B1 Relative Clauses 11 min read Medium

Relative Clauses with Quantifiers (all of whom, none of which)

Use 'quantifier + of + whom/which' after a comma to elegantly describe parts of a previously mentioned group.
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Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds

Use quantifiers like 'all' or 'some' with 'of whom' or 'of which' to add specific details about a group.

  • Use 'of whom' for people: 'I have two sisters, both of whom are doctors.'
  • Use 'of which' for things: 'He bought three cars, none of which work.'
  • Always use a comma before the quantifier to separate the extra information.
[Group], + [Number/Amount] + of + whom/which + [Action]

Overview

Talk about a small group. Combine two sentences into one.

This helps you speak better. You will sound very smart.

You are learning more now. these sentences give extra information.

Learn these rules. You will speak very clearly.

How This Grammar Works

Use words like all or some. Use whom for people.
These words start the extra part of the sentence.
You must use the word of. It shows a part.
Always say all of whom. Do not say all whom.
This information is extra. Put a comma before the number.
Use commas for extra information. It shows the part is extra.
| Component | Role | Example Fragment |
| :------------------- | :------------------------------------------------------------------------ | :---------------------------------------- |
The first part is the big group. Example: The people.
You must use a comma here.
| Quantifier | Specifies a proportion (most, many) or number (two, one). | many |
Use the word of. It means a part of a group.
Use whom for people. Use which for things.
The last part gives more information.
Example: The people, many of whom were sad, talked.

Formation Pattern

1
The action word must match the number word.
2
Pattern for People:
3
[Group], [number] + of whom + [action]...
4
Only use whom for people.
5
I called 20 people. All of whom answered fast.
6
There are many experts. One of whom knows about computers.
7
She has two brothers. Both of whom work with money.
8
How to talk about things or animals.
9
[Things], [number] + of which + [action]...
10
Use which for things or animals.
11
The company has three services. One is digital marketing. Use 'is' for one thing.
12
We saw many job papers. Most people did not have skills. Use plural words for groups.
13
Half of the information was not clear. We threw it away. Use 'was' for information.
14
How to use words for amounts:
15
Use 'is' or 'are' based on how many things you mean.
16
| Word | For what? | Is or Are? | People | Things |
17
| :-------------- | :------------------------------------------ | :-------------------- | :------------------------------------------------- | :------------------------------------------------------ |
18
| all | Many things or all of one thing | are / is | All students are here. | All news is good. |
19
| some | A few things or part of one | are / is | Some workers live here. | Some water is dirty. |
20
| many | A lot of things | are | Many people asked questions. | Many buildings are old. |
21
| most | Almost all of them | are / is | Most people said yes. | Most work is finished. |
22
| none | Not one | are / is | No people are here. | No food is left. |
23
| one | Only one | is | One boss is leaving. | One plan is good. |
24
| 2, 3...| More than one | are | Two people saw it. | Three books are new. |
25
| both | Two things | are | Both sisters are away. | Both ways are good. |
26
| half | Half of them | are / is | Half the people finished. | Half the money is gone. |
27
| a few | A small number | are | A few people came early. | A few ideas are good. |
28
Use 'are' for groups like books. Use 'is' for things like water. For 'none,' people often use 'are.' In formal writing, use 'is.'

When To Use It

These rules help you speak better. They make your English clear. You can explain hard ideas easily. Use them to improve.
  • To provide precise details about a subset: Use this structure when you have introduced a group of people or things and need to elaborate on a specific number, proportion, or characteristic of a portion of that group. It integrates this detail smoothly, improving the informational flow.
  • Instead of: The committee reviewed seven proposals. Two of the proposals were rejected. (Less cohesive)
  • Use: The committee reviewed seven proposals, two of which were rejected. (More concise and integrated)
  • Another example: We interviewed ten candidates for the position, most of whom had relevant experience.
  • In formal and academic contexts: You will frequently encounter relative clauses with quantifiers in academic papers, official reports, formal presentations, and sophisticated essays. They contribute to a precise, economical, and polished writing style highly valued in these settings. The ability to smoothly embed qualifying information demonstrates advanced linguistic control.
  • The research analyzed a cohort of 500 patients, a third of whom exhibited positive responses to the treatment.
  • The legislation introduced several new clauses, none of which significantly altered the original intent.
  • To enhance cohesion and avoid repetition: This construction helps you circumvent the slightly disjointed effect of using separate sentences or awkwardly repeating a noun or pronoun phrase (e.g., some of them, all of them) in subsequent clauses. It ensures a smoother, more fluid narrative or argument.
  • Consider: The delegates discussed several key issues. Some of them were quite controversial. (Repetitive and less fluid)
  • Better: The delegates discussed several key issues, some of which were quite controversial.
  • This structure is particularly useful for avoiding repeated noun phrases or less formal coordinations like and some of them.
  • When the quantity is crucial: If specifying the exact number or proportion of a group possessing a particular attribute is important for the reader's understanding, this structure highlights that precise detail. It foregrounds the numerical or proportional information within the descriptive clause, making it a key focus.
  • The company launched five new products last quarter, all of which exceeded sales targets. (Emphasizes the success of all five products)
  • She owns an extensive collection of rare books, many of which date back to the 17th century. (Highlights the significant number of old books)
Using these words well shows you know English. It helps you say difficult things clearly.

