Common Mistakes with Relative Pronouns: Who vs. Whom, Which vs. That

Question

Hey everyone! 👋 I always get confused about 'who' vs. 'whom' and 'which' vs. 'that'. Can someone break it down simply? It feels like a grammar puzzle! 🧩

Emma_Johnson · Accepted Answer

📚 Navigating Relative Pronouns: Who vs. Whom, Which vs. That

Relative pronouns connect a dependent clause to a main clause. Choosing the correct one can make your writing clearer and more precise. Let's break down the common pitfalls!

🙋‍♀️ 'Who' Explained
'Who' is a subject pronoun. Think of it as replacing 'he,' 'she,' 'they,' 'I,' or 'we' in the dependent clause. If you can answer the question with one of those pronouns, 'who' is likely correct.

🙋‍♂️ 'Whom' Explained
'Whom' is an object pronoun. It replaces 'him,' 'her,' 'them,' or 'me' in the dependent clause. If you can answer the question with one of those pronouns, 'whom' is likely correct. A helpful trick: If you see a preposition (to, from, with, etc.) right before the pronoun, it's often 'whom.'

🤔 'Which' Explained
'Which' introduces nonrestrictive clauses, providing extra, non-essential information about something. These clauses are set off by commas.

🤓 'That' Explained
'That' introduces restrictive clauses, providing essential information that defines or identifies something. These clauses are *not* set off by commas.

📊 Who vs. Whom vs. Which vs. That: A Comparison Table

Feature
      Who
      Whom
      Which
      That

Function
      Subject pronoun
      Object pronoun
      Nonrestrictive clause (non-essential information)
      Restrictive clause (essential information)

Refers to
      People
      People
      Things (non-essential)
      Things (essential)

Commas
      Not typically required
      Not typically required
      Required (with nonrestrictive clauses)
      Not required (with restrictive clauses)

Example
      The student who studied hard succeeded.
      To whom did you address the letter?
      My car, which is very old, still runs well.
      The book that I borrowed is overdue.

🚀 Key Takeaways

🙋‍♀️ Who: Use when the pronoun acts as the subject of the clause.
  🎯 Whom: Use when the pronoun acts as the object of the clause, especially after prepositions.
  ✍️ Which: Use with commas for nonrestrictive clauses (extra information).
  📌 That: Use without commas for restrictive clauses (essential information).

Common Mistakes with Relative Pronouns: Who vs. Whom, Which vs. That

1 Answers

📚 Navigating Relative Pronouns: Who vs. Whom, Which vs. That

🙋‍♀️ 'Who' Explained

🙋‍♂️ 'Whom' Explained

🤔 'Which' Explained

🤓 'That' Explained

📊 Who vs. Whom vs. Which vs. That: A Comparison Table

🚀 Key Takeaways

Join the discussion

Feature	Who	Whom	Which	That
Function	Subject pronoun	Object pronoun	Nonrestrictive clause (non-essential information)	Restrictive clause (essential information)
Refers to	People	People	Things (non-essential)	Things (essential)
Commas	Not typically required	Not typically required	Required (with nonrestrictive clauses)	Not required (with restrictive clauses)
Example	The student who studied hard succeeded.	To whom did you address the letter?	My car, which is very old, still runs well.	The book that I borrowed is overdue.