When to use ‘that’ or ‘who’

First, let’s establish what makes them similar: Both “who” and “that” are relative pronouns. Relative pronouns refer to a person or thing previously mentioned in a sentence, and they establish exactly which noun the rest of the sentence describes. Be thankful for these little time savers. Without relative pronouns, sentences grow long-winded and confusing. Other common relative pronouns include “whom,” “whose,” “which,” “why,” “when,” and “where.”

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When to use “that” vs. “who”

“Who” should always refer to a person or group of people, and it can sometimes refer to specific animals (such as pets). “That” should refer to objects or species of animals (such as cars or horses). “That” may also refer to a class or type of person.

Examples of how to use “who”

These examples show you how to use “who” correctly in a sentence:

• Her sister, who went to Stanford, just got a job.

Since “sister” refers to a person, use “who”. If you write, “Her sister that went to Stanford just got a job,” that would be incorrect.

• Her cat Angel, who is a Persian, has a beautiful white coat.

“Angel” is the name of a particular animal, so use “who” as well.

• The doctors who treated my father were on TV.

“The doctors” refers to a group of people, “who” is the correct relative pronoun.

Examples of how to use “that”

These examples show you how to use “that” correctly in a sentence:

• The restaurant that catered our dinner had terrible food.

Since “restaurant” is a thing, use “that” instead of “who.”

• The job that she is starting pays better than her last one.

Similarly, since “job” is a thing, use “that” instead of “who.”

• The elephants that live in that region are going extinct.

Since “elephants” are a type of animal and not the name of a particular one, use “that”. Now if the sentence described a particular elephant named “Daisy”, you would use “who” instead.

Take the quiz!

Now that you know the difference between “who” and “that,” can you guess which word should be used in the following sentences?

• Anne is a singer _____ is from El Salvador.

The answer is “who” because the word refers to a person.

• His car, _____ is from the 90s, had to be sold for scrap metal.

The answer is “that” because the word refers to a car, which is an inanimate object.

• The employee _____ sells the most shoes will get a bonus.

The answer is “who” because the word refers to a person.

Knowing when to use “that” or “who” in a sentence will improve the quality and clarity of your writing. Now that you know when to use “that” versus “who” in a sentence, you can set forth and write with confidence, while avoiding the most common grammatical pitfalls.