Who vs. That: What’s the Difference?

Although we often replace who with that and vice versa, specific usage rules apply to these words. This blog post will help you understand those rules and provide examples for how to use them.

Who vs. That

Who and that are relative pronouns. This means we use them to introduce a dependent clause (also known as a relative clause) that modifies a noun.

In other words, who and that stand in for a noun mentioned earlier in the sentence. They clarify which individual person, animal, object, or concept the relative clause is modifying.

Who or that may appear in both restrictive and nonrestrictive relative clauses:

1. In restrictive relative clauses, the information you provide about the noun is essential to the meaning of the sentence:

The woman who is wearing a hat is my aunt.

In nonrestrictive relative clauses, the additional information does not change the meaning of the sentence. We separate this information from the rest of the sentence with commas:

The woman, who is wearing a hat, happens to be my aunt.

The correct word to use (who or that) will depend on what sort of noun you’re describing (a person or thing).

How and When to Use Who

If you’re using who as a relative pronoun, it will usually describe a person or multiple people only. For example:

I spoke to the woman who is in charge.

Were you the one who called me?

Teachers who don’t assign homework tend to be more popular with students.

The mysterious figure, who hadn’t said a word, disappeared into the mist.

If you’re referring to a person but you use the pronoun that, you’ll need to fix this error when you’re proofreading: 

The artist that painted this piece is very talented. ✘

The artist who painted this piece is very talented. ✔

How and When to Use That

If you’re describing a noun that’s an inanimate object, an animal, or a concept, that is usually the correct pronoun to use:

He picked up a T-shirt that needed washing.

Can you hand me the box that you brought?

Buildings that are prone to damp can cause health issues.

The flashlight that had seen me through many past power outages chose the wrong moment to die.

In most cases, using who would be incorrect when you’re describing a noun that is not a human being:

The bus who was running late had an issue with its engine. ✘

The bus that was running late had an issue with its engine. ✔

Things can get confusing when a sentence mentions people and objects. But as long as you pay attention to which part of the sentence you’re describing, you should be able to work out which pronoun is correct. In the following example, the modifying phrase was late refers to the bus, not the people waiting for it. Therefore, that is the correct relative pronoun:

There were lots of people waiting for the bus that was late.

Exceptions to the Rule

Of course, it’s not always as clear cut as the above rules imply. Below are the two main exceptions to using who for people and that for everything else.

1. Groups of People

One exception to this rule occurs when you’re identifying a noun that’s some kind of group, organization, or team. Even though individual people make up groups, we sometimes treat a group as a nonhuman object. In some cases, then, it would be more appropriate to use that instead of who:

They were part of the team that won the competition.

I work for a company that offers a cycle-to-work scheme.

However, if the sentence refers to the individual people that make up the group, who may be more suitable:

We chose the team members who were most talented.

The company’s accounting staff, who love bikes, introduced a cycle-to-work incentive.

If you come across a sentence such as the ones above and aren’t sure whether it’s correct, you can:

• Check to see if your client’s style guide offers relevant guidance
• Search online or in a dictionary for common usage

If no clear rule is available regarding when to use who or that to refer to a group, just make sure that your client has used these words consistently.

2. Animals

Some style guides, such as the Chicago Manual of Style, recommend using who instead of that when we refer to animals:

I’ll never forget the dog who saved my life.

AP and APA style, on the other hand, suggest that you should use who to refer to animals only if the animal in question has a name:

Misty was an old cat who was well past her hunting days.

Our African gray parrot, who can recite pi to 150 digits, is called Einstein.

If your client is following one of these style guides, make sure they’ve used the appropriate relative pronouns when referring to animals.

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