Common Mistakes

Many students make mistakes here. Learn how to fix them. This helps you learn more English.
  • Confusing whom with who: This is arguably the most common error. Remember that whom is an object pronoun and is required here because it functions as the object of the preposition of. Who, conversely, is a subject pronoun.
  • Incorrect: I spoke to fifty students, many of who had excellent questions.
  • Correct: I spoke to fifty students, many of whom had excellent questions.
  • The WHY: In this construction, of is a preposition. Prepositions must always take an object. Whom is the objective case of the relative pronoun for people, similar to how you would say for him or with her. Who is nominative and cannot be the object of a preposition.
  • Omitting the preposition of: Another frequent oversight is to exclude of, which is grammatically essential for establishing the partitive relationship between the quantifier and the preceding noun.
  • Incorrect: The projects, three which were funded, showed promise.
  • Correct: The projects, three of which were funded, showed promise.
  • The WHY: The of explicitly links the quantifier (e.g., three) to the main clause noun (the projects), indicating that the quantifier specifies a part of that group. Without of, the grammatical connection is broken, rendering the phrase ungrammatical.
  • Incorrect verb agreement: Learners often incorrectly make the verb in the relative clause agree with the main clause noun rather than the quantifier.
  • Incorrect: The documents, one of which were missing, caused delays. (Verb were agrees with documents.)
  • Correct: The documents, one of which was missing, caused delays. (Verb was agrees with one.)
  • The WHY: The subject of the verb within the relative clause is effectively the quantifier (e.g., one). Therefore, the verb must agree with the quantifier's implied number. One is singular, requiring a singular verb.
  • Using that instead of which or whom: The relative pronoun that is typically used for defining relative clauses (providing essential information) and cannot be preceded by a preposition. Furthermore, that is not used in non-defining clauses, which relative clauses with quantifiers almost always are.
  • Incorrect: The problems, some of that were complex, required further analysis.
  • Correct: The problems, some of which were complex, required further analysis.
  • The WHY: That simply does not combine with of in this construction, and that cannot introduce a non-defining clause.
  • Punctuation errors (missing commas): As these are non-defining clauses, they require commas to clearly set them apart from the main clause. Failing to use commas, or using them incorrectly, can alter the meaning or result in ungrammatical sentences.
  • Incorrect: My colleagues some of whom retired last year attended the ceremony.
  • Correct: My colleagues, some of whom retired last year, attended the ceremony.
  • The WHY: The commas signal that the information

The Quantifier Structure

Quantifier Preposition Relative Pronoun Usage
All / Some / Many
of
whom
For People
All / Some / Many
of
which
For Things
None / Neither
of
whom
Negative (People)
None / Neither
of
which
Negative (Things)
Two / Three / Ten
of
whom
Specific Number (People)
The majority / Half
of
which
Portions (Things)

Meanings

A type of non-defining relative clause used to provide information about a specific portion or quantity of a previously mentioned noun.

1

Quantifying People

Using 'of whom' to specify a number or portion of a group of people.

“The team has ten members, all of whom are experts.”

“I met several students, two of whom were from Italy.”

2

Quantifying Objects/Ideas

Using 'of which' to specify a number or portion of a group of things or concepts.

“He wrote five books, none of which were published.”

“We visited three museums, each of which was unique.”

3

Specifying Parts of a Whole

Using words like 'half', 'most', or 'the majority' to describe a portion.

“The company hired 100 workers, half of whom are part-time.”

“The forest has thousands of trees, the majority of which are oaks.”

