Micro-listening
Who, which, or that: how to choose
The short answer
Relative pronouns link a descriptive clause directly to a noun. In essential clauses, the information tells the listener exactly which person or thing you mean, creating a specific identity with no commas. In non-essential clauses, the noun is already clear to the listener, and the clause adds a separated detail between commas. That distinction controls both punctuation and pronoun choice.
Key points
- Before writing or speaking, find the noun being described.
- Pick who for people and which for things when the clause sits between commas.
- When the clause defines the noun without commas, use that or who.
This lesson has 5 stages. You can stop at any time and continue later.
Stage 1 of 5
Understand
What it means, when to use it, and mistakes to avoid.
Examples
The technician who repaired our printer left an extra cable.
Why it works: Who refers to technician, a person. The clause defines which technician came, so it uses no commas.
3 more examples
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Our office van, which carries ten passengers, needs an oil change.
Which refers to van, an object. The vehicle is already known, so the clause adds extra information between commas.
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The training session that Elena organized started ten minutes late.
That identifies the specific training session. Because Elena is the subject of organized, that could also be omitted.
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The architect who designed our lobby sent the revised floor plans.
Who is the subject of designed, so it cannot be omitted from the identifying clause.
Read the full guide
Identify whether the noun is a person or a thing
Every relative pronoun points back to a specific noun in your sentence. Before you decide which word to write, look immediately before the blank or clause. If the noun names a human being, your primary choices are who and that. If the noun names an object, an animal, an organization, or an abstract concept, your choices are which and that. Sorting people from things is your first step.
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The instructor who led the workshop shared her presentation slides.
Why it works: Instructor is a person, which makes who the natural choice.
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The software which tracks our inventory received an update yesterday.
Why it works: Software is a tool, not a person, so who is impossible here.
Your turn
Choose the correct pronoun: The nurse ___ gave me the vaccination was very gentle.
Answer: who
Show the answer
Answer: who
Nurse is a person, so use who to introduce the relative clause.
Decide if the clause is essential or extra
An essential clause tells the listener exactly which person or thing you mean. If you remove an essential clause, the sentence loses its core meaning or sounds incomplete. An extra clause gives bonus background about a noun that is already clearly identified. In writing, you place commas around extra clauses. In speaking, you pause slightly before and after them. Commas change which pronouns you can use.
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The bus that goes to the airport leaves from bay four.
Why it works: Without the clause, the listener cannot know which bus you are discussing.
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Bus route twelve, which goes to the airport, leaves from bay four.
Why it works: Route twelve already identifies the bus, so the destination is extra information between commas.
You can practise this again in Who or Which: Choose the Right Pronoun and Each or Every: Which Word to Choose.
Your turn
Why does this sentence use commas: My eldest brother, who lives in Boston, is visiting this weekend?
Answer: The person is already identified, so the clause is extra information.
Show the answer
Answer: The person is already identified, so the clause is extra information.
My eldest brother already names a specific person, so the location clause simply adds non-essential detail between commas.
Use who for people in both clause types
Who is the most reliable pronoun when describing people. You can use who in essential clauses without commas when you need to specify an individual out of a group. You also use who in extra clauses with commas when talking about named colleagues, relatives, or specific individuals. Do not use which for a person, even in informal speech, because native listeners consider that a clear grammar mistake.
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The security officer who checked our badges unlocked the side gate.
Why it works: Who identifies the specific security officer in an essential clause.
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Marcus, who joined our team last month, manages client accounts.
Why it works: Marcus is named, so who introduces extra information inside commas.
Your turn
Complete the sentence: Dr. Chen, ___ specializes in sports medicine, examined my ankle.
Answer: who
Show the answer
Answer: who
Dr. Chen is a named person, and the clause adds extra detail after a comma, requiring who.
Use which for extra information about things
When you add extra details about a thing, place, or concept, use which immediately after a comma. The noun before the comma should already be familiar or clearly identified by a name, possessive word, or previous sentence. Never use that after a comma in this kind of clause. In spoken English, drop your vocal pitch slightly during the which clause to show that the information is secondary.
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Our main conference room, which holds fifty people, has video equipment.
Why it works: Main conference room names a specific room, so which introduces extra information.
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His laptop, which fell off the desk, still works normally.
Why it works: His laptop identifies the object, so the accident detail sits between commas with which.
Your turn
Which option correctly completes the sentence: The company cafeteria, ___ opens at seven, serves hot breakfast?
Answer: which
Show the answer
Answer: which
Cafeteria is a place and the clause follows a comma as extra information, so which is correct.
Use that for essential information without commas
In everyday English, that is the most common pronoun for essential clauses describing things. It points directly to the noun and tells the listener which item you mean. You write that without commas because the clause is necessary to understand the subject. While British English often accepts which in essential clauses, American English strongly favors that. In both varieties, that never follows a comma in relative clauses.
