Mastering English grammar requires knowing when to use that, who, and which. This article explains the difference between that vs who vs which, gives 100 examples, practical exam tips, FAQs, and a quick guide for students and professionals to avoid common mistakes.

Introduction to Difference Between That vs Who vs Which

Many learners face confusion about the difference between that vs who vs which in English grammar. These words are relative pronouns, but their use depends on whether we refer to people, animals, or things. Learning the correct usage is essential for students, professionals, and candidates preparing for competitive exams.

Rules and Usage

• Who – Used only for people.
  Example: She is the teacher who explained the topic.
• Which – Used for things and animals (not humans).
  Example: The car which I bought is fast.
• That – Used for both people and things, especially in defining clauses.
  Example: The boy that won the prize is my friend.

100 Examples of Difference Between That vs Who vs Which

33 Examples with Who (for people)

1. She is the teacher who guided me.
2. He is the man who solved the puzzle.
3. The girl who sang beautifully won the prize.
4. They are the doctors who treated the patients.
5. The student who answered first is intelligent.
6. The actor who played the role is famous.
7. This is the boy who helped me.
8. The leader who inspired the team is respected.
9. The lady who called you is my aunt.
10. The driver who drove carefully saved many lives.
11. The child who smiled at me is my cousin.
12. The artist who painted this picture is talented.
13. He is the person who told me the truth.
14. The scientist who invented this device is brilliant.
15. The soldier who fought bravely was honored.
16. The girl who wears a red dress is my friend.
17. The singer who won the award is very popular.
18. The officer who solved the case was promoted.
19. The man who owns this house is rich.
20. The woman who lives next door is kind.
21. The boy who lost his pen is sad.
22. The girl who danced on stage is confident.
23. The worker who repaired the machine did a good job.
24. The friend who called me lives abroad.
25. The student who studies well always scores high.
26. The child who cried yesterday is fine now.
27. The teacher who teaches English is strict.
28. The boy who plays cricket is talented.
29. The girl who reads daily is very smart.
30. The person who told me the news was correct.
31. The policeman who caught the thief was brave.
32. The student who topped the class worked hard.
33. The leader who won the election gave a speech.

33 Examples with Which (for things/animals)

34. This is the book which I borrowed.
35. The car which was stolen has been found.
36. The pen which you gave me is blue.
37. The train which was late finally arrived.
38. The dog which barked loudly is mine.
39. The film which I watched was amazing.
40. The computer which is on the table is new.
41. The bag which you bought is expensive.
42. The chair which is broken needs repair.
43. The bike which I sold was old.
44. The road which leads to the village is long.
45. The house which we visited was big.
46. The song which I heard is melodious.
47. The mobile which fell down is damaged.
48. The watch which he wears is costly.
49. The cat which climbed the tree is mine.
50. The shirt which I ironed is neat.
51. The school which was built last year looks modern.
52. The city which I visited was beautiful.
53. The shop which sells books is near my home.
54. The toy which broke yesterday was expensive.
55. The building which collapsed was very old.
56. The TV which is on the wall is new.
57. The camera which you used is professional.
58. The movie which I saw yesterday was long.
59. The bird which flew away was colorful.
60. The table which is made of wood is heavy.
61. The bus which left early reached on time.
62. The phone which you gifted me works well.
63. The painting which I bought is rare.
64. The computer which crashed has been repaired.
65. The forest which we entered was dark.
66. The ship which sank was very old.

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34 Examples with That (for people/things)

67. The boy that plays football is my friend.
68. The car that I bought is red.
69. The house that we visited is old.
70. The teacher that teaches science is strict.
71. The student that answered first is clever.
72. The book that you gave me is interesting.
73. The mobile that I lost was expensive.
74. The man that spoke to you is my uncle.
75. The girl that lives here is kind.
76. The dog that barked loudly is ours.
77. The train that arrived late was crowded.
78. The pen that fell down is broken.
79. The dress that she wore was pretty.
80. The film that we watched was boring.
81. The teacher that punished me was fair.
82. The student that got the prize is happy.
83. The man that I met yesterday is rich.
84. The story that you told was interesting.
85. The laptop that I bought is fast.
86. The boy that sings well is popular.
87. The car that stopped suddenly caused traffic.
88. The computer that is new works perfectly.
89. The school that was closed reopened today.
90. The bag that you saw belongs to me.
91. The phone that I use is old.
92. The girl that danced on stage is confident.
93. The leader that won the election is respected.
94. The river that flows here is polluted.
95. The bird that chirps loudly is near.
96. The officer that solved the case is brave.
97. The machine that works slowly needs repair.
98. The bus that I boarded was late.
99. The child that cried yesterday is fine today.
100. The boy that borrowed my pen returned it.

Tips for Students and Exam Candidates

• Who = always for people.
• Which = for animals and things, never for people.
• That = can be used for both people and things.
• Avoid using that after a comma; use which instead.
• In competitive exams, choose who when referring to a person, which for non-living things, and that when both are acceptable.

FAQs on Difference Between That vs Who vs Which

Q1. Can I use “that” instead of “who”?
Yes. Example: The student that came late was punished.

Q2. Which is better: “the book that” or “the book which”?
Both are correct. That is used in essential clauses, which in non-essential clauses.

Q3. Is “who” only used for humans?
Yes. “Who” always refers to people, not objects or animals.

Conclusion on Difference Between That vs Who vs Which

The difference between that vs who vs which is simple once you know the rules. Who is for people, which is for things/animals, and that can be used for both. Practicing the 100 examples and following grammar tips will help students and exam aspirants avoid confusion and write correctly.

Disclaimer on Difference Between That vs Who vs Which

This article is for educational purposes only. Grammar usage may differ slightly between British and American English. Students should follow exam-specific guidelines for accuracy.

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