Who, Which, or That? Relative Pronoun Exercises and Answer Key

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Relative pronouns such as who, which, and that are used to connect clauses and provide additional information about a noun, helping to clarify or specify the meaning. These pronouns introduce relative clauses that link two sentences or give more details about a person, thing, or place[1].

Understanding Relative Pronouns: Who, Which, That

A relative pronoun is a word that introduces a relative clause and relates it to the noun it modifies. The clause introduced by a relative pronoun can either define or add extra information about that noun.

We use who when referring to people. For example, “He met the police officer who saved his life”[2][3].

The pronoun which is used for things and animals, as in “He put on the suit which he wore for special occasions”[2][3].

The pronoun that can be used in defining relative clauses to refer to both people and things, joining two sentences closely without commas. For example:

  • “I bought a new car. It is very fast.”
  • Combined: “I bought a new car that is very fast.”[1]

Relative clauses fall into two types:

  • Defining relative clauses specify which person, thing, or place is meant and are essential to the sentence’s meaning. For example, “I like the woman who lives next door.” Without the relative clause, the meaning is unclear[2][1][3].
  • Non-defining relative clauses add extra information not essential to understand the sentence and are usually set off by commas, for example, “I live in London, which has some fantastic parks.” Everyone already knows where London is, so this is additional information[1].

Exercises for Identifying and Using Relative Pronouns

Use these exercises to practise who, which, and that. The first two keys list every answer allowed by the displayed choices; Exercise 3 provides one clear sample rewrite for each pair.

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Exercise 1: Fill in “Who” or “Which”

Complete the sentences by filling in the blanks with who or which:

  1. The nurse _____ called this morning left a message.
  2. The parcel _____ arrived today was damaged.
  3. We thanked the neighbour _____ found our keys.
  4. The lamp _____ stands by the sofa needs a new bulb.
  5. The students _____ finished early checked their work.
  6. The bicycle _____ has the red basket belongs to Mina.
  7. The chef _____ prepared the soup shared the recipe.
  8. The path _____ leads to the lake is closed.

Answer Key:

  1. who
  2. which
  3. who
  4. which
  5. who
  6. which
  7. who
  8. which

Exercise 2: Choose “Who”, “Which”, or “That”

Select the correct relative pronoun to complete each sentence:

  1. The editor (who/which) approved the article called me.
  2. The cat (that/which) we saw in the park has green eyes.
  3. The keys (who/that) were on the desk have disappeared.
  4. My aunt, (which/who) lives in Cardiff, is visiting.
  5. The film (who/that) won the award was made locally.
  6. Leo is the runner (who/which) broke the record.

Answer Key:

  1. who
  2. that or which; both introduce this defining clause
  3. that
  4. who
  5. that
  6. who

Exercise 3: Combine the Sentences Using Relative Pronouns

Rewrite the pairs of sentences by combining them with who, which, or that:

  1. The volunteers live next door. They organised the event.
  2. My cousin is 22. She comes from York.
  3. Our house is quite old. It has three bedrooms.
  4. A waiter is someone. A waiter serves customers in a restaurant.
  5. You met a photographer at the exhibition. The photographer was Susan.

Sample Answer Key:

  1. The volunteers who live next door organised the event.
  2. My cousin, who is 22, comes from York.
  3. Our house, which has three bedrooms, is quite old.
  4. A waiter is someone who serves customers in a restaurant.
  5. The photographer who you met at the exhibition was Susan. (Whom is also correct in formal English because the pronoun is the object of met.)

Differences Between “That” and “Which”

While that and which can both introduce relative clauses referring to things, the key difference lies in whether the clause is defining or non-defining:

  • That is generally used for defining relative clauses without commas. It is essential to identifying the noun it modifies. Example: “The book that has a red cover is mine.”
  • Which is more commonly used in non-defining relative clauses, which add extra information and are separated by commas. Example: “The book, which has a red cover, is mine.”
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In defining clauses, that and which can both be correct. Restrictive which is common in British English and also occurs in edited American English. Some American style guides prefer that for defining clauses and reserve which for non-defining clauses; that is a style convention, not a universal grammar rule. In non-defining clauses set off by commas, use which, not that.

When to Omit the Relative Pronoun

In defining clauses where the relative pronoun is the object of the verb, it can sometimes be omitted without changing meaning:

  • “The book that I bought is interesting.” → “The book I bought is interesting.”

However, the relative pronoun cannot be omitted when it is the subject of the clause:

  • Correct: “The person who called you is here.”
  • Changing “The person who called you is here” to “The person called you is here” does not preserve the meaning. The second sentence is grammatical, but it means that the person telephoned you rather than identifying the caller.

Using “Who” vs. “Whom”

Who is used as the subject of a relative clause. As an object, who is standard in ordinary modern English; whom is a formal alternative and is especially common immediately after a fronted preposition. Understanding the distinction helps explain pronoun roles:

  • Subject: “The teacher who teaches math is kind.”
  • Object: “The student whom the teacher praised was happy.” (Here, “whom” refers to the object of the verb “praised”)

Practical Tips for Choosing the Correct Relative Pronoun

  • Use who when the antecedent is a person or people.
  • Use which for animals (non-human) and things, especially in non-defining clauses.
  • Use that for people, animals, or things in defining clauses.
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Worked Examples

  1. Defining clause with people:
  • “The artist who painted this is famous.”
  • “The artist that painted this is famous.” Both are acceptable; “who” is more common and emphasizes personhood.
  1. Non-defining clause with things:
  • “My car, which is ten years old, still runs well.” “Which” introduces additional, non-essential information. Do not use “that” here.
  1. Relative pronoun omitted:
  • “The book (that) I read was thrilling.” “That” is the object and can be omitted.

Edge Cases and Exceptions

  • When referring to animals as pets or personalized creatures, who can sometimes be used (e.g., “The dog who saved the child was brave”) to personify.
  • After prepositions, relative pronouns can change form:
    • “The friend to whom I was speaking is on holiday.” (formal)
    • In ordinary speech, “The friend I was speaking to is on holiday.”

Summary Chart

Antecedent TypeDefining ClauseNon-defining ClauseRelative Pronoun Examples
Peopleyesyeswho, that (defining); who (non-defining)
Things/Animalsyesyesthat, which (defining); which (non-defining)

Use who for people, which for things and non-defining clauses, and that for people or things in defining clauses. Check whether the pronoun is the subject before omitting it, and use commas around information that is additional rather than identifying.