“Who” vs. “that”
“Who” refers to people.
Correct: “She’s the teacher who inspires me.” (Refers to a person)
Incorrect: “She’s the teacher that inspires me.”
“That” refers to things, objects, animals (in general), or groups.
Correct: “This is the book that I was talking about.” (Refers to a thing)
Correct: “The team that won the game is celebrating.” (Collective noun treated as a single unit)
Why It gets confusing
Many people use “that” when talking about people, especially in casual conversation. This habit starts in elementary school and often sticks in the future.
Example of common mistake: “The person that called me was nice.” (Technically, this should be “who.”)
Trick to remember
If you’re talking about a person, use “who.”
Think: “Who is human.” (Both words start with “h.”)
Use “that” for everything else.
Choosing to use “who” or “that” needs practice, so we have some activities for you to try out.
Activity 1: who or that sorting game
Materials Needed:
Flashcards or pieces of paper.
A marker or crayon.
Two boxes or baskets labeled “Who” and “That.”
How to Play:
Write down words or short sentences on the flashcards. Some should describe people, others should describe things or animals. For example:
“The boy who plays soccer.” (People)
“The dog that barks.” (Animal)
“The pencil that I dropped.” (Thing)
“The teacher who helps us learn.” (People)
Mix up all the cards and ask the child to sort them into the correct baskets: “Who” for people and “That” for things or animals.
Activity 2: who or that bingo
Materials Needed:
A Bingo Card (5x5 grid) with random sentences on it. Some sentences use “who” correctly, some use “that” correctly, and some are wrong.
Tokens or markers to cover squares.
How to Play:
Read a sentence aloud.
If the sentence is correct, the child puts a token on that square. If it’s wrong, they have to say what the mistake is before marking it.
First one to get a row wins.
Activity 3: make your own sentences
How to Play:
Give the child a list of words like “teacher,” “dog,” “book,” “girl,” “robot,” “tree,” etc.
Ask them to make sentences using “who” for people and “that” for things/animals.
Reward creative sentences with stickers or fun points.
