect: They cannot always correct them.
Correct: They cannot always correct themselves.
Note: বাক্যের subject এবং object যখন একই ব্যক্তি তখন object position-এ reflexive pronoun বসাতে হয়।
Use of “They” in an Indefinite Sense
Incorrect: In China they honor their elderly people more than we honor ours.
Correct: The Chinese honor their elderly people more than we honor ours.
Incorrect: Our teacher told us that in France they eat horsemeat.
Correct: Our teacher told us that the French eat horsemeat.
Note: কোনো indefinite sense-এ অপ্রয়োজনীয়ভাবে they ব্যবহার করা ঠিক নয়। অধিকন্তু নির্দিষ্ট antecedent ছাড়া pronoun ব্যবহৃত হলে তা বোধগম্যতা হারায়।
Theirselves-Themselves
Incorrect: They are hurting theirselves by their conduct.
Correct: They are hurting themselves by their conduct.
Incorrect: They theirselves were on hand for the show.
Correct: They themselves were on hand for the show.
Note: Themselves-এর স্থানে theirselves বসানো যাবে না।
Incorrect Use of What
Incorrect: This is the book what I want.
Correct: This is the book that I want.
Note: Formal English-এ what-এর পূর্বে antecedent থাকে না তাই উপরের বাক্যে what-এর জায়গায় relative pronoun that বসেছে।
Loose Use of Which
Incorrect: We shall drive if the roads are clear which I think they are.
Correct: We shall drive if the roads are clear as I think they are.
Note: Antecedent ছাড়া relative pronoun ‘which’ বসে না। তাই উপরের বাক্যে which-এর স্থলে conjunction ‘as’ বসেছে।
Wrong Use of Who
Incorrect: The elephant who stands in the large cage is really large.
Correct: The elephant that stands in the large cage is really large.
Note: কোনো ব্যক্তিকে নির্দেশ করতে who আর কোনো প্রাণীকে নির্দেশ করতে that বসে।
Who-Whom
Incorrect: Who did you choose yesterday?
Correct: Whom did you choose yesterday?
Incorrect: I shall speak to whomever is there.
Correct: I shall speak to whoever is there.
Note: Who বসে subject position-এ আর whom বসে object position-এ।
Incorrect: Who should I give the necklace to now?
Correct: Whom should I give the necklace to now?