Is 'who' or 'that' right?

Question

I've seen it EVERYWHERE! My games, my friends' MSN names, and on t.v.

Here's an example:
"Let me be the one [that] calls you..."

So would you replace ''that'' with ''who'' because you're talking about a person? Using ''that'' seems like it would be for an object. Any English Majors out there who (look, "who" makes sense here) would know?

Realize the sentence I used was just an EXAMPLE. John did well to use the problem words in context with different sentences.
I'll give this question another day.

Answer 1

After I read every responses, I definitely learned from John.

As the last responder said, " Let me be the one who takes your hands." That sentence doesn't sound right, and if you perform the same sentence in John's sentence, it would make a lot of sense. " Let me be the one to take your hands."

" Let me be the one to take your hands" VS " Let me be the one who takes your hands." Both sentences sound logical, but I can clearly see why John rather use TO than WHO or THAT is this matter.

After looking deeply into John's point, I decided to make couple sentences to determine if TO is more necessary than WHO.

" I was the one did that." According to John, the word "WHO" is often expressed in Past tense.

" I was the one did that" VS " I was the one who did that."

What I also learned from John was that WHO often refers to a Noun.

For example: Who took my cake? It must be a Noun, wether if it was an animal or a Human, it must be a Noun.

A clearer example: "She kills her own dog" then the listerner would ask, " Who?"

To make a complete sentence clear and understandable, we go back to what John suggests.

" Lisa was the person who killed her Dog"

The problem in using " Lisa was the person that killed her dog" is that "WHO" means what or which person or people, or introducing a clause giving further information about a person or people previously mentioned. However, Lisa, which previously mentioned, then WHO continues to give more detials.

If you are preparing a sentence in Present Tense, then WHO must not be used, unless asking a question, such as
" Who are you talking about?

Furthermore, if you are preparing a sentence in Present Tense, such as " Let me be the one that calls you," the word " To" would highly be recommended.

" Let me be the one to call you" VS " Let me be the one that calls you."

John also mentioned that shorter sentences are more occurate. However, " I'll make the first call, " Or" I'll call first, " or " Let me call you, " or " Make me call you."

What I learned from John today was that same sentence about Reason why.

" The reason why I called was to make sure you were ok"

Of course subtracting "why" is suggested, because it is taking up unnecessary space.

The reason I called was to make sure you were ok."

Well done, John. Keep being a great person in school.

Answer 2

You are correct: "who" refers to people, "that" to things. Good grammar is a rare phenomenon on the Internet, and perfect grammar is almost nonexistent. Those of us who write well don't often waste time correcting other people's errors, but sometimes we can't help ourselves. We pay the price, though, because there are few things that set people off more quickly or more rabidly than having their grammar corrected.

John is not quite right, by the way. Both sentences are grammatically correct; the difference between the two is more a matter of style, and choices in style are dependent on the narrative voice and the context. Style is chosen by the writer alone except when the writer is working with an editor in preparation for publication.

Answer 3

I am physically disabled and I passed English with 99%

That and Who shouldn't be used in this case.

"Let me be the one to call you" is highly suggested.

Bye for now.

UPDATE:

Nightserf makes me laugh. Plus, she tries to counteract my lecture while fails to use proper punctuations.

In order to determine if a person knows English well, close observation of their lecture will authenticate that. Conversely, Nightserf is completely incorrect, yet clueless and unenlightened.

Let's contemplate the following erroneous sentence.

" Let me be the one that calls you."

The above sentence needs a preposition, which would be "TO"

What is a preposition? Expressing direction or position in relation to a particular location, point, or condition, or identifying the person or thing affected. Also, identifying a particular relationship between one person or thing and another, indicating a rate of return on something.

Now, let's rephrase the sentence. " Let me be the one to call you." This is called "present tense" because you want to make the call.
Let's take a look at how we should rephrase the sentence in past tense.

" She was the one who called, " not " She was the one that called" because the word " THAT" is a determiner, and the determiner is already stated at the beginning of the sentence, which would be " She" as a pronoun.

Any sentence that can be shortened is considered incorrect.

For example: the following sentence is incorrect.

The reason why I called was to make sure you were ok.

Now, such sentence doesn't seem incorrect, but it sure does. That's why English can be the hardest language to learn.

Now, let me correct the above sentence. Remember, any sentence that can be shortened is considered incorrect.

The reason I called was to make sure you were ok.

Subtract "WHY" and your sentence will be correct. :)

Bye for now.

Answer 4

All the following are grammatically correct & are in common use:

1. Let me be the one THAT calls you.

('That: Relative Pronoun.; 'that calls you' is an adjective clause modifying the pronoun 'one')

2. Let me be the one WHO calls you.

('Who' is Interrogative Pronoun:.; 'that calls you' is an adjective clause modifying the pronoun 'one')

But the sentence, . Let me be the one TO call you. (Use of infinitive 'to'. Meaning slightly different. Not the same as the above 2 sentences)

..

Answer 5

I support John's answer.

" Who" and "That" shouldn't be used in this cause.

Plus, when you are referring to yourself, you always subtract an "S"

You can't say " I calls you"

" I call you"

When you are referring to a person and not you, you can use the word " WHO"

However, " She was the one who called me."

But John is correct.

Answer 6

Definitely "Who"

Try it with other verbs like:

Let me be the one who takes you by the hand.

Answer 7

it's "who"
your right, using "that" would be referring to an object..
however, people use "that" to refer to the action (i.e. calling you)... but i believe 'who' is the correct term to use.

Answer 8

You are right.
"Let me be the one who calls you..."

Example:
`So you are the one who destroyed my village'

Answer 9

who, dammit!

people are so careless with the who/that/which thing it drives me crazy!

Answer 10

'Who' is right, but more and more people are believing 'that' is acceptable.