students that

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "students that" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to introduce a clause that describes or modifies another noun. For example, "The teacher gave extra credit to students that completed the project early."

✓ Grammatically correct

Academia

Formal & Business

News & Media

Science

Encyclopedias

Wiki

Reference

Social Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

For some students, that was too much.

The New York Times

To some students, that is the university's draw.

The New York Times

You saw other students that did not disrupt class.

The New Yorker

For many college students, that is prime time.

The New York Times

Third, we assess those organizational factors relating to the role of PhD students that predict mental health status.

Research Policy

"Where are the students that were promised free tuition?

The New York Times

But there are places, and students, that do.

The New Yorker

But they don't really need to tell students that.

The New York Times

For the students, that was the last straw.

The New York Times

But for many of the University of Maryland students, that is not the point.

The New York Times

It's incredible for both students that are behind and ahead.

Forbes

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "students who" instead of "students that" in formal writing for a more refined tone, as "who" is generally preferred for people.

Common error

Avoid using "that" excessively, especially when it doesn't add clarity. Sometimes, the relative clause can be omitted without loss of meaning. For instance, instead of "The assignments that are required", consider "The required assignments".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "students that" functions as a relative clause, modifying the noun "students". It introduces additional information about the students being referred to, specifying a characteristic or condition they possess. As Ludwig AI confirms, this usage is grammatically correct.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

30%

Science

25%

Academia

20%

Less common in

Formal & Business

10%

Wiki

8%

Reference

7%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "students that" is a grammatically sound and commonly used way to introduce a relative clause modifying the noun "students". While often interchangeable with "students who", the latter is generally favored in more formal writing. The phrase serves to provide specific details about a group of students sharing particular characteristics or circumstances. As Ludwig AI points out, this construct is generally correct and accepted, though awareness of formality levels can refine usage. It is important to remember that while acceptable, other formulations might be more suitable to specific contexts. "Students that" appears most frequently in news, science, and academic sources.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

students who

Replaces "that" with "who", which is often preferred when referring to people for increased formality.

students which

Substitutes "that" with "which"; less common when referring to people but grammatically acceptable.

pupils who

Replaces "students" with "pupils" and "that" with "who", offering a more formal tone.

those students who

Adds emphasis by specifying "those students" instead of simply "students".

students attending

Uses a participle phrase instead of a relative clause to describe students.

learners that

Substitutes "students" with "learners", emphasizing the act of learning.

students enrolled in

Specifies enrollment status, providing more context than the original phrase.

all students that

Quantifies the group, indicating all students fitting a certain criterion.

students participating in

Focuses on students involved in a specific activity.

students with

Uses a prepositional phrase to describe students possessing certain qualities or characteristics.

FAQs

When should I use "students that" versus "students who"?

While grammatically acceptable, "students who" is generally preferred in formal writing when referring to people. "Students that" is more common in informal contexts or when referring to a group as a whole rather than individuals.

What are some alternatives to "students that"?

You can use alternatives like "students who", "students attending", or "students enrolled in", depending on the context.

Is "students that" grammatically correct?

Yes, "students that" is grammatically correct, although "students who" is often considered more appropriate in formal writing, particularly when emphasizing individual students.

How can I rephrase a sentence using "students that" to sound more formal?

Consider replacing "that" with "who" or restructuring the sentence using a participle phrase. For example, instead of "Students that excel are rewarded", try "Students who excel are rewarded" or "Excelling students are rewarded".