Reference Table

Reference table for Relative Clauses with Quantifiers (all of whom, none of which)
Form Structure Example
Affirmative (People)
Group, [Quantifier] of whom...
I have two friends, both of whom are artists.
Affirmative (Things)
Group, [Quantifier] of which...
I bought three books, all of which are great.
Negative (People)
Group, none of whom...
I met the staff, none of whom spoke English.
Negative (Things)
Group, none of which...
He made excuses, none of which were true.
Specific Number
Group, [Number] of whom/which...
There were 10 cakes, two of which were chocolate.
Superlative
Group, the [Superlative] of which...
He has many cars, the fastest of which is a Ferrari.

Formality Spectrum

Formal
I have ten colleagues, all of whom are highly skilled.

I have ten colleagues, all of whom are highly skilled. (Professional/Social)

Neutral
I have ten colleagues, and they are all very good at their jobs.

I have ten colleagues, and they are all very good at their jobs. (Professional/Social)

Informal
I've got ten people at work, all of them are great.

I've got ten people at work, all of them are great. (Professional/Social)

Slang
My work crew? All of 'em are legends.

My work crew? All of 'em are legends. (Professional/Social)

The Quantifier Connection

Relative Clause with Quantifier

People

  • of whom used for humans

Things

  • of which used for objects/ideas

Them vs. Whom/Which

Informal (2 Sentences)
I have two dogs. Both of them are old. Standard spoken English
Formal (1 Sentence)
I have two dogs, both of which are old. Sophisticated written English

Choosing the Right Pronoun

1

Are you talking about people?

YES
Use 'of whom'
NO
Use 'of which'
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Examples by Level

1

I have two pens. Both of them are red.

2

She has three cats. One of them is black.

3

I saw five movies. All of them were good.

4

He has two brothers. They are both tall.

1

I have many friends, and some of them live here.

2

He bought four apples, but two of them were bad.

3

We have ten computers, and all of them are new.

4

She invited ten people, but none of them came.

1

I have three sisters, all of whom are older than me.

2

He owns five cars, none of which are electric.

3

The hotel has 50 rooms, most of which have a sea view.

4

I met the managers, two of whom were very helpful.

1

The company launched three products, each of which targeted a different market.

2

There were several candidates, few of whom possessed the necessary skills.

3

The library contains thousands of manuscripts, some of which date back to the 12th century.

4

He has published many articles, the majority of which focus on climate change.

1

The researchers interviewed 200 subjects, a significant proportion of whom reported side effects.

2

The city is home to numerous skyscrapers, the tallest of which reaches 500 meters.

3

The committee proposed several amendments, none of which were accepted by the board.

4

The artist created a series of murals, the most famous of which is located in the city center.

1

The philosopher explored various metaphysical theories, the intricacies of which remain a subject of debate.

2

The treaty consists of twelve articles, the third of which stipulates the terms of ceasefire.

3

He was surrounded by sycophants, all of whom vied for his fleeting attention.

4

The galaxy contains billions of stars, an infinitesimal fraction of which may harbor life.

Easily Confused

Relative Clauses with Quantifiers (all of whom, none of which) vs Relative Clauses with 'Whose'

Learners confuse 'of whom' (part of a group) with 'whose' (possession).

Relative Clauses with Quantifiers (all of whom, none of which) vs Standard Non-defining Clauses

Learners forget to add the quantifier and just use 'which' or 'who'.

Common Mistakes

✗

I have two brothers, all of who are tall.

✓

I have two brothers. Both of them are tall.

At A1, don't try the complex structure. Use two simple sentences.
✗

I have many books, some of them are old.

✓

I have many books, and some of them are old.

You cannot join two sentences with just a comma (Comma Splice). Use 'and'.
✗

I have three friends, all of them live in London.

✓

I have three friends, all of whom live in London.

In a single sentence with a relative clause, you must use 'whom', not 'them'.
✗

He has two cars, both of who are fast.

✓

He has two cars, both of which are fast.

Use 'which' for objects, not 'who' or 'whom'.
✗

The guests, many of who arrived late...

✓

The guests, many of whom arrived late...

Even in modern English, 'whom' is required after a preposition like 'of'.

Sentence Patterns

I have ___, ___ of whom ___.

There are ___, ___ of which ___.

Real World Usage

Academic Writing very common

The survey included 500 participants, most of whom were students.

Job Interviews common

I led several teams, all of whom exceeded their targets.

