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Franco Posted 22 years ago
Grammar

Correct use of "which" and "that"

I have a problem that I need to understand. I sometimes get confused as to when I should use these words. There are many sentences which require such a choice, but I always get confused.

Anyway, in addition to answering the above could someone recommend a good book with tapes which covers vocabulary and grammar. I hope to write short stories and articles, but am not confident with my grammar or vocabulary. If only my school had done things the old way.
  

Top answer

The difference is present in American English, not normally in British English, however use of the American rule is harmless even in Britain. "that" effectively makes the right hand clause into an adjective. For example "This is the house that Jack built" -- here "that Jack built" is part of the description of the house.

— Rommie

  • The difference is present in American English, not normally in British English, however use of the American rule is harmless even in Britain.
  • "that" effectively makes the right hand clause into an adjective.
  • For example "This is the house that Jack built" -- here "that Jack built" is part of the description of the house.
  • "which" (or more precisely, ", which", since you need the preceding comma) just adds a descriptive phrase which supplements the sentence.
  • For example "This is Jack's house, which is quite large".
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24 Answers
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The difference is present in American English, not normally in British English, however use of the American rule is harmless even in Britain.

"that" effectively makes the right hand clause into an adjective. For example "This is the house that Jack built" -- here "that Jack built" is part of the description of the house.

"which" (or more precisely, ", which", since you
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Thanks for the reply, Rommie. An American rule is better than no rule at all, even though I'm in the UK. I'll have fun trying to put it into my sentences correctly.
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I love an excellent book that ends every chapter with a small lesson. Perfect Agreement by Michael Downing
It taught me many of the difficult things like you are asking about in a simple easy to remember way.
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1b01font00I'm not sure ,i think "that " can use in any sentence but " which"use in thing, place (sometimes) like in which.02font02b0-
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0 The incorrect use of and punctuation surrounding the words "that" and ", which" drives me to distraction. I am currently reading a book, which was recommended to me, that is loaded with the incorrect use of these and it is irritating!02br
00 This website is useful and gives examples:02br
0500250hrefhttp://iws.ccccd.edu/jmiller/A%20Brief_%20No-Nonsense%20Guide%20to%2
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0This is great02br
0500250hrefhttp://www.getitwriteonline.com/archive/103103.htm
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0Hey thanks. That was a very informative link and it cleared my concepts very well. 05002br
00- Siddharth Jindal 010id1
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Thanks Rommie,

This makes it much easier to explain. But, now what about "periods and commas" go inside quotations. I can see the initial comma, but what about the second?

", which,"

thanks,

Jean
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Hi,
From what I've learned, one of the most important things between 'that' and 'which' is that 'that' is used for relative clause while 'which' is used for nonrelative clause. For more information, you might consider to buy the book 'The Element of Style'. The book is excellent in many ways and it tells you grammatically correct does not always mean the best thing. ^_^
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