Relative pronouns who, which and that.

We use who when referring to people. We use which or that when referring to things or animals.

• The girl came from India. She was welcomed into the school.
• The girl who came from India was welcomed into the school.
• The dress was bought last week. The dress has shrunk.
• The dress which was bought last week has shrunk.

Note that we can use that in place of whom when referring to people.

• The man whom the police were looking for is dead. (OR The man that the police were looking for is dead.)

Other examples are given below.

• Alice is a clever girl. She has been chosen for the quiz.
• Alice, who is a clever girl, has been chosen for the quiz.
• The beaver is a hard-working animal. It is a native of Canada.
• The beaver, which is a hard-working animal, is a native of Canada.
• Peter won the tournament. He plays everyday.
• Peter, who plays everyday, won the tournament.
• The jet was grounded. It had engine trouble.
• The jet, which was grounded, had engine trouble. OR The jet that was grounded had engine trouble.

Sections in this article

See also

Relative pronouns
Relative clauses
Adverb clauses
Adjective clauses
Noun clauses