News Reporting very common

The police arrested five suspects, two of whom have been charged.

Travel Reviews occasional

The resort has three pools, none of which were crowded.

Product Descriptions common

The set comes with six brushes, each of which has a specific use.

Storytelling occasional

He had many secrets, some of which were dangerous.

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💡

The Comma is Key

Always put a comma before the quantifier. These are non-defining clauses, so the comma tells the reader 'here is some extra info'.
⚠️

Never 'of who'

Even if you hate the word 'whom', you must use it here. 'Of who' is grammatically incorrect in all standard dialects.
🎯

Use for Numbers

This is the best way to include statistics in your writing without making it sound like a list. 'We tested ten samples, three of which failed.'

Smart Tips

Try combining them with 'of whom' or 'of which' to make your writing flow better.

I have ten employees. Most of them work remotely. → I have ten employees, most of whom work remotely.

If there is a preposition like 'of' right before it, it is ALWAYS 'whom'.

Many of who... → Many of whom...

Pronunciation

/ɔːl əv huːm/

Stress on the Quantifier

In these clauses, the quantifier (all, some, none) usually receives the primary stress to emphasize the amount.

some-əv-which

The 'of' reduction

The word 'of' is often reduced to a weak 'schwa' sound /əv/.

Non-defining pause

I have two brothers [pause] both of whom are doctors.

The pause (indicated by the comma) shows that the following information is extra.

Memorize It

Mnemonic

Remember: 'Whom' for the 'Home-sapiens' (people), 'Which' for the 'Witch's' broom (things).

Visual Association

Imagine a large circle representing a group. Inside, a smaller circle is highlighted with a label like '3 of whom' or 'some of which'. This shows you are focusing on a subset.

Rhyme

For people use 'whom', for things use 'which', add a comma first to avoid a glitch!

Story

A king had three sons, all of whom wanted the throne. He gave them three tasks, none of which were easy. The first son failed, at which point the second son tried.

Word Web

whomwhichquantifiercommaportionsubsetformal

Challenge

Write three sentences about your family or your belongings using 'all of whom', 'none of which', and 'two of whom'.

Cultural Notes

This structure is a hallmark of high-level academic writing in the UK and US. Using it correctly can significantly improve the 'academic tone' of an essay.

In formal British contexts, 'whom' is preserved more strictly than in some casual American dialects.

Legal documents use this to be extremely precise about which parts of a contract or group of people are being discussed.

This structure stems from the Latin 'partitive genitive', where a part is taken from a whole.

Conversation Starters

“

Tell me about your favorite movies. How many have you seen recently?

“

How many people are in your family, and what do they do?

“

Think about the apps on your phone. Which ones do you use most?

Journal Prompts

Describe your collection of books, clothes, or gadgets.
Write about a group of friends or colleagues you admire.

Common Mistakes

Incorrect

Correct

Incorrect

Correct

Incorrect

Correct

Incorrect

Correct

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Test Yourself

Choose the correct relative pronoun. Multiple Choice

I have three cousins, all of ___ live in America.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: whom
We use 'whom' for people after a preposition like 'of'.
Fill in the blank with 'whom' or 'which'.

He bought five shirts, two of ___ were too small.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: which
Shirts are objects, so we use 'which'.
Correct the error in the sentence. Error Correction

Find and fix the mistake:

She has many friends, some of them are doctors.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: some of whom are doctors
To join these into one sentence, 'them' must become 'whom'.
Combine the two sentences into one using 'none of which'. Sentence Transformation

He told me three stories. They weren't true.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: He told me three stories, none of which were true.
We use a comma and 'none of which' to combine the sentences.
Is the following sentence grammatically correct? True False Rule

'The company has ten employees, all of who work from home.'

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: False
It should be 'all of whom'.
Complete the dialogue. Dialogue Completion

A: Did you like the books I lent you? B: I've read three of them, ___.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: all of which were great
Books are things, so 'which' is correct.
Which pronoun goes with which noun? Grammar Sorting

1. Students, 2. Computers

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: 1: whom, 2: which
Whom is for people, which is for things.
Put the words in the correct order. Sentence Building

sisters / I / two / have / whom / of / both / doctors / are / ,

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: I have two sisters, both of whom are doctors.
The main clause comes first, then the comma, then the relative clause.

Score: /8

Practice Exercises

8 exercises
Choose the correct relative pronoun. Multiple Choice

I have three cousins, all of ___ live in America.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: whom
We use 'whom' for people after a preposition like 'of'.
Fill in the blank with 'whom' or 'which'.

