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Relative Pronouns

Relative pronouns (who, whom, which, that) link a group of words--an adjective clause--to an independent clause. Like the relatives that visit for too long, eating you out of house and home, a relative clause cannot stand on its own even though it has its own subject and verb. If a sentence is not punctuated as a question, but, nevertheless, begins with a relative pronoun, watch out. You may have a fragment there. Pesky relatives.

This year's Miss America Pageant featured an interesting group of competitors. Who used the new bikini rules to show off tattoos and belly-button rings.

[Correction: ... competitors, who ... .]