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The package that arrived by courier belongs to the finance department.
Why it works: That identifies the exact package without commas.
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Please bring the folder that has the blue label on the cover.
Why it works: The clause specifies which folder you need out of several possibilities.
Your turn
Identify the sentence that follows standard American punctuation and pronoun rules:
Answer: The car that was parked near the fire hydrant received a ticket.
Show the answer
Answer: The car that was parked near the fire hydrant received a ticket.
The clause defines which car received a ticket, so it must not have commas, and that is appropriate for a vehicle.
Learn when that can refer to people
In casual conversation, native speakers frequently use that to describe people in essential clauses. You will hear sentences like the man that called or the woman that runs the bakery every day. However, professional and academic writing prefers who when referring to people. If you are preparing a business email, a resume, or a formal report, choose who. Never use that for people in clauses separated by commas.
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The cashier that served us was patient and helpful.
Why it works: That is acceptable in informal conversation for an essential clause about a person.
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The candidate who possesses strong communication skills will get the job.
Why it works: Who sounds polished and professional in formal or professional contexts.
Your turn
Which sentence is best suited for a formal job application letter?
Answer: I am an engineer who solves network connectivity problems.
Show the answer
Answer: I am an engineer who solves network connectivity problems.
For people in formal contexts, who is the standard and professional choice.
Know when you can leave out the pronoun
You can omit that, which, or who only when the pronoun functions as an object in an essential clause. Look inside the relative clause: if a new subject noun or pronoun immediately follows, the relative pronoun is an object and can disappear. If the relative pronoun is immediately followed by a verb, it is the subject of that clause, and you must keep it.
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The memo that we received outlined the vacation policy.
Why it works: We is the subject of received, so you can also say 'The memo we received'.
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The memo that explained the vacation policy was three pages long.
Why it works: That is the subject of explained, so you cannot remove it.
Your turn
In which sentence can the relative pronoun be safely omitted?
Answer: The client that our director met yesterday signed the agreement.
Show the answer
Answer: The client that our director met yesterday signed the agreement.
Our director is the subject of met, making that an object pronoun that can be omitted.
Spot common mistakes with commas and pronouns
Two common mistakes cause confusion for intermediate learners. The first mistake is using that after a comma. If you see a comma before the relative pronoun, write which for things or who for people. The second mistake is adding an unnecessary object pronoun at the end of the clause. Because the relative pronoun already represents the noun, do not repeat it with words like it or him.
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The printer, which we bought in January, broke down yesterday.
Why it works: Notice which after the comma. Writing that here is incorrect.
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The report that I wrote last week is on your desk.
Why it works: Do not say 'The report that I wrote it'. That already represents the report.
Your turn
Find the sentence that contains a grammatical error:
Answer: The sweater, that my aunt knitted, shrank in the wash.
Show the answer
Answer: The sweater, that my aunt knitted, shrank in the wash.
That cannot be used in a non-essential relative clause after a comma. Use which instead.
Questions about "Who, which, or that: how to choose"
Is it grammatically correct to use that when talking about people?
Yes, in informal everyday English, native speakers often use that for people in essential clauses. For instance, 'the doctor that treated me' is natural in spoken conversation. However, in formal letters, essays, and professional settings, who is standard and preferred. Never use that for people in clauses separated by commas.
The nurse that helped me was very kind.
The surgeon who performed the operation discussed the recovery process.
Can I ever use that after a comma in a relative clause?
No, you must never use that immediately after a comma in a non-essential relative clause. When a clause adds extra, non-essential information separated by commas, you must use who for people and which for things. That only belongs in essential clauses without commas.
My laptop, which I bought last summer, has a fast processor.
The laptop that sits on my desk belongs to the company.
How do I know when I can leave out who, which, or that?
You can omit the pronoun only in essential clauses when the pronoun is the object of the verb. If another subject noun or pronoun comes right after the relative pronoun, you can safely remove it. If the relative pronoun is immediately followed by a verb, it is the subject, so you must keep it.
The documentary we watched explained climate change.
The documentary that won the award explained climate change.
Do British and American English treat which and that differently?
Yes, there is a regional style difference. American English strictly uses that for essential clauses without commas and reserves which for non-essential clauses with commas. British English frequently uses which in both types of clauses. However, both varieties agree that that cannot appear after a comma in extra information clauses.
The proposal that won approval outlined three clear phases.
The final proposal, which won broad approval, outlined three clear phases.
Before you go
Remember this
Before writing or speaking, find the noun being described. Pick who for people and which for things when the clause sits between commas. When the clause defines the noun without commas, use that or who. Check if another noun or pronoun acts as the subject inside the clause; if it does, you can drop the relative pronoun in informal conversation.
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