He bought five shirts, two of ___ were too small.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: which
Shirts are objects, so we use 'which'.
Correct the error in the sentence. Error Correction

Find and fix the mistake:

She has many friends, some of them are doctors.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: some of whom are doctors
To join these into one sentence, 'them' must become 'whom'.
Combine the two sentences into one using 'none of which'. Sentence Transformation

He told me three stories. They weren't true.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: He told me three stories, none of which were true.
We use a comma and 'none of which' to combine the sentences.
Is the following sentence grammatically correct? True False Rule

'The company has ten employees, all of who work from home.'

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: False
It should be 'all of whom'.
Complete the dialogue. Dialogue Completion

A: Did you like the books I lent you? B: I've read three of them, ___.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: all of which were great
Books are things, so 'which' is correct.
Which pronoun goes with which noun? Grammar Sorting

1. Students, 2. Computers

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: 1: whom, 2: which
Whom is for people, which is for things.
Put the words in the correct order. Sentence Building

sisters / I / two / have / whom / of / both / doctors / are / ,

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: I have two sisters, both of whom are doctors.
The main clause comes first, then the comma, then the relative clause.

Score: /8

Practice Bank

10 exercises
Complete the sentence. Fill in the Blank

The team has ten members, six of ___ are from Germany.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: whom
Correct the pronoun. Error Correction

He has two houses, neither of who is in the city.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: neither of which is
Put the words in the correct order. Sentence Reorder

many / , / I / apps / of / use / which / I / have / .

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: I have many apps, many of which I use.
Translate into English using a relative clause. Translation

Ich habe zwei Schwestern, von denen beide Lehrerinnen sind.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: I have two sisters, both of whom are teachers.
Which sentence avoids a comma splice? Multiple Choice

Identify the grammatically perfect sentence:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: They have three dogs, all of which are golden retrievers.
Match the quantifier phrase to the noun it describes. Match Pairs

Match correctly:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: all matched
Fill in the blank. Fill in the Blank

The store sells many brands, most of ___ are local.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: which
Fix the comma error. Error Correction

I have five pens none of which work.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: I have five pens, none of which work.
Reorder the sentence segments. Sentence Reorder

none of whom / , / the party / ten people attended / I knew / .

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Ten people attended the party, none of whom I knew.
Translate to English. Translation

Er machte viele Vorschläge, von denen keiner akzeptiert wurde.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: He made many suggestions, none of which were accepted.

Score: /10

FAQ (8)

No. In this specific structure (after a quantifier and 'of'), you can only use `which` for things and `whom` for people.

It is quite formal. In casual speech, most people say `I have three brothers and all of them are...` rather than using `all of whom`.

Yes. These are non-defining relative clauses, which always require a comma to separate the extra information from the main clause.

Absolutely! Any quantifier works: `one`, `two`, `several`, `many`, `a few`, `none`, `all`, etc.

Usually, we use `which` for animals. However, if the animals are pets with names, some people use `whom`, though `which` is always safe.

It depends on the noun. Usually, it takes a plural verb if the group is plural: `None of which are...` but in very formal English, some prefer the singular `is`.

No, the relative clause must follow the noun it describes. You must introduce the group before you can quantify it.

Use `both` specifically for two people. Use `all` for three or more.

Scaffolded Practice

1

1

2

2

3

3

4

4

Mastery Progress

Needs Practice

Improving

Strong

Mastered

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In Other Languages

Spanish high

de los cuales / de quienes

English pronouns (whom/which) do not change for gender or number.

French moderate

dont / desquels

French 'dont' is much more versatile and common than the English quantifier structure.

German moderate

von denen / von welchen

German requires the verb at the very end of the clause.

Japanese low

そのうちの (sono uchi no)

Japanese does not use relative pronouns like 'which' or 'whom'.

Arabic partial

منهم (minhum) / منها (minha)

Arabic uses pronouns attached to prepositions rather than independent relative pronouns.

Chinese low

其中 (qízhōng)

Chinese lacks relative pronouns and uses fixed phrases to show part-whole relationships.

Learning Path

Prerequisites

Previous
Formal Prepositions in Relative Clauses (to whom, for which)

Learn These First

B1 Builds On

Defining Relative Clauses: Identifying People & Things

Overview Defining relative clauses are essential grammatical structures in English that provide crucial, identifying inf...

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