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Grammar, Syntax, and Conventions of Written English Videos 9 videos
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This video clears up the confusion between then and than once and for all. It explains when to use each one (one for time, one for comparison) and...
Want even more deets on That vs. Which? Click here to review. Or take a look at our entire grammar section for all the goods.
That vs. Who 944 Views
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Want even more deets on That vs. Who? Click here to review. Or take a look at our entire grammar section for all the goods.
Transcript
- 00:04
That versus Who, a la Shmoop. You have a dog. She is short and brown and
- 00:11
cute.
- 00:11
She is also a food thief.
- 00:14
So, how do you describe your dog to your friends? Is she the dog that steals biscuits from the
- 00:20
breakfast table...
Full Transcript
- 00:21
...or the dog who steals biscuits from the breakfast table?
- 00:25
Here's the rule when it comes to 'that' versus 'who'...
- 00:27
...use 'that' when you're talking about an object...
- 00:30
...and 'who' when talking about a person. For example, you are a person who owns a dog.
- 00:36
You are the person who named that poor dog Brumhilda.
- 00:41
Your parents are the ones who bought you the dog for Christmas...
- 00:44
...and then regretted the decision immediately. Brumhilda likes to snatch the biscuits that
- 00:49
sit on the breakfast table...
- 00:51
...and the kibble that is in the cat's bowl...
- 00:54
...and any stray piece of food that ends up on the kitchen floor.
- 00:58
Using 'that' when you're talking about an object...
- 01:01
...and 'who' when you're talking about a person...
- 01:03
...seems straightforward, right?
- 01:06
But what about when you're dealing with an animate object that isn't a person, like Brumhilda
- 01:11
the biscuit-snatcher? In this case, you could use either 'that'
- 01:15
or 'who'. Both would be correct.
- 01:17
However, given your small dog's outsized personality...
- 01:20
...you'd more likely say that she's the animal who is closest to your heart.
- 01:24
Your brother's pet goldfish, on the other hand...
- 01:26
...well, he's just the creature that exists to keep the family cat entertained.
- 01:30
And that's it for the 'that' versus 'who' rule.
- 01:32
Now, you'd better go get Brumhilda. Looks like it's the scrambled eggs that are her
- 01:36
target today...
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