Who or That?

Please choose the most correct sentence from the two choices shown below.

1. Harold is the student who left school early due to illness.
2. Harold is the student that left school early due to illness.

The best choice is 1) because who refers to people and that refers to animals and things.

Let’s try again. The following example makes the difference between these two words more distinct. Which of these two sentences is the most correct?

1. Where is the dog who ran away yesterday?
2. Where is the dog that ran away yesterday?

The best choice is 2) because that refers to animals and things and who refers to people.

Try one more time. Which of these sentences is preferred?

1. Please identify the book club members that have paid their dues.
2. Please identify the book club members who have paid their dues.

The best choice is 2) because book club members are people so we use the word who.

Please take one more test. Which of these sentences is preferred and why?

1. The Michigan Motor Club is the organization who donated the money.
2. The Michigan Motor Club is the organization that donated the money.

The best choice is 2) because an organization is a thing and not a person so we use the word that.

You may want to apply your word processing spelling and grammar checking test to the above sentences and see what happens. Many grammar check programs will fail to flag most who versus that errors.

You will likely hear and see many examples of the words who and that used incorrectly as you listen to television, radio, read newspapers and read signs in business windows. Can we help improve the use of these words? I hope so.