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Ruslan
What's the difference between " pronoun" and "subordinator of adjective clause"?
The giant saguaro cactus is a member of the cactus family WHOSE habitat is being drastically reduced.
My friend tell me that it is a subordinator of adjective clause and I say No, that's a pronoun. :-) so which one is correct?
Jan 1, 2016 12:21 AM
Answers · 6
2
What a great question! I can tell you think deeply about English grammar. The answer is, you are both right! The important thing to understand is two terms: 'form' and 'function'. For example:
"I like you." In this sentence "I" is a pronoun but it's functioning as the subject of the sentence. "You" is also a pronoun but it's grammatical function is object.
So in your sentence, "whose" is definitely a pronoun. But in that particular sentence it also has the function of introducing a relative clause (also known as a adjective clause, one type of subordinate clause.) Because it has this function, it can also be referred to as a "subordinator." It's form is 'pronoun'; it's function in this particular sentence is 'subordinator'.
January 1, 2016
It's an adjective clause not a relative pronoun.
If you want to use a pronoun in the sentence (it will be THAT not WHOSE )
January 1, 2016
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Ruslan
Language Skills
Arabic, English, Indonesian, Italian, Javanese, Turkish
Learning Language
Arabic, English, Italian, Turkish
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