Issue — May 2026

Relative Clauses: who, which, that

B1 Grammar 52 sentences

Relative Clauses: who, which, that 0 / 52

Speed

Join two short ideas into one smooth sentence using the right relative pronoun.

Explanation

A relative clause is a small part of a sentence that gives more information about a person, thing, or idea. It is connected to the main sentence with a relative pronoun: who, which, or that.

Use who for people:
The woman who lives next door is a doctor.

Use which for things and animals:
I lost the bag which my grandmother gave me.

Use that for people or things in defining clauses (clauses that identify exactly which person or thing you mean):
It's the book that everyone is talking about.

The relative pronoun takes the place of a normal subject or object, so the second short sentence does not need its own subject.

Examples

I met a man. He speaks five languages. → I met a man who speaks five languages.
We rented a small flat. The flat has a garden. → We rented a small flat that has a garden.
The phone is on the table. I bought it yesterday. → The phone which I bought yesterday is on the table.
My sister is a pilot. She flies to Tokyo every month. → My sister, who flies to Tokyo every month, is a pilot.
Do you know the restaurant? We had dinner there last Friday. → Do you know the restaurant that we had dinner at last Friday?

Relative Clauses: who, which, that — image 2

Common mistakes

Using "what" instead of a relative pronoun. ❌ The movie what we saw was great. ✅ The movie that we saw was great.
Leaving the relative pronoun out of the object position (this is possible in spoken English, but in writing keep it in). ❌ The book I read it was boring. ✅ The book that I read was boring.
Using "who" for things. ❌ A car who is fast. ✅ A car which is fast.
Adding an extra subject after the relative pronoun. ❌ The teacher who she helps us. ✅ The teacher who helps us.
Using "that" after a comma (non-defining clause). ❌ My brother, that lives in Berlin, is 25. ✅ My brother, who lives in Berlin, is 25.

In real life

A short dialog between two friends, Anna and Leo, planning a trip.

Anna: Have you seen the photos that I posted last night?

Leo: Yes! The beach which you visited looks amazing. Is it the same one that your sister recommended?

Anna: Exactly. And the guide who took the pictures is a local artist.

Leo: I want to meet him. Is he the person that works at the small café near the harbour?

Anna: Yes, that's him. Let's go next weekend!

Quiz

0/5

1Which relative pronoun is used for people?

According to the article, 'who' is the relative pronoun used for people.
2Which sentence is correct?

We use 'which' (or 'that') for things, not 'who' or 'what', as explained in the Common mistakes section.
3Complete the sentence: The book ____ I bought yesterday is on the table.

The article shows the example 'The phone which I bought yesterday is on the table', using 'which' for a thing.
4In a non-defining clause (with commas), which pronoun is correct for people?

The article states that after a comma we use 'who' for people, not 'that'.
5Which sentence has an extra subject mistake?

The article warns against adding an extra subject after the relative pronoun, as in 'who she helps'.

Must Know 8

antecedent Noun Something that existed or happened before another thing, especially something that logically or causally precedes or influences it.
defining clause Noun A clause that provides essential information about a noun, introduced by a relative pronoun such as 'who,' 'which,' or 'that,' which cannot be removed without changing the meaning of the sentence.
non-defining clause Noun A non-defining clause (also called non-restrictive relative clause) is a type of relative clause that adds extra information about a noun but does not restrict or define it. The information in this clause is non-essential; the sentence would still make sense without it. It is usually separated by commas.
relative clause Noun A clause that modifies a noun in a sentence, usually introduced by a relative pronoun like 'who', 'which', or 'that'.
relative pronoun Noun A pronoun that connects a relative clause to a noun or pronoun, such as 'who', 'which', 'that', or 'whose'.
that Pronoun A demonstrative word used to refer to a person, thing, or idea that is farther away from the speaker, or to introduce a clause.
which Pronoun Used in questions to ask about a choice or to identify one or more items from a known set. It can also introduce relative clauses that give extra information about a noun.
who Pronoun Used in questions to ask about the identity of a person or people.