antecedent

antecedent (korrelat): term used in connection with relative pronouns and relative clauses. The antecedent of a relative pronoun or a relative clause is the noun phrase that the pronoun or the clause refers back to. In the following examples the antecedent of the relative clause is underlined: This is a book that I recommend. Our new English teacher, who did not know the building, had trouble finding the auditorium.