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Learning Objectives

5 minutes reading
✓
Use "who" for people in professional descriptions
✓
Use "which" for things, companies, and concepts
✓
Apply "that" as a flexible alternative in defining clauses
✓
Write clearer emails and reports using relative clauses
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Key Learning Tip

Relative pronouns connect ideas and add information in one sentence. Instead of: "The client called. The client is from Germany." Say: "The client who called is from Germany." More professional and efficient!

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Relative Pronouns: who, which, that

10 minutes reading

Relative pronouns introduce relative clauses - extra information about a person or thing. They help combine sentences and add clarity.

WHO

For People

"The manager who interviewed me was very professional."
"Employees who work hard get promoted."
"The client who called yesterday wants a proposal."
"Is this the person who handles invoices?"
Use WHO for: colleagues, clients, managers, anyone!
WHICH

For Things & Ideas

"The report which I sent contains all the data."
"The software which we use is very reliable."
"The meeting which was scheduled for Monday is cancelled."
"This is the project which won the award."
Use WHICH for: objects, companies, ideas, documents
THAT

For Both (Informal/Defining)

"The person that called is waiting." (= who)
"The email that you sent was helpful." (= which)
"Everything that we discussed is confidential."
"The only solution that works is automation."
THAT: Common in speech, informal writing
WHERE / WHEN

For Places & Times

"The office where I work is in Paris."
"The conference room where we met is on floor 3."
"2019 was the year when we expanded."
"Monday is the day when we have team meetings."
WHERE: places / WHEN: times
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Quick Reference Guide

WHO = people | WHICH = things | THAT = both (informal)
WHERE = places | WHEN = times
In formal writing, prefer WHO/WHICH over THAT

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Professional Contexts

5 minutes reading

In Emails & Reports

📧 "The documents which you requested are attached."
👤 "Please contact Sarah, who manages this account."
📊 "The figures which I've highlighted need attention."
🏢 "The company which we acquired is profitable."

In Meetings & Presentations

🎤 "The team who developed this product will present today."
💡 "This is the solution which we recommend."
📍 "The factory where we produce is in Asia."
📅 "Q4 was the quarter when sales peaked."
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Examples - Correct & Incorrect Usage

5 minutes reading
✓

Correct Professional Usage

✓
"The candidate who applied yesterday has excellent qualifications."

WHO for people (the candidate)

✓
"The proposal which we submitted was accepted."

WHICH for things (the proposal)

✓
"This is the office where our team works."

WHERE for places

✓
"The staff who attended the training received certificates."

WHO for groups of people

✓
"The contract that we signed is valid for two years."

THAT as alternative to WHICH (informal)

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Common Mistakes to Avoid

✗
"The manager which hired me is leaving."

Wrong! Use WHO for people. Say: "The manager who hired me..."

✗
"The software who we installed is working well."

Wrong! Use WHICH/THAT for things. Say: "The software which we installed..."

✗
"The office which I work is downtown."

Wrong! Use WHERE for places. Say: "The office where I work..."

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Listening Exercise

10 minutes

Scenario: Maria, a project manager, welcomes Leo to the team and explains the Orion project.

🎙️Audio: Orion Project Introduction
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Audio Transcript: Orion Project Introduction

Maria: Hi Leo, welcome to the team. I want to give you an update on the 'Orion' project. This is the main project which we are all working on right now.

First, let me introduce you to the people. David is the engineer who writes all the technical code. He's very helpful, so you can ask him any technical questions. Then there's Sarah. She is the designer that created the user interface for the app. The design is getting very positive feedback.

Our client is a company which sells sports equipment online. They are a great client to work with. Last month, we had a small problem that slowed down our progress, but we solved it quickly. We had a team meeting which helped us find a good solution.

I am sending you a document. It's the document that explains the full project timeline and all the key deadlines. Please read it carefully. If you have questions about the budget, you should speak to Mark. He is the person who is in charge of all the project finances.

Finally, there is one last task which needs to be completed this week. It's a small report on market research. The person who usually does this is on holiday. Maybe you can help with that? Let me know. It's great to have you on the team that is making this project happen!

Question 1: In the audio, Maria uses 'who' to talk about...

💡 Hint: Listen for "David is the engineer who...", "Mark...is the person who..."

Question 2: What is the main purpose of Maria's conversation with Leo?

💡 Hint: She welcomes Leo and talks about the project, the people, and the client.

Question 3: Complete the sentence: "Our client is a company ______ sells sports equipment online."

💡 Hint: The audio uses a relative pronoun to describe the company (a thing).
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Interactive Quiz

10 minutes

Choose the correct relative pronoun:

1

"The colleague _____ helped me is very experienced."

Awho
Bwhich
Cwhere
2

"The report _____ you sent contains useful data."

Awho
Bwhich
Cwhere
3

"This is the building _____ our company is located."

Awho
Bwhich
Cwhere
✏️

Practice Exercises

10 minutes

Exercise A - Choose who, which, or where

Complete with the correct relative pronoun:

1.

The clients _____ attended the event were impressed.

💡 Hint: Clients are people.
2.

The software _____ we purchased is very efficient.

💡 Hint: Software is a thing.
3.

Paris is the city _____ our European office is located.

💡 Hint: Paris is a place.
4.

The engineer _____ designed this system is brilliant.

💡 Hint: An engineer is a person.
5.

The strategy _____ worked best was the digital approach.

💡 Hint: A strategy is a thing/concept.

Exercise B - Combine the Sentences

Choose the correct combined sentence:

1.

"The manager called. The manager wants a meeting."

2.

"The project is delayed. The project started in January."

3.

"This is the hotel. We held our conference there."

4.

"The supplier is reliable. The supplier delivers our materials."

5.

"The presentation was excellent. I saw the presentation yesterday."

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Summary

2 minutes

🎓 Key Points to Remember

  • WHO: Use for people (colleagues, clients, managers, teams)
  • WHICH: Use for things, companies, ideas, documents, concepts
  • THAT: Can replace WHO/WHICH in informal contexts
  • WHERE: Use for places (offices, cities, buildings)
  • WHEN: Use for times (years, dates, periods)
  • Benefit: Relative clauses make your writing more professional and efficient
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Congratulations!

You've completed Module 7 and the entire A2 Business English course! Take the Module 7 Quiz to test your final skills, then celebrate your achievement!

Quiz Module 7 →