Confused about when to use that, who, or which? This article explains the difference between that vs who vs which with 100 clear examples, tips for competitive exams, FAQs, and a quick-reference grammar guide. Perfect for students, professionals, and exam aspirants who want to strengthen their English grammar and avoid common mistakes.

Introduction to Difference Between That vs Who vs Which

In English grammar, knowing the difference between that vs who vs which is essential for writing accurate and professional sentences. These three are relative pronouns but serve different functions. Using them correctly improves clarity in communication, which is vital for students, job seekers, and competitive exam candidates. Let’s explore their rules with 100 real examples.

Difference Between That vs Who vs Which: Key Rules & Differences

• Who → Used only for people.
  Example: The teacher who explained the lesson was kind.
• Which → Refers to things, animals, or specific choices.
  Example: The book which you gave me is interesting.
• That → Refers to people, animals, or things in restrictive (essential) clauses.
  Example: The phone that she bought is expensive.

100 Examples of That vs Who vs Which

Examples with “Who” (People only)

1. The girl who sang beautifully won the prize.
2. He is the man who called yesterday.
3. Students who work hard achieve success.
4. The actor who visited our school is famous.
5. The woman who lives next door is kind.
6. The teacher who teaches English is strict.
7. The doctor who treated me is experienced.
8. The boy who is wearing a red shirt is my friend.
9. The singer who performed last night impressed everyone.
10. The leader who inspired us has retired.
11. The student who answered first got full marks.
12. The man who fixed the car is skilled.
13. The girl who helped me is generous.
14. The scientist who discovered this theory is famous.
15. The athlete who won the gold medal is young.
16. The artist who painted this is brilliant.
17. The worker who built this house is efficient.
18. The boy who borrowed my book returned it.
19. The teacher who encouraged me changed my life.
20. The friend who stood by me is trustworthy.
21. The student who reads daily improves fast.
22. The man who called you is waiting.
23. The child who was crying is now happy.
24. The writer who wrote this novel is popular.
25. The person who solved the puzzle is intelligent.

Examples with “Which” (Things, animals, or choices)

26. The car which I bought is red.
27. This is the book which I liked most.
28. The pen which was lost is found.
29. The dog which barked loudly ran away.
30. The road which leads to the temple is closed.
31. The movie which we watched was entertaining.
32. The chair which is broken needs repair.
33. The painting which hangs here is beautiful.
34. The shirt which I ordered is too big.
35. The phone which rings loudly is mine.
36. The game which we played was fun.
37. The laptop which I use is fast.
38. The gift which she gave me is precious.
39. The house which stands on the hill is old.
40. The book which you recommended is useful.
41. The computer which crashed has been fixed.
42. The festival which we celebrated was joyful.
43. The train which leaves at 6 is late.
44. The email which I sent bounced back.
45. The pen which writes smoothly is expensive.
46. The animal which attacked the farmer was a bull.
47. The building which collapsed was old.
48. The dress which she wore was elegant.
49. The shoes which I bought are comfortable.
50. The food which we ordered arrived late.

Examples with “That” (People, animals, or things in restrictive clauses)

51. The car that broke down was new.
52. The teacher that taught me was kind.
53. The house that we rented is spacious.
54. The phone that she uses is costly.
55. The dog that barked scared the children.
56. The book that you gave me is helpful.
57. The team that won the match was strong.
58. The company that hired him is big.
59. The shop that sells sweets is nearby.
60. The train that left early was delayed.
61. The student that topped the class is brilliant.
62. The movie that I watched yesterday was boring.
63. The flowers that bloom here are beautiful.
64. The boy that I met yesterday is friendly.
65. The teacher that encouraged me changed my life.
66. The laptop that I bought works well.
67. The bike that he rides is new.
68. The exam that I prepared for was tough.
69. The story that he told was inspiring.
70. The cat that sleeps here is white.
71. The project that we completed won an award.
72. The chair that is broken needs fixing.
73. The person that called you is waiting.
74. The prize that she won was huge.
75. The book that is on the table is mine.

Mixed Examples (That, Who, Which Together)

76. The boy who is reading is my brother.
77. The phone that I lost has been found.
78. The pen which you gave me is blue.
79. The teacher who teaches science is strict.
80. The dress that I liked was sold out.
81. The girl who is smiling is my cousin.
82. The story which I told you is true.
83. The man that spoke yesterday is a leader.
84. The car which he drives is very fast.
85. The student who topped the exam is hard-working.
86. The house that I wanted to buy is expensive.
87. The friend who supported me is loyal.
88. The dog which was barking ran away.
89. The prize that we won is valuable.
90. The boy who helped me is kind.
91. The book that I need is not available.
92. The actor who played the role is famous.
93. The laptop which stopped working is new.
94. The person that called you was polite.
95. The teacher who guided me is retiring.
96. The road that leads here is narrow.
97. The pen which I bought is costly.
98. The child who was crying is now laughing.
99. The player that scored the goal is talented.
100. The festival which we celebrated was wonderful.

Tips for Students & Competitive Exams

• Always use who for people.
• Use which for animals, objects, or when giving options.
• Use that in restrictive (essential) clauses without commas.
• In exams, check if the clause is essential (that) or additional information (which).
• Practice sentence correction with these rules to save time in competitive exams.

Conclusion on Difference Between That vs Who vs Which

The difference between that vs who vs which is simple: who refers to people, which to things or animals, and that is used in essential clauses for both people and things. Mastering these rules ensures accuracy in communication and helps in exams, interviews, and professional writing.

FAQs on Difference Between That vs Who vs Which

Q1: Can “that” replace “who”?
Yes, in restrictive clauses, that can replace who. Example: The man that spoke to me is a teacher.

Q2: Do we use “which” only for animals and objects?
Mostly yes, but which can also show choice. Example: Which color do you prefer?

Q3: Is a comma needed before “which”?
Yes, in non-restrictive clauses. Example: The pen, which is red, is mine.

Disclaimer on Difference Between That vs Who vs Which

This content is for educational purposes. Grammar rules may differ slightly across style guides, but the general rules explained here are accepted in standard English.

Also Read: Use of Determiners Each Every Both Either Neither – Explained with 100 Examples

How to Use There, Their, They’re Correctly: A Complete Guide

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