另外一個與 Relative pronoun 相關的規例就是它一定要緊隨著它代表的名詞，譬如：
· I like people who tell the truth.
(中)：我喜歡說實話的人。
who 就是代表 people 的relative pronoun。
· He is the owner of the dog that bit the postman.
(中)：他是那咬那郵差的狗的主人。
that就是代表 dog 的relative pronoun。
· I have told you not to tip the waiter who was lazy and rude.
(中)：我已經叫你不要給那又懶又無禮的侍者貼士。
who就是代表 waiter 的relative pronoun。
不過我們要靈活運用這個relative pronoun 緊隨名詞 的規矩，如：
· The shopkeeper and the customer who had a big quarrel are now shaking hands.
(中)：那曾經吵架的店員和顧客現在握手了。
這裏who 代表的名詞不是 customer 而是 shopkeeper and the customer。但緊隨名詞 的規矩不變。
有一些句子我們可以猜想relative pronoun 緊隨的是那個名詞：
· The shopkeeper and the customer who refused to pay are now shaking hands.
(中)：那店員和曾經不肯付款的顧客現在握手了。
這裏很明顯who 代表的名詞只是 customer 了。我們更可以加多逗號 “ , ” 使這個意思更清晰：
The shopkeeper, and the customer who refused to pay, are now shaking hands.
請小心一些可以產生混淆的句子，如：
· The mother of the bride who took the dress refused to pay.
(中)：那拿了衣服的新娘的母親不肯付款了。
這裏不肯付款的是那母親，但拿了衣服的則可以是新娘或者是母親 (who 代表的名詞可以是bride, 也可以是 mother of the bride)。要是我們想清晰地表明是 mother of the bride, 可以加多逗號 “ , ”：
The mother of the bride, who took the dress, refused to pay.
