That vs Who

When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.

That

High-frequency chunk A1 determiner

Who

High-frequency chunk A1 pronoun

	That	Who
Pronunciation	🇬🇧 /["/ðæt/","/ðəʊz/"]/ 🇺🇸 /["/ðæt/","/ðəʊz/"]/ Hear That	🇬🇧 /["/huː/"]/ 🇺🇸 /["/huː/"]/ Hear Who
Meaning	used to refer to a specific thing or person	A word used to ask about a person.
Example	Look at that man over there.	Who is that woman?
Register	Neutral	Neutral
How common	High-frequency chunk	High-frequency chunk
CEFR level	A1	A1
Part of speech	determiner	pronoun
Collocations	that is, that way, that means, not that, that much	who is, who are, who knows
Antonyms	this	someone, somebody, anyone, anybody
Common mistakes	Confusing 'that' with 'which' in restrictive vs non-restrictive clauses., Using 'that' when the antecedent is a person (use 'who')., Overusing 'that' in sentences, which can make them awkward.	Using 'who' for objects instead of 'whom'., 'Who' used incorrectly after prepositions like 'to'.
Usage notes	Used to refer to something already mentioned or known. In spoken English, it's often used informally. Be careful not to use it in overly formal writing where specificity is needed.	Used to inquire about someone's identity; appropriate in both formal and informal settings. Avoid using it in contexts where specifics are required, like in legal or detailed reports.

Frequently asked questions: That vs Who

What's the difference between That and Who?

That: used to refer to a specific thing or person Who: A word used to ask about a person.

Are That and Who the same CEFR level?

That: A1, Who: A1 on the CEFR scale.

Can I use That and Who interchangeably?

Not always. That and Who are related and overlap in some contexts, but they differ in register, how common they are, and usage, so swapping one for another can change the meaning or tone. Check the differences above before substituting.