Antecedents – When the “thing” is known

All the relative pronouns we’ve covered until now (que, qui, dont, prep + lequel) represent something in a sentence that is already known, because it’s been mentioned before that point.

• Une thématique qui peut être difficile, c’est les pronoms relatifs.

The qui in this example represents une thématique.

• Le livre dont je parle est plein de suspense.

Equally, le livre is represented by dont.

In grammar speak, we say that when the pronom relatif represents something that is known (une thématique before qui, le livre before dont) that something is the antecedant. (antécédent en français)