TOEIC® Relative Pronouns: Who, Which, That, Whose, Whom (Complete Guide + Common Pitfalls)

Relative pronouns (who, which, that, whose, whom) are used to link two clauses while avoiding repetition.

In the TOEIC®, they appear very frequently in Parts 5 and 6, where you must choose the correct pronoun based on what it replaces (person, object, possession).

The most common trap? Confusing "who" and "whom," or forgetting that "whose" always indicates possession. A wrong choice can cost you easy points.

When to Use Each Relative Pronoun

Relative pronouns are divided into two categories: those that replace the subject and those that replace the object/complement. This is the foundation.

Who replaces a person in the subject position. You use it when the person is performing the action.

"The manager who approved the budget is on leave."

Which replaces an object or thing in either the subject or object position. This is the pronoun for non-humans.

"The report which was submitted yesterday needs corrections."

That can replace a person or a thing, but only in restrictive clauses (those that precisely define what is being discussed).

"This is the only solution that addresses all the issues."

In the TOEIC®, "that" frequently appears in professional emails and company policies. Candidates often hesitate between "that" and "which" because both can replace objects. However, "that" is more restrictive.

Whose and Whom: The Two Pronouns That Often Cause Trouble

Whose indicates possession. It replaces "his," "her," "its," or "their" and always comes before a noun.

"The employee whose performance exceeded expectations received a bonus."

The trap on the TOEIC®: confusing "whose" with "who's" (a contraction of "who is"). If you can replace it with "who is," then use "who's." Otherwise, use "whose."

Whom replaces a person in the object position. You use it after a preposition (to, for, with) or when the person receives the action.

"The consultant to whom we sent the proposal responded quickly."

Among the candidates we coach for the TOEIC®, "whom" is the most avoided pronoun. Many use "who" instead, which is incorrect in formal English.

In the TOEIC®, "whom" regularly appears after the prepositions "to," "for," and "with" in professional contexts.

Pronoun	Replaces	Function	TOEIC® Context Example
Who	Person	Subject	The director who leads the team
Which	Thing/Object	Subject or Object	The policy which was updated
That	Person or Thing	Subject or Object (Restrictive)	The report that I mentioned
Whose	Possession	Possessive Determiner	The client whose order was delayed
Whom	Person	Object (after preposition)	The colleague to whom I spoke

Common Traps in Part 5

The TOEIC® tests your ability to quickly identify what the pronoun is replacing. Here are the errors that come up constantly.

Trap 1: Confusing Subject and Object

You see "who" among the choices, but the sentence requires an object after a preposition. The correct answer is "whom."

"The manager who we reported to has resigned." -> Incorrect
"The manager to whom we reported has resigned." -> Correct

Trap 2: Forgetting Possession

The sentence mentions something belonging to someone. You must use "whose," not "who" or "that."

"The company who headquarters are in Tokyo is expanding." -> Incorrect
"The company whose headquarters are in Tokyo is expanding." -> Correct

Trap 3: Using "which" for a Person

"Which" never replaces a person. If you see "which" followed by a human action, it's a trap.

"The technician which installed the software left a manual." -> Incorrect
"The technician who installed the software left a manual." -> Correct

Moreover, even among candidates who use a preparation platform through their school, confusion between "who" and "whom" occurs very frequently in Part 5.

The reason? These tools emphasize the rule, but rarely focus on the instant reaction needed under pressure.

Frequent Error	Why It's Wrong	Correction	TOEIC® Hint
Who + preposition	"Who" never follows a preposition	Whom	Look for "to," "for," "with" before the pronoun
Which + person	"Which" = objects only	Who/that	The verb indicates a human action
Whose = who's	Confusion between possession/contraction	Whose (possession)	Try replacing it with "who is"
That after a comma	"That" never appears after a comma	Which	Comma implies a non-restrictive clause

Restrictive vs. Non-Restrictive Clauses

This distinction is less frequently tested directly, but it helps you quickly eliminate wrong answers.

Restrictive Clause: It precisely defines what you are talking about. No comma. You can use "that."

"Employees that complete the training receive a certificate."

Here, we are only talking about employees who finish the training, not all employees.

Non-Restrictive Clause: It adds extra information. Comma is mandatory. You use "which" (never "that").

"The new software, which was expensive, improved productivity."

Here, the fact that it was expensive is bonus information. We are referring to a software already identified.

In the TOEIC®, if you see a comma before the relative pronoun, immediately eliminate "that." This is a precious time saver in Part 5.

Checklist for Choosing the Right Pronoun

When facing a Part 5 question about relative pronouns, apply this 3-step method.

Step 1: Identify What is Being Replaced

Person → who, whom, whose, that
Thing/Object → which, that

Step 2: Check the Grammatical Function

Subject (performs the action) → who, which, that
Object (receives the action) → whom, which, that
Possession (belongs to) → whose

Step 3: Look for Context Clues

Preposition before the pronoun → whom
Comma before the pronoun → which (never that)
Noun after the pronoun → whose

This method works for 95% of Part 5 questions on this topic. Candidates who progress the fastest share one common trait: they automate these three steps instead of thinking through the complete rule every time.

Typical TOEIC® Examples

Here are common phrases you will encounter regularly.

Context: Professional Email

"Please contact the HR representative who handles benefits inquiries."

Context: Company Policy

"Employees whose contracts expire this month must submit renewal forms."

Context: Meeting/Scheduling

"The project that we discussed yesterday requires additional funding."

Context: Activity Report

"The supplier to whom we sent the purchase order confirmed delivery."

These examples replicate typical business vocabulary found on the TOEIC®. Get used to recognizing them quickly to save time on test day.

Ready to Practice?

Relative pronouns account for 8 to 12 questions in Part 5 on every test. If you automate the right reflexes, this is a topic where you can aim for a perfect score.

On Flow Exam, you can practice directly on the Pronouns topic in Part 5, with thousands of questions formatted exactly like those on the official TOEIC®. So, if you struggle with this topic, you will never make the same mistakes again.

Some Superpowers of the Flow Exam Platform:

150 truly exclusive tips drawn from the experience of over 500 candidates who scored +950 on the TOEIC®: clear, concrete, tested, and validated in the field.
Intelligent practice system that adapts exercises to your profile and trains you directly on the topics where you make the most mistakes. Result → 3.46x faster progress compared to traditional platforms.
Ultra-personalized learning path: targeted practice only on the questions and topics that cause you to lose points → continuously adjusted to match your evolving skill level.
Personalized statistics for +200 specific topics (adverbs, pronouns, linking words, etc.)
Real Conditions Mode exactly like Test Day (reading instructions during Listening, timer, etc.) → You can activate it whenever you want.
Flashcards automatically generated from your own mistakes, optimized by the Spaced Repetition System (SRS) for lasting memory retention and zero forgetting.
+300 points on the TOEIC® guaranteed. Otherwise, we will fully refund you.