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Unsure if I should use 'who', 'that', or 'which' in these sentences about my classmates

Asked bySam SentencePosted Mar 21, 2026 11:18 AM3 answers26 upvotesCanonical URL

I'm writing an introduction about my classmates, but I'm getting confused about when to use 'who', 'that', or 'which.' For example, should I say 'The student who won the competition' or 'The student that won the competition'? And with objects: is it 'The book that I borrowed' or 'The book which I borrowed'? I'm also seeing people use them differently in articles and stories.

I'd like to make my writing sound more natural, so I want to understand the difference and which is correct in these situations. Can someone explain when to use 'who', 'that', or 'which' in sentences like these?

Context:
I'm preparing for an academic English exam and want to write clearly.

#relative-clauses

What to Know

What to KnowWhy It MattersExampleQuick Check
To decide between 'who', 'that', and 'which', use these patterns:.Correct: The student who won the competition is my friend.He used "'who'" naturally during the team meeting.Does "'who'" match my intended meaning and tone here?
Avoid "'who'" in literal contexts or when the intended meaning is unclear.(less formal, not preferred in formal writing for people).In literal situations, use direct wording instead of the idiom.Would this idiom sound natural to a native speaker in this exact context?

3 Answers

ByCoach LeeMar 21, 2026 11:38 AM9 upvotesAccepted answer

To decide between 'who', 'that', and 'which', use these patterns:

  1. Use 'who' for people.
    • Correct: The student who won the competition is my friend.
    • Incorrect: The student which won the competition...
  2. Use 'that' for things, groups, and sometimes people.
    • Examples:
      • The book that I borrowed was interesting. (thing)
      • The team that played yesterday won. (group)
      • The student that sits next to me is helpful. (less formal, not preferred in formal writing for people)
  3. Use 'which' for things only, usually in non-restrictive clauses (extra information with commas), or sometimes in restrictive clauses (especially in British English).
    • The book, which has a red cover, is on the desk.
    • The movie which we watched was exciting. (More common in British English—'that' is often preferred in American English)

Practice:
Look at your sentences. If you’re talking about a person, choose 'who.' If it’s a thing or animal, choose 'that' or 'which' depending on whether the clause is restrictive or non-restrictive. Try rewriting these:

  • A friend ___ helps me study.
  • The computer ___ I use is new.

Self-check:
Ask: Is this a person? Use 'who.' Is it a thing? Use 'that' or 'which,' thinking about the clause’s importance.

Feedback Tip:
When editing, highlight your relative pronouns. Replace 'which' with 'who' for people and check if the information is necessary ('that') or extra ('which').

ByClaire CopydeskMar 21, 2026 12:18 PM9 upvotes

Let's identify and correct typical mistakes to help you understand the difference:

Incorrect: The friend which shares notes is helpful.
Correct: The friend who shares notes is helpful. ('who' for people)

Incorrect: The club who organizes events is popular.
Correct: The club that organizes events is popular. ('that' for groups/things)

Incorrect: The laptop who I bought is fast.
Correct: The laptop that I bought is fast. ('that' for things)

Incorrect: The assignment, that was late, was not accepted.
Correct: The assignment, which was late, was not accepted. ('which' for extra/non-essential information)

Practice:
Take five sentences from your draft. Circle each 'who', 'that', or 'which'. Ask:

  • Am I talking about a person? If yes, use 'who.'
  • Is this extra information? If yes, use 'which' with a comma.
  • Is it a thing or a group? If yes, use 'that.'

Self-Editing Strategy:
When you find sentences using the wrong pronoun, rewrite them using the correct choice based on these checks.

ByMaya ModeratorMar 21, 2026 11:58 AM8 upvotes

Choosing between 'who', 'that', and 'which' depends mainly on what you're describing. See the table below:

Pronoun Use for... Example who People Classmates who study hard get good grades. that Things/people The project that won first place was mine. which Things The essay, which I spent hours on, scored well.

Direct Comparison:

  • The teacher who helped me is kind. (person)
  • The solution that works best is simple. (thing/concept)
  • The phone which I lost was new. (object; for restrictive clauses, 'that' is sometimes preferred, especially in American English)

Practice Tip:
Write three sentences—one each using 'who', 'that', and 'which.' Then switch the pronoun and see if the meaning stays the same or sounds wrong.

Feedback for Self-Editing:
After writing, check: For people, did I use 'who'? For things, did I correctly pick between 'that' and 'which'?

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