ACT English: Use Relative Pronouns Correctly to Introduce Clauses Clearly

Use "who" or "whom" for people; use "that" or "which" for things. More specifically: "Who" is the subject of the clause (the one doing the action). "Whom" is the object (the one receiving the action). To check: substitute "he/she" (subject) for "who," or "him/her" (object) for "whom." Example: "The student who solved the problem" (he solved = subject; use "who"). Example: "The student whom the teacher helped" (the teacher helped him = object; use "whom"). "That" introduces a restrictive clause (essential information that identifies or limits the noun). "Which" introduces a nonrestrictive clause (extra information that's not essential). Example: "The car that runs efficiently is preferred" (restricts to cars that run efficiently). Example: "My car, which runs efficiently, is preferred" (adds extra info about my car; not limiting). Getting these right earns you multiple points because each sentence can have one or more relative pronouns.

Example (correct): "The author who wrote the book that won the award is here." "Who" introduces a clause about the author; "that" introduces a clause about the book. Both are correct because the pronouns match their referents and clause types.

Trap 1: Using "who" when "whom" is correct (very common). Test: "The employee whom the manager hired" (the manager hired him = object). Many people say "who," but the correct answer is "whom." Trap 2: Using "that" for people. "People that..." is wrong; use "who." "The people who attended..." is correct. Remember: who/whom for people, that/which for things. If you're unsure whether to use "that" or "which," ask: "Is this information essential (that) or extra (which)?" If essential, use "that." If extra, use "which" and add a comma before it.

When you see a relative pronoun question, identify what noun the pronoun refers to (person or thing), then apply the correct pronoun. Re-read the sentence with your choice to verify it sounds correct.

Sentence 1: "The athlete that won the race is exhausted." Error: "that" is used for a person; use "who." Fix: "The athlete who won the race is exhausted." Sentence 2: "She gave the letter to the friend whom she trusted." Error: "whom" is correct (she trusted him), but let's verify. "The friend whom she trusted" (she trusted him = object; "whom" is correct). Actually, this one is correct; no fix needed. Sentence 3: "The book, that I borrowed, was excellent." Error: This is a nonrestrictive clause (extra info), so use "which" not "that." Fix: "The book, which I borrowed, was excellent." Sentence 4: "The manager to who the report was submitted is on vacation." Error: "who" is wrong; use "whom" (the report was submitted to him = object). Fix: "The manager to whom the report was submitted is on vacation." Each error illustrates a common mistake; fixing them reinforces the rules.

Do this drill daily for one week and relative pronoun errors will become obvious to you. By test day, you'll choose the correct pronoun automatically.

Relative pronoun questions appear regularly on ACT English and test whether you understand both grammar and clarity. Once you master who/whom and that/which, you'll answer these questions with high accuracy and earn points consistently.

This week, focus on the four relative pronouns and practice identifying when each is correct. By test day, you'll choose the right pronoun automatically and never miss a relative pronoun question again.