Common mistake Grammar
Who, which, that, whose, where
Relative clause mistakes: who, which, that, whose, where
A mistake with who / which / that / whose / where (for example "the man which", "the book that I read it", a comma before "that", "people who works"). In short: Use who for people, which for things, where for places and whose for “belonging to”.
This guide is for writers moving from B1 to B2 or from B2 to C1.
The rule for relative clause mistakes
Use who for people, which for things, where for places and whose for “belonging to”. Do not repeat the person or thing after it: the book that I read (not “that I read it”).
Pattern: who = people, which = things, that = people or things (no comma), whose = belonging to, where = places. The relative word replaces it, him or them: do not repeat them.
Used correctly: a relative clause used correctly in a spot that needs care (for example "the people who work here", "the city where I grew up", "my sister, who lives abroad, ...").
Use this when you add information about a noun with who, which, that, whose or where.
Relative clause mistakes: wrong and right examples
-
Wrong Paris,
thatis the capital of France, is very expensive.Right Paris, which is the capital of France, is very expensive.
-
Wrong The students who
workshard will pass.Right The students who work hard will pass.
More right sentences
- The people who live here love the park.
- The report, which came out in May, was ignored.
- This is the town where I grew up.
Traps to avoid with relative clause mistakes
- Not "the book that I read it": the book that I read.
- Extra information between commas uses who or which, never that: "My car, which is